This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/5/2007
In an era when ballplayers were known as hard living, hard drinking rouges, the college educated, fair haired and handsome Mathewson was the idol of millions. His articulate, dignified persona contrasted a fierce competitiveness on the mound that made him arguably, the most dominant pitcher of his time. The pitching virtuosity he demonstrated for 18 summers were matched in degree only by an equally tragic demise in 1925, a direct result of courageous action in World War I. His greatest honor was bestowed upon him posthumously, in 1936, when he became an inaugural member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. His premature death has left collectors with a limited sampling of baseballs bearing his autograph. The offered example features Mathewson’s signature on the sweet spot of an official NL (Heydler) ball. The rare penning projects at 6-7/10 in strength. Though not readily apparent, intense magnification under PSA/DNA’s “spectrograph” machine reveals vintage enhancements to the signature. For the sake of complete accuracy, we emphasize the extreme subtlety of PSA/DNA’s claim when viewing this ball with the naked eye. The ball shows soiling throughout and faint evidence of another indiscernible signature appears on the eastern panel. This ball, along with the Babe Ruth ball offered as Lot 182 in this sale originates from the family of Charles B. McLaughlin, a Bronx District Attorney in the 1920's-30's, and a former Bronx Judge from 1930-48. LOAs from PSA/DNA and JSA.
Estimate: $10,000-15,000