1903 World Series program likely to sell for at least $150K

Oct. 25 (UPI) -- A program from the first World Series is expected to be auctioned off for at least $150,000.

The Pittsburgh program from the 1903 World Series was recently discovered and will be auctioned off from Nov. 2 to Nov. 15 by Huggins & Scott Auctions. Interested bidders can participate in the auction online. Huggins & Scott Auctions estimates its value at $150,000 to $250,000 and bidding will start at $75,000.

There are only two additional known programs from Pittsburgh's Exposition Park. One of them is owned by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The other copy sold for almost $250,000 at the 2011 Louisville Slugger Museum auction.

The program being auctioned off belongs to collector Ben Cavallo. It includes a pencilled-in scoresheet from Game 7. That bout featured Cy Young leading the Boston Americans to a 7-5 triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates. It is the only known copy to exist from Game 7.

The program also features photo headshots of Honus Wagner, Harry Smith, Claude Ritchey, Ginger Beaumont, Tommy Leach, Sam Leever and Deacon Philllippe.

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A program from the 1903 World Series is expected to be auctioned off for $150,000 to $250,000 by Huggins & Scott Auctions. Photo courtesy of Huggins & Scott Auctions

Advertisements fill the non-baseball-related pages of the blue, red, white and black print. Those ads promote $3.50 patent leather shoes, the Pittsburgh & Lake Eric Railroad Company and 5 cent cigars, among many more products.

Boston won the 1903 World Series 5-3 in a best-of-nine format. Young posted a 1.85 ERA and a 2-1 record in four appearances, including three complete games during the series. He also hit a triple. Wagner hit .222 and had a double and three RBIs for the Pirates.

About 17,000 fans attended Game 7 on Oct. 10, 1903, according to Baseball Reference. Young struck out Wagner in the first inning.