4x7.5” glossy silver gelatin photograph. Presented here is a truly rare example of a full-length, in-action close-up image of the greatest Cuban baseball player of all-time, Martin Dihigo. In fact, calling him the greatest all-around Cuban ballplayer would almost certainly be selling him short. In reality, he is surely in the conversation for greatest all-around professional baseball player ever, including MLB. Not since the early days of Babe Ruth’s career w/the Boston Red Sox did baseball fans witness a two-way talent like Dihigo. So otherworldly were his abilities that he won the pitching triple crown and batting triple crown during the same Winter League season. Amongst his numerous other accomplishments, Martin remains the only individual inducted into four different National Baseball Halls of Fame: United States, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. He began his US Negro League career in 1923, starring for the Cuban Stars (East) and remaining w/them through the 1927 season. Subsequently, Dihigo would join the Homestead Grays in 1928 before spending the next three seasons w/the Hilldale Daisies from 1929-31. Martin led the Eastern Colored League in home runs in 1926 and 1927 while batting .421 and .370 respectively. Not only did Dihigo spend his summers excelling on US ballfields, but he would truly build his legend during a nearly three decade run of Winter League ball in Latin America. Playing from 1924-38 in his native country of Cuba, Martin hit over .300 on nine different occasions, including two .400 seasons, .413 in 1926 and .415 in 1927. During the late 1930s and throughout the 1940s he would spend winters playing in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. When his playing days began to wind down, Martin would continue w/his Latin American baseball exploits as both a coach/manager on numerous occasions. Dihigo was inducted into the U.S. National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. Front bottom right corner has stamped text “Jose Luis Lopez Photographer Habana.” Reverse is nearly entirely covered by printing/publication notations and a few newspaper caption strips. Various dates show how popular this image was, and used many times over the years, but this Type 1 originates from his playing days, hence the PSA designation of 1936-38. Front also has some publication lines/crop marks on margins, but image remains distinct and bold. Richard Merkin Collection.