(Minnesota/California, 1922-2000)

Snoopy is awarded Rookie of the Year trophy, published June 15, 1969, United Feature Syndicate, signed in title block "Schulz" and dated center, ink over graphite on Bristol board, splash panel plus ten illustrated panels, 16-7/8 x 23-3/4 in., black frame, board, conservation glass, 22-3/4 x 29-1/8 x 1/2 in.

Provenance: gifted from James (Jim) Freeman, Editor at United Feature Syndicate, to his niece, Joan Deen

Note: This contains the final official appearance of the character Shermy. Initially, Shermy was portrayed as Charlie Brown's superior, particularly when it came to athletics. He played first base for Charlie Brown's baseball team and was an occasional pinch hitter. Some publications eliminated the first panel with Shermy and Lucy, although it is present here.

The Charles Schulz works that we are offering in this sale were originally gifted to our consignors, Joan and Peter Deen, by Jim Freeman who worked as Editor at United Feature Syndicate.

In the early years, Schulz shopped samples of his work around the country, eventually convincing his hometown St. Paul Pioneer Press to publish his Li’l Folks strip, which ran from June 1947 to January 1950.

It was then that veteran editor Jim Freeman picked up the strip and signed Schulz to a five-year contract. Freeman also suggested that the cartoon go from a single panel to a four panel strip. Schulz made the recommended change to a more standard format.

Freeman was also consequential in the name change from Li’l Folks to Peanuts. It is said that Schulz was opposed to the new name, although it has endured to the delight of many Peanuts fans across the globe.