"Eddie Plank is the greatest pitcher in baseball," once stated Eddie Collins, Plank's teammate on the Philadelphia Athletics. "Not the fastest. Not the trickiest... But just the greatest," explained Collins. The image on this oversized black and white photo has been trimmed down to 11.25" x 19". It shows Hall of Famer Plank's pitching form just after releasing the ball. Plank won 326 games in his MLB career, the all-time third highest among left-handers and the 11th highest overall. Plank grew up on a farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and he sometimes got in trouble with his father when the young pitcher dented the family barn with his practice throws. Plank played from 1901-1914 with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, and during Plank's time with the team, Philadelphia was in five World Series, although Plank missed the 1910 Series because of injury. Plank had a lifetime World Series ERA of only 1.32, but he had bad luck - with a lifetime Series record of 2-5. Eddie also pitched with the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League and with the St. Louis Browns. Plank was a crafty pitcher with outstanding control and an excellent sweeping curve. Pre-dating Mark Fidrych, the Detroit Tiger pitcher (1976-80) who became a national fan favorite and a phenomenon who was known for talking to the baseball, Plank also talked to the ball - a tactic that often-distracted hitters. Babe Ruth once termed Plank as the toughest pitcher the Bambino had to face. The photo adds value to one's collection as the action image of a vintage baseball star.