Fred Merkle\'s Boner Pop Fly Art Print #173/175 1908 Giants Cubs Baseball Rare For Sale

LIMITED EDITION \"MERKLE\'S BONER\" POP FLY BASEBALL ART PRINT — #173/175 — 1908 GIANTS vs. CUBS — SPECIAL STORYBOOK-STYLE RELEASE

THIS IS AWESOME!

Every once in a while, Pop Fly does something completely different.

This is one of those times.

Pop Fly took a break from its usual sequence of comic-book-inspired baseball prints to tell one of the strangest and most famous stories in baseball history:

MERKLE\'S BONER

This special artwork was designed with the wonderful nostalgic appearance of an old-fashioned children\'s storybook.

But the story?

Oh, it\'s definitely baseball.

The finished piece measures approximately:

6.625\" x 8\"

and was limited to only:

175 PRINTS!

This particular example is individually numbered:

That\'s how the artist introduced this unusual Pop Fly release.

And he\'s right.

To understand this artwork, you need to know the story of:

FRED MERKLE.

It happened more than a century ago.

September 23, 1908.

New York Giants.

Chicago Cubs.

Polo Grounds.

A heated National League pennant race.

And one of the most infamous baserunning plays in baseball history.

The score was tied in the bottom of the ninth inning.

There were two outs.

Fred Merkle was on first base.

Al Bridwell singled, and the runner from second appeared to score the winning run.

THE GAME WAS OVER!

Or so almost everyone thought.

Thousands of excited fans began pouring onto the field.

Merkle turned toward the clubhouse without touching second base.

Under the rules, however, the play wasn\'t finished.

The Chicago Cubs recognized what had happened and attempted to complete a force play at second base.

Merkle was ruled out.

The apparent winning run was nullified.

With the field overwhelmed by spectators and darkness approaching, play couldn\'t simply continue normally.

The game was eventually declared a:

TIE.

And that seemingly insignificant failure to touch second base became one of the most consequential plays in baseball history.

The Giants and Cubs finished the regular season tied for first place.

That meant the September 23 tie had to be replayed.

The teams met again on October 8, 1908.

Chicago won.

THE CUBS WON THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT.

They went on to defeat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

And poor Fred Merkle?

He became forever associated with the play that came to be known as:

\"MERKLE\'S BONER.\"

He was only 19 years old.

That\'s what makes this such a perfect subject for Pop Fly.

This isn\'t simply about statistics.

It isn\'t about a home run record.

It isn\'t about a Cy Young Award.

It\'s about one tiny moment that has been discussed for more than 100 years.

A runner didn\'t touch a base.

Someone noticed.

A rule mattered.

And the course of a pennant race changed.

As the artist explained:

Some stories don\'t fit on a comic cover.

So this one was told differently.

Instead of the traditional Pop Fly comic-book-inspired format, this special release has the nostalgic appearance of a classic children\'s storybook.

That makes the subject even funnier.

At first glance, it looks like something that might contain a sweet little bedtime story.

MERKLE\'S BONER.

You\'ve got to love it.

And here\'s another reason I like this one:

ONLY 175 PRINTS WERE PRODUCED.

That\'s it.

This particular example is:

#173/175

That\'s an incredibly small production number for something commemorating one of the most famous incidents in early baseball history.

• \"Merkle\'s Boner\"

• Fred Merkle

• New York Giants / Chicago Cubs

• Historic 1908 pennant race

• Pop Fly special baseball art release

• Storybook-inspired artwork

• Approximately 6.625\" x 8\"

• Different format and size from traditional Pop Fly releases

• Limited edition

• #173/175

• Only 175 produced

• Art print — NOT a book

Here\'s what I find fascinating.

Fred Merkle played Major League Baseball for approximately 16 seasons.

He collected more than 1,500 hits.

He played in multiple World Series.

He had a long and successful Major League career.

Yet more than a century later, his name remains inseparable from something he did as a 19-year-old kid.

He didn\'t touch second base.

That\'s baseball.

One moment can become:

FOLKLORE.

This unusual Pop Fly release would look fantastic displayed alongside:

• Vintage baseball memorabilia

• New York Giants collectibles

• Chicago Cubs memorabilia

• Fred Merkle cards

• Deadball Era collectibles

• Baseball history books

• Other Pop Fly artwork

• Early World Series memorabilia

And because of its unusual storybook-style design, it looks completely different from most baseball artwork.

Please examine all photographs carefully for the exact condition of the print, including the corners, edges and surfaces.

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET — THIS IS THE ACTUAL #173/175 PRINT YOU WILL RECEIVE.

It will be carefully packaged for shipment.

I\'ve been collecting sports cards, autographs and memorabilia for more than 40 years, and this is exactly why Pop Fly caught my attention.

These prints don\'t simply show baseball players.

THEY TELL BASEBALL STORIES.

Some are funny.

Some are incredible.

Some are almost impossible to believe.

And some have been told for more than a century.

When a Pop Fly release really catches my attention, I normally purchase two copies.

One goes into my personal collection.

The other gives me the opportunity to eventually sell one while still keeping the artwork that I wanted for myself.

This is my extra copy of:

\"MERKLE\'S BONER.\"

• Selling on as mcvikes since March 21, 1998

• 35,000+ successful transactions

• 87,000+ items listed/sold

• More than 40 years of sports card, autograph and memorabilia collecting experience

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More than a century ago...

A winning run apparently scored.

Fans stormed the field.

A 19-year-old runner headed toward the clubhouse.

He didn\'t touch second.

Someone noticed.

AND BASEBALL HISTORY CHANGED.

FRED MERKLE

1908

\"MERKLE\'S BONER\"

SPECIAL POP FLY STORYBOOK-STYLE RELEASE

#173/175

ONLY 175 PRODUCED

THIS IS AWESOME!

A fantastic addition to the SERIOUS baseball historian, Deadball Era, Giants, Cubs or Pop Fly collector\'s collection!

Thanks for looking!