First generation 8” x 10” silver gelatin photograph printed from the original 4” x 5” negative, showing a thin John F. Kennedy in front of the Boston Red Sox dugout admiring the bat of future Hall of Famer, Detroit Tiger slugger Hank Greenberg as Red Sox players Eddie Pellagrini (3rd. base, Rookie) and Boston’s greatest player Ted Williams look on. Boston hosted Detroit in a three game series from April 30- May 2, 1946 and won all three games. Interesting background on this photograph: this 1946 season was the first year that all three ballplayers could return to baseball after spending the past three years in military service during WWII—Greenberg (Army), Pellagrini (U.S. Navy), and Williams (U.S. Navy and Marines). Kennedy’s 'war hero' status was a big contributor to this Congressional race, so a photo op with two superstars and a local player in Pellagrini returning from the war to play ball again in 1946 made for a great photo. The four men also represented the faiths of the constituents (Protestant, Jewish, Catholic) from the 11th District in which Kennedy was running, which was another reason for this photo being taken. In very fine museum-quality condition.
* This photograph will be published in a two-page 'spread' in LIFE Magazine’s upcoming JFK 'special edition' commemorating his 100th birthday on May 29, 2017.
