Lot 85

[Baseball] [Bender, Chief] Cabinet Card of Native American Pitcher Albert "Chief" Bender

Previous image preload Next image preload

[Baseball] [Bender, Chief] Cabinet Card of Native American Pitcher Albert "Chief" Bender

Estimate: $200 - $300

Starting Bid: $100

(0 Bids)

by Freeman’s
June 30, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
2400 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA, US 19103

[Baseball] [Bender, Chief] Cabinet Card of Native American Pitcher Albert "Chief" Bender

Biddle Field, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, August 28, 1930. Cabinet card photograph of Charles Albert "Chief" Bender, signed in pencil on mount "N. Guth / .30" at right below image. 7 3/4 x 5 3/4 in. (197 x 146 mm) print on 14 x 10 in. (356 x 254 mm) card. Scattered minor wear to mount.

Charles Albert "Chief" Bender (1884-1954) was a Native American professional baseball pitcher, who is credited with the invention of the slider. Bender spent most of his career pitching for the then powerhouse Philadelphia Athletics (1903-14), where he won nearly 200 games and six World Series, and led the American league in winning percentage. As iconic Athletics manager Connie Mack stated about Bender, "If I had all the men I’ve ever handled, and they were in their prime, and there was one game I wanted to win above all others, Albert would be my man." In 1915, Bender left Philadelphia to play for the Baltimore Terrapins in the short-lived Federal League, but returned to play for the National League Philadelphia Phillies in 1916 and 1917. During his career he pitched 3,017 innings with an earned run average of 2.46, and a record of 212-127. In the years that followed he worked for a variety of teams as a coach, scout, and manager. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

The present photograph shows Bender with Frederick Fegan at Biddle Field, at Dickinson College, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Bender first started playing baseball at Carlisle Indian School, which he attended from 1896-1902. Following his graduation he briefly attended Dickinson College's prep school, while also playing for the semipro Harrisburg Athletic Club, before he got his start in the majors for the Philadelphia Athletics.
This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Other, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

While Freeman's does not provide packing and shipping services, we do have a list of recommended third party shippers to assist you.

We require a written authorization from the client to release property to any third party. You may either:

Fax a Shipping Release Form to 312.280.1211, or
Email your authorization to [email protected].

Please note that all property must be removed from our premises within seven (7) business days following the last day of the auction. Freeman's reserves the right to charge $5 per lot per day or to deliver said property to a public warehouse for storage at the purchaser's expense. (Please see the Conditions of Sale)

You can find a complete list of recommended service providers for each Freeman's office location at our Shipping and Packing page.

If you have questions about shipping or packing, please contact [email protected].

Freeman’s

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$0 - $1,000,000:
32.00%
$1,000,001+:
25.00%

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000