Joe Tinker was a Hall of Fame shortstop most known for his initial years on the Chicago Orphans/Cubs (1902-12). Displayed is a beautiful, high-grade vintage 1910s Joe Tinker cigar box, complete with fifty (50) original cigars. Tinker, Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers, and first sacker Frank Chance became immortalized for their skill in turning double plays in the poem "Baseball's Sad Lexicon," written by New York Evening Mail newspaper columnist Franklin Pierce Adams, published in 1910. Adams' famous line in the poem was: "These are the saddest of words, Tinker to Evers to Chance." Those lines certainly helped the double-play trio to each be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946. Evers was a player-manager for the Cincinnati Reds in 1913, and the Federal League's Chicago Federals/Whales in 1914-15. He finished his career back with the Chicago Cubs, as a player-manager in 1916. For his Major League career, Tinker batted .262 with 31 homers and 782 RBIs.

This vintage Joe Tinker cigar box is the nicest one we have ever handled, and the ONLY ONE that we have ever seen that is complete WITH ORIGINAL CIGARS. It also comes with a glass cover to be used when displayed as open on the shelf of a tobacco store. The outer and inner labels are beautiful, with only slight wear at some of the edges and corners of the box. The inner label sports a color image of Tinker, well-dressed in tie and jacket, plus hat. The cigar box measures 5.75x9.25", with a height of 2.6". The cigars, still wrapped in their original clear plastic, are 5" long. The cigars are four layers deep, with alternating 12, and then 13, cigars in each layer. The metal and glass cigar box top measures 6x8.9". The metal is painted gold, with red letters and numerals. This glass top reads, "NOW 5 c[ents] JOE TINKER NOW 5 c[ents]." The top shows use, with places showing where the gold paint has come off. There is also some tarnishing and slight rust on the unpainted metal on the underside. The cigar box also has a snazzy color image of Tinker, plus a tax stamp, "JOE TINKER/MILD CIGARS" printed numerous times on the box. The front of the cigar box shows a machine printed "DUKES," indicating that the cigars were made with tobacco from the famous Duke Tobacco Company. The bottom of the box shows a machine printed "50," indicating that 50 cigars are packed inside. It was popular at the time for sports stars, political figures, and celebrities to endorse cigar brands, and the offered Joe Tinker cigar box, packed with the original cigars, is a terrific, colorful bridge to vintage Chicago baseball from over a century ago.

Estimated domestic USA shipping cost only. Does not include handling or insurance: $33.13 Please feel free to contact us for a more accurate shipping cost.