January 2018 Sports Card & Memorabilia Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/28/2018
RARE 1887 Old Judge Cigarette N172 Bill Earle Graded SGC 10/1 (Poor). William Moffat "Billy" Earle (November 10, 1867 – May 30, 1946), nicknamed "The Little Globetrotter",was an American Major League Baseball player who mainly played as a catcher for five teams from 1889 to 1894.
Moffat was known as one of the best catchers of his time, although he shifted from team to team by contract jumping, threatening to contract jump if he was not happy. He was most noted for his "creepy" nature. He thought of himself as a hypnotist, and was interested in spiritual healing. His teammates reported feeling uncomfortable around him, his eyes making them feel helpless and was known as somewhat of "Weirdo". Born in Philadelphia, Earle began his Major League career with the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1889, and split his playing time between catcher and right field. In 53 total games played that season, his career high, he hit .269, scored 37 runs, stole 26 bases, and hit four home runs in 169 at bats.
Earle was sold by the Red Stockings to the St. Louis Browns before the 1890 season began, and played in just 22 games, batted .233, and scored 16 runs. During the season, he was released by the Browns, but was soon playing with Tacoma of the Pacific Northwest League, where he finished the season. He played sparingly for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1892 and 1893 seasons. For 1894 season, he began playing with the Louisville Colonels, and batted .354 in 21 games. Although he hit well, and had a .954 fielding percentage, he was released in July. He signed with the Brooklyn Groom shortly thereafter, and did equally as well. In 14 games, for them he batted .340, and had a .930 fielding percentage. In total that season, he batted .348 in 35 games between the two teams, but he never played another Major League season.
In December 1890, Earle had studied hypnosis, reportedly to mesmerize a lady who had previously showed no interest in him. The Reach Guide published in 1893, also claimed that Earle possessed hypnotic powers, and was a practicing spiritualist who also dabbled in spiritual healing and magnetism as well as hypnotism. According to Bill Stern in his book Bill Stern's Favorite Baseball Stories, players recalled that Earle had a pair of piercing eyes, and gave anyone who he looked at a creepy, helpless feeling. Other teammates reported that they thought he had an "evil eye".
Bill Barnes, a former teammate with Earle when they played for a Duluth, Minnesota club in 1887, noted an incident that happened on May 11 on the Mississippi River near LaCrosse, Wisconsin. He, Earle, and another teammate, John Ake, were in a boat when a wave created by a passing-by steamer capsized the boat. Barnes and Earle was able to swim to shore, but Ake drowned when he attempted to swim ashore himself. Barnes relates that he would never forget the look in Earles' eyes when he was watching Ake. Earle was good enough as a player, that no matter much he travelled around, he was able to catch on with some team, even you consider his nature. Superstition more than anything else, finally kept Earle from continuing his professional playing career.
Condition: Poor
RARE 1887 Old Judge Cigarette N172 Bill Earle Graded SGC 10 (One of the Best Catchers in the 1800s)
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