Card Statistics
Chick Hafey is presented in Helmar’s T3 series with the St. Louis Nationals in a relaxed kneeling pose, one knee down and the other raised as he rests both hands across the bent leg. The cream Cardinals uniform, red piping, birds-on-the-bat emblem, striped stockings, and red-brimmed cap give the figure a strong St. Louis identity. His eyeglasses are especially distinctive and immediately set the portrait apart from most baseball imagery of the period.
The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. She models the pale uniform with warm cream, ochre, gray, and muted green-blue washes, using stronger shadows through the sleeves, trousers, and folds around the knee to give the kneeling figure volume. The red trim and stocking bands provide sharp accents, while the bright yellow-orange sky creates a dramatic warm backdrop. The field and distant trees are softened into broad atmospheric passages, keeping attention on Hafey’s face, glasses, and low, resting pose.
Charles James “Chick” Hafey was one of the National League’s most dangerous hitters of the late 1920s and early 1930s. He spent the first part of his major-league career with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he became an important offensive force on several pennant-winning clubs. Hafey combined power with a high batting average and was especially effective during the Cardinals’ championship years.
Hafey helped St. Louis win the World Series in 1926 and 1931 and appeared in additional pennant-winning seasons with the club. In 1931 he won the National League batting championship with a .349 average. He later joined Cincinnati, where he continued to be a productive hitter and was selected for the inaugural Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1933.
Numbered #202, the Hafey card adds another key member of the great prewar Cardinals clubs to the T3 checklist. The kneeling pose, vivid sunset-like background, and unusually prominent eyeglasses give the image a distinct personality, while Hafey’s batting title, championship success, and status as one of the better hitters of his era give the subject substantial historical importance. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.
- Description: Kneeling, side view
- Team: St. Louis Cardinals
- Population (# Sold): 4
- First Date Sold: 2025-07-30
- Latest Date Sold: 2026-09-01
- Card Status: Active
- # Sold in past year: 3
- Highest Auction: $ 38.00
- Average Auction Result: $ 28.32
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Visit these teammates on the St. Louis Cardinals in the T3-Helmar series
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