08/16/2026
Some cards are more than collectibles. Some carry a piece of your family’s story.
I’m incredibly excited, and honestly a little emotional, to say that I WON THE AUCTION and the 1886 N167 Old Judge Roger Connor is coming home.
Roger Connor is one of the true giants of 19th-century baseball. But for me, owning this card goes far beyond its place in the hobby.
On September 10, 1881, Connor hit what is recognized as the first grand slam in Major League Baseball history in Rensselaer, New York.
Decades later, my dad, Bryan Leahey, worked with MLB historians to help make sure that moment was remembered, ultimately helping get the historic marker placed at the site where Connor made baseball history.
That connection is what makes this card so special to me.
My dad would have understood exactly why I had to go after this one. I wish more than anything that I could call him and tell him, “Dad, I got the Roger Connor.” I can already picture his reaction and the conversation we would have had about it.
And the card itself is incredibly rare. Only FIVE examples of this Roger Connor have ever been graded by PSA.
Think about that.
A card nearly 140 years old. One of only five PSA-graded examples. Featuring the man who hit baseball’s first grand slam… a piece of history that my own father later helped preserve.
There are cards that you buy because you believe they’ll increase in value.
There are cards you buy because they’re rare.
And then there are cards you buy because they mean something.
This is that card for me.
Winning this auction wasn’t just adding another incredible piece to my collection. It feels like bringing together baseball history, my dad’s legacy, and my own love for this hobby in one small piece of cardboard.
I’m incredibly proud to be its next caretaker.
And wherever my dad is, I’d like to think he’s smiling and saying…
“You got it, Matty.”
This one’s for you, Dad.
An iconic card. A piece of baseball history. A personal legacy.
