Card Statistics
Ray Caldwell is presented in Helmar’s T3 series with the New York Americans in the completion of his pitching delivery, his throwing arm extended across the body as his momentum carries him forward. The pale pinstriped uniform, dark blue cap and stockings, and black belt create a restrained New York palette, while the long, leaning pose gives the composition a strong sense of motion. Behind him, the green field and low fence sit beneath a broad, unsettled sky of blue-gray, cream, and warm yellow, lending the image an atmospheric quality appropriate to one of baseball’s more colorful early pitchers.
The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. She models the light uniform through pale cream, gray, and cool blue washes, allowing the pinstripes to follow the movement of Caldwell’s twisting torso and trousers. Darker passages beneath the arm and along the folds of the uniform give the figure weight, while the cap, stockings, glove, and belt provide the strongest accents. The extended pitching arm creates a pronounced diagonal through the upper half of the composition, and the deep shadow beneath Caldwell reinforces the sense that he has just released the ball.
Raymond Benjamin Caldwell was a talented right-handed pitcher whose career included lengthy service with the New York Highlanders/Yankees before later stops with Boston and Cleveland. He debuted with New York in 1910 and quickly established himself as one of the club’s most effective pitchers. His finest season came in 1914, when he won 18 games with a 1.94 earned-run average. Caldwell was also an unusually capable hitter for a pitcher, frequently contributing at the plate during an era when pitchers were expected to handle the bat regularly.
Caldwell’s career is remembered as much for its extraordinary episodes as for his pitching record. After joining Cleveland in 1919, he was struck by lightning while on the mound during a game against Philadelphia. Remarkably, he recovered and completed the game. Only weeks later, he threw a no-hitter against his former New York club. He remained with Cleveland through the club’s 1920 championship season, giving his career a dramatic late revival after his years in New York.
Numbered #121, the Caldwell card adds another important pre-Ruth-era New York pitcher to the T3 checklist. His long association with the franchise, strong peak seasons, and remarkable later career in Cleveland make him one of the more colorful and historically memorable pitchers represented in the series.
Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.
- Description: Arm out, striding forward
- Team: New York Yankees
- Population (# Sold): 16
- First Date Sold: 2021-10-05
- Latest Date Sold: 2025-08-10
- Card Status: Active
- # Sold in past year: N/A
- Highest Auction: $ 53.89
- Average Auction Result: $ 22.69
Popularity Rankings
Visit these teammates on the New York Yankees in the T3-Helmar series
Click the Card # link to go to Card Info, Click the Player Name link to go the the Player Biography
- # 16, Babe RUTH (HOF)
- # 63, Frank Crosetti
- # 86, Lou GEHRIG
- # 87, Lefty GOMEZ (HOF)
- # 103, Bob Meusel
- # 104, Wally Pipp
- # 111, Bill DICKEY
- # 117, Tony LAZZERI (HOF)
- # 130, Wally Schang
- # 133, Lou GEHRIG
- # 140, Babe RUTH (HOF)
- # 151, Joe DiMAGGIO
- # 155, Bennie Bengough
- # 159, Waite HOYT
- # 163, Herb PENNOCK (HOF)
- # 165, Urban Shocker
- # 177, Joe DiMAGGIO
- # 208, Joe McCARTHY
- # 210, Joe Gordon
- # 220, Miller HUGGINS (HOF)
