In 1937, for the second time in as many years, the Giants and Yankees met in the World Series. The two teams had a heated rivalry dating back to the first World War when the Yankees shared the Polo Grounds with their more successful hometown rivals. With the coming of Babe Ruth, the Yankees began to threaten the Giants fan base, and the two teams met in the 1921 and 1922 World Series, both won by the Giants. The Yankees were unceremoniously asked to find a new home and in 1923 built Yankee Stadium wishing eyesight of the Polo Grounds. The Yanks beat the Giants in the ’23 World Series and along with the Championship the team won the battle for New York’s most popular team.
By the mid 1930's the Giants had assembled a pennant winning machine fueled by the big bats of Ott, Terry, Danning and Moore backed by top-notch pitching staff of Hubbell, Shoemaker and Melton. That team won back-to back pennants in 1936-37, but lost both series’ to those longtime rivals, the Yankees. Still, the Giants of the late 1930's were one of the best clubs in the team’s history, and one of the players from that team had the foresight to preserve for posterity the signatures of both the 1937 and 1938 teams.
To make sure there was plenty of room for all to all sign, the player had his teammates sign a Spalding Spalding Official “Duro-Seam” Soft Ball which in addition to being larger also had no exposed stitches. 21 of the 1937 National League Champs have signed the softball including Hall of Famers Carl Hubbell, Bill Terry and Mel Ott plus Wally Berger, Joe Moore, Sam Leslie, Harry Gumbert, Blondy Ryan, Cliff Melton, Don Brennan, Eddie Madjeski, Dick Bartell, Dick Coffman, Gus Mancuso, Harry Danning, Burgess Whitehead, Jimmie Ripple, Hal Schumacher, Jack McCarthy, Lou Chiozza and Al Smith. The Billy Terry signature has been deemed a clubhouse version. “1937” is printed on the ball to signify the year.
The second ball has 21 of the 1938 Giants team including Hall of Famer Mel Ott joined by Hank Leiber, Sam Leslie, Johnnie Witting, Hal Schumacher, Jimmie Ripple, George Myatt, Mickey Haslin, Cliff Melton, Gus Mancuso, Harry Danning, Joe Moore, Dick Coffman, Slick Castleman, Harry Gumbert, Gus Mancuso, Bob Seeds, Bill Bissell, Walter Brown and Bill Lohman. The Billy Terry signature has been deemed a clubhouse version. Both balls have been signed in black fountain pen which has aged to a brown. The balls show even toning throughout. The 1937 ball is housed in its original Spalding box which has had its top removed.
Sourced from the estate of a former MLB player whose identity will remain anonymous. Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.