1909-11 T206 Piedmont 350 - 460/25 Russ Ford PSA VG-EX 4

T206 Piedmont 350-460/25 Russ Ford PSA 4 – The Inventor of the Emery Ball

A sharp mid-grade representative from the iconic 1909–1911 T206 tobacco card series, the most celebrated pre-war baseball set ever produced. Distributed through cigarette packs by the American Tobacco Company, the release captured the players of baseball's Deadball Era — including men whose innovations on the mound would reshape the game itself.

Russ Ford was one of the most fascinating and inventive pitchers of the early 20th century, a Canadian-born right-hander for the New York Highlanders who authored one of the greatest rookie seasons in major league history — 26 wins, 6 losses, and a 1.65 ERA in 1910 — all fueled by a secret weapon he guarded for years. Ford had discovered that roughing one side of a baseball with a hidden piece of emery paper caused it to break at unpredictable angles, baffling hitters who assumed he was throwing a spitball. He followed his legendary debut with 22 more wins in 1911 before arm trouble eroded his effectiveness. When the emery ball was finally identified and outlawed in 1914, Ford's time at the top was over — but his invention set a precedent that altered pitching craft for generations.

This card features the Piedmont 350-460/25 advertising reverse and carries a PSA VG-EX 4 grade, offering strong overall eye appeal with moderate vintage wear appropriate for a century-old tobacco card. A compelling piece tied to one of baseball's most intriguing — and secretive — competitive innovations.