Christy Mathewson shocked the baseball world when he moved from the New York Giants, his home since 1900, to the Cincinnati Reds in 1916. The switch was initiated by Mathewson who desired to transition from pitcher to manager, something he could not accomplish with John McGraw ensconced as skipper of the Giants. This wonderful Type 1 shot depicts the Reds new manager in a heroic on field pose, surrounded by discarded bats and equipment. The editors of Sporting Life Magazine thought the photo so impressive that they used it for the cover of their August 5, 1916 issue. The photograph measures 6” x 8” and has strong corners with a few small dings along the top center edge. There is a blemish on the bottom of the image below the stack of bats. However, none of these take away from the beauty of this photograph. Age has given the image a golden sepia tone. The catalog number “43813” has been written in black off to the right side of the image. Two International Film Service, Inc. stamps are on the reverse along with “July 29/16 Christy Mathewson Baseball” handwritten in pencil. The remains of the caption slug, toning from age, and light staining is present. The photo has been encapsulated and graded a Type 1 by PSA.