My first Type 1 submission with @PSAcard !

Another one for the Billy Klaus Collection 💥

Babe Ruth's Curse ended when the Red Sox won the world series in 2004. Bela's Curse continues. I mentioned the 1961/1962 European Cup Winners Benfica in the first Lisbon post. Collecting in Lisbon (1 of 2) (onmantel.com) Manager of Benfica team in 61 and 62 was Bela Guttmann, a former Hungarian footballer. Arriving at the same time was a young player named Eusebio, who was Portugal’s greatest footballer, until a certain brash number 7 came along. Bela Guttmann has an incredible story on surviving the Holocaust to become manager of the back-to-back European Club Champions, Bela's father and sister did not survive. David Bolchover has written an autobiography called The Greatest Comeback. I completed reading the book in one weekend. My father was a huge Benfica and Eusebio fan. He was also a proud paid member of Benfica, which is owned by the fans/members, with a voted in President. Due to a breakdown in contract negotiations after the 1962 championship. Guttmann left the club and allegedly stated that "Benfica would not win another European Championship in 100 years." This has become known as “Bela’s Curse.” Benfica has made it to eight European Club finals since then - and lost each final. When Benfica were in the 1990 European final vs AC Milan, the legend of Eusebio visited Guttmann’s resting place to ask for the end of the Curse. Milan won 1-0 via a Frank Rijkaard goal. The incredible story of Béla Guttmann and his curse on Benfica (portugoal.net)
To honor my dad, I went to visit Estadio da Luz (Stadium of Light) for their stadium and museum tour. I was so excited that I was at the stadium 45 minutes earlier that the tour start time. A young guide who had shown up to work early, incredibly offered to give me an individual tour. She and her father are season ticket holders. She had incredible stories to tell. I did have to stop at the famous Gate 18, where Bela Guttmann stands with the two European trophies and, like thousands of others, I asked for the curse to be lifted. I recently acquired the following two press photos of Bela Guttmann, which I hope to drop off with PSA at the Burbank show this month, hoping they grade out as Type 1.
I especially love the one with Bela playing cards with player Jose Augusto before a game in England (I think against Tottenham Hotspur). The press clipping talks about the difficult contract negotiations and shortly after, Mr. Guttmann was no longer at Benfica, but the Curse certainly was.
Adeus pai, obrigado por tudo

I, I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim
We can beat them, for ever and ever
Oh we can be Heroes, just for one day
David Bowie - David Bowie - Heroes (Live Aid, 1985) - YouTube
Received this press photo on Friday.
Watched the movie last night. Young Woman and the Sea (2024) - IMDb
Take your daughter to see it.
Take your son to see it.
We all need a hero!
((bio+art+story+create)/rarity) x passion = collect

Really looking forward to getting these graded and up on a shelf somewhere. The Argentina photo is dated 21 May 1986, which is 10 days before the 1986 World Cup kicked off in Mexico. And we all know how that ended! I haven't done any digging (yet) but I am assuming it's from one of the three friendlies they played the month before the tournament began. On the back, it says, "Mexico City - The world's best footballer? Diego Maradona will be the focus of fan attention — and opposing defenders — when he takes the field for Argentina, which is one of the top contenders for the title at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico." The Napoli photo is from the first half of the 1990-91 Season, shortly after Maradona led them to their second Scudetto after helping them win their first in 1987.

Many of us are digging the Type 1 photos and its apparently gaining in popularity. Altan just added it to its insights report. I wish they dug deeper in attributing the trends to what is driving the gain and prices. To me the values in ranked order:
1) Image used for the players' card
2) A key milestone or event
3) HOF player early career
4) Famous photographer

I included the page here for those who want to read.