With Major League Baseball’s recent reinstatement of Shoeless Joe Jackson from the league’s ineligible list, enthusiasm surrounding artifacts tied to the legendary outfielder—one of the most gifted hitters in baseball history—has surged to unprecedented levels. Jackson’s banishment from the sport following the 1921 Black Sox trial long overshadowed his extraordinary talent, cementing his legacy as one of baseball’s most tragic and controversial figures. Now, for the first time in nearly a century, Jackson could appear on a Hall of Fame ballot when the Hall’s Classic Baseball Era Committee meets in 2027, potentially restoring his place among the game’s immortals.

Captured at Cleveland’s League Park in the early 1910s, this Type I photograph depicts Shoeless Joe Jackson alongside his Cleveland Naps teammate Terry Turner. The image was taken by acclaimed Cleveland photojournalist Louis Van Oeyen, whose original Type I photographs rank among the most sought-after examples in the hobby today. Measuring approximately 4.5" x 5", the photograph boasts exceptional clarity and contrast, offering a vivid look at details such as Jackson’s famously large hands, essential for swinging his legendary bat, “Black Betsy.”

Condition details include creasing at the upper-right corner, a small chip at the lower-right, and pieces of brown tape on the reverse, which partially obscure Van Oeyen’s green-stamped photographer’s credit. Despite these minor flaws, the image remains a powerful and historically significant portrait of one of baseball’s most fascinating figures.

This remarkable and rare Type I photograph of Shoeless Joe Jackson, captured by one of the sport’s most revered early photographers, has been authenticated and encapsulated by PSA/DNA, representing a museum-worthy piece of baseball history—and a poignant reminder of a legend whose redemption may finally be near.