1909-11 T206 Polar Bear Ed Konetchy Glove Near Ground PSA EX 5

T206 Polar Bear Ed Konetchy Glove Near Ground PSA 5 - Tobacco Era Toughie Featuring a Defensive Star of the Dead Ball Era

Ed Konetchy was a fixture of early 20th-century baseball—an underrated star first baseman who brought steady offense and outstanding defense during a gritty era defined by small ball and fierce rivalries. Known for his slick glove work and consistent bat, Konetchy played the majority of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals and later the Pittsburgh Pirates, amassing over 2,100 career hits and earning a reputation as one of the game’s best fielding first basemen.

This “Glove Near Ground” pose variation from the T206 White Border set captures Konetchy in a defensive stance emblematic of his on-field prowess. But what truly elevates this example is its rare Polar Bear tobacco back, one of the tougher and more desirable advertisements among T206 collectors. Polar Bear cards are notoriously harder to find in high grade, owing to the brand’s tendency to stain cards due to its loose tobacco packaging.