COLLECTIBLES
September 26, 2006|By Harry Rinker, Special to The Morning Call -- Freelance
Q: My mother-in-law has a program from a football game played by the New York Giants and Yellow Jackets at the Polo Grounds on Oct. 18, 1925. The program has eight pages and a cover. It measures 73/4-by-11 inches. Information in the program includes the 1925 New York Giants' schedule, team photo and individual photos of three players: Arthur Carney, Tommy Myer and Sentury Milstead, and other text information. My mother-in-law was wondering if this had any monetary value.
M.T., Allentown
A.: The first U.S. professional football teams, sponsored by local businesses or communities, arrived in the 1910s. In 1920, the American Professional Football Association was founded in Canton, Ohio. Jim Thorpe was its first president. The group changed its name to the National Football League in 1922. In the early decades, teams came and went as businesses and communities found they could no longer afford the costs of operating a professional team, or teams were lured to other locations by more lucrative financial deals. Currently, the National Football League has 32 active and 34 defunct franchises.
The Frankford Yellow Jackets were members of the National Football League from 1924 to 1931. The Web site, www.giants.com, contains this key information: "The City of New York was introduced to professional football on the same day that the City of New York was introduced to the New York Giants. It was a clear, sunny October afternoon in 1925 when the Giants took the field to play the Frankford Yellow Jackets. The Giants lost their home debut by a score of 14-10, but more importantly, the New York Giants and professional football had arrived."
The Web site, www.pro-football-reference.com, provides detailed football information.
In 1925, the New York Giants had a record of eight wins and four losses. The Frankford Yellow Jackets' record was 13 wins and eight losses. The Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Maroons won the league title in 1925 with a record of 10 wins and two losses.
Obviously, each team did not play the same number of games. The Dutch Kelleys only played three games, all of which they lost.
Two of the four New York Giant losses in 1925 came at the hands of the Yellow Jackets: first by a score of 5 to 3 and then 14 to 0. The first game was played in Frankford.
A small but extremely dedicated number of Yellow Jacket fans remains. Several sites, including http://ghosts.footballhistory.org/Yellowjackets.htm, are devoted to the team. The Yellow Jackets won the World Championship in 1926. A fire on July 27, 1931, badly damaged the team's stadium. This, coupled with Philadelphia's wish to extend a road through the stadium site, forced the team to seek other locations for their games, which was difficult.
The team played its last game on Dec. 5, 1931. The Historical Society of Frankford (1507 Orthodox St., Philadelphia, PA 19124) offers copies of the "Illustrated Scrapbook of the Frankford Yellow Jackets," a photocopy of Howard Lee Barne's "Yellow Jacket Scrapbook," for $25 plus shipping. A new minor league football team is being developed in Frankford. See www.frankfordyellowjackets.org.
I strongly believe that the value of any object is enhanced by the story associated with it. However, your program has value beyond its story. As the first program from a New York Giants' home game, it has "holy grail" status to New York Giants' fans.
Based on electronic images that you sent, your catalog appears to be in very good plus condition.
Because of your program's scarcity, I consulted David Hunt of Hunt Auctions (www.huntauctions.com), an Exton firm that specializes in sports collectibles. He suggested a value of $750 plus. I am using "plus" because two dedicated New York Giants' collectors, bidding against each other, could probably drive the price through the roof. Link - ( New Window )
1925 New York Giants (vs Yellow Jackets) Program - First Home Game in Franchise History
Starting Bid - $200, Sold For - $1,541
Click here
to view the photos
Rare, original program issued by the New York Giants for the club's first home game in franchise history, against the Philadelphia Yellow Jackets, held at the Polo Grounds on October 18, 1925. The eight-page program features team photos of both the Giants and Yellow Jackets, as well as individual photos of New York Giants team members "Century" Milstead, Tommy Myers, Arthur Carney, and head coach Robert Folwell. Although he is not pictured in the program, Jim Thorpe is listed as halfback for the Giants in the printed starting lineup. 1925 was Thorpe's only season with the Giants. The Giants were defeated by the Yellow Jackets 5-3 in their inaugural home opener, but went on to finish the season with an 8-4 record. The program (7.75 x 11 inches) displays a heavy degree of water staining throughout, which has resulted in varying degrees of red staining on each of the interior pages. The final page also displays a small area of paper loss along the top border. While technically in Fair condition overall, nearly all of the flaws are related to the water damage and the book is otherwise in fine condition, with no significant tears or creases. This is an extremely rare program, in any condition, and the first example we have ever offered. That fact, plus its enormous historical significance, help to mitigate its physical flaws. Reserve $200. Estimate (open). SOLD FOR $1,541 Link - ( New Window )
not trying to be debbie downer to the value but I have to assume it takes a pretty significant "hit" if it's "only" the jacket and not the full program. Still an awesome piece though.
Considering the Giants were founded in 1925 and the game on the program is from October of 1925, that has to be one of the first Giants games ever. If I found that, I'd frame it and hang it up in memorabilia room. Awesome piece.
September 26, 2006|By Harry Rinker, Special to The Morning Call -- Freelance
Q: My mother-in-law has a program from a football game played by the New York Giants and Yellow Jackets at the Polo Grounds on Oct. 18, 1925. The program has eight pages and a cover. It measures 73/4-by-11 inches. Information in the program includes the 1925 New York Giants' schedule, team photo and individual photos of three players: Arthur Carney, Tommy Myer and Sentury Milstead, and other text information. My mother-in-law was wondering if this had any monetary value.
M.T., Allentown
A.: The first U.S. professional football teams, sponsored by local businesses or communities, arrived in the 1910s. In 1920, the American Professional Football Association was founded in Canton, Ohio. Jim Thorpe was its first president. The group changed its name to the National Football League in 1922. In the early decades, teams came and went as businesses and communities found they could no longer afford the costs of operating a professional team, or teams were lured to other locations by more lucrative financial deals. Currently, the National Football League has 32 active and 34 defunct franchises.
The Frankford Yellow Jackets were members of the National Football League from 1924 to 1931. The Web site, www.giants.com, contains this key information: "The City of New York was introduced to professional football on the same day that the City of New York was introduced to the New York Giants. It was a clear, sunny October afternoon in 1925 when the Giants took the field to play the Frankford Yellow Jackets. The Giants lost their home debut by a score of 14-10, but more importantly, the New York Giants and professional football had arrived."
The Web site, www.pro-football-reference.com, provides detailed football information.
In 1925, the New York Giants had a record of eight wins and four losses. The Frankford Yellow Jackets' record was 13 wins and eight losses. The Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Maroons won the league title in 1925 with a record of 10 wins and two losses.
Obviously, each team did not play the same number of games. The Dutch Kelleys only played three games, all of which they lost.
Two of the four New York Giant losses in 1925 came at the hands of the Yellow Jackets: first by a score of 5 to 3 and then 14 to 0. The first game was played in Frankford.
A small but extremely dedicated number of Yellow Jacket fans remains. Several sites, including http://ghosts.footballhistory.org/Yellowjackets.htm, are devoted to the team. The Yellow Jackets won the World Championship in 1926. A fire on July 27, 1931, badly damaged the team's stadium. This, coupled with Philadelphia's wish to extend a road through the stadium site, forced the team to seek other locations for their games, which was difficult.
The team played its last game on Dec. 5, 1931. The Historical Society of Frankford (1507 Orthodox St., Philadelphia, PA 19124) offers copies of the "Illustrated Scrapbook of the Frankford Yellow Jackets," a photocopy of Howard Lee Barne's "Yellow Jacket Scrapbook," for $25 plus shipping. A new minor league football team is being developed in Frankford. See www.frankfordyellowjackets.org.
I strongly believe that the value of any object is enhanced by the story associated with it. However, your program has value beyond its story. As the first program from a New York Giants' home game, it has "holy grail" status to New York Giants' fans.
Based on electronic images that you sent, your catalog appears to be in very good plus condition.
Because of your program's scarcity, I consulted David Hunt of Hunt Auctions (www.huntauctions.com), an Exton firm that specializes in sports collectibles. He suggested a value of $750 plus. I am using "plus" because two dedicated New York Giants' collectors, bidding against each other, could probably drive the price through the roof.
Link - ( New Window )
Starting Bid - $200, Sold For - $1,541
Click here
to view the photos
Rare, original program issued by the New York Giants for the club's first home game in franchise history, against the Philadelphia Yellow Jackets, held at the Polo Grounds on October 18, 1925. The eight-page program features team photos of both the Giants and Yellow Jackets, as well as individual photos of New York Giants team members "Century" Milstead, Tommy Myers, Arthur Carney, and head coach Robert Folwell. Although he is not pictured in the program, Jim Thorpe is listed as halfback for the Giants in the printed starting lineup. 1925 was Thorpe's only season with the Giants. The Giants were defeated by the Yellow Jackets 5-3 in their inaugural home opener, but went on to finish the season with an 8-4 record. The program (7.75 x 11 inches) displays a heavy degree of water staining throughout, which has resulted in varying degrees of red staining on each of the interior pages. The final page also displays a small area of paper loss along the top border. While technically in Fair condition overall, nearly all of the flaws are related to the water damage and the book is otherwise in fine condition, with no significant tears or creases. This is an extremely rare program, in any condition, and the first example we have ever offered. That fact, plus its enormous historical significance, help to mitigate its physical flaws. Reserve $200. Estimate (open). SOLD FOR $1,541
Link - ( New Window )
come to think of it, great idea
Did they end up being the Eagles?
Great idea.
Nice find.
Tell your grandmother to treasure it.
I agree, that's what I would do, especially if my grandparents had been to that game and it was theirs.
I have one too. Obviously not original like your 1925