The Personal Collection of Christy Mathewson Auction

The Personal Collection of Christy Mathewson

We are honored to present the personal collection of New Yok Giants pitcher and inaugural National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Christy Mathewson. "The Christian Gentleman", so nicknamed due to his religious devotion, was one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of the game. Matty began his career as a standout multi-sport high school athlete at Keystone Academy then went on to Bucknell University where he served as class president in addition to playing football, basketball, and baseball. Christy excelled on his second team in the minor leagues where he compiled a 21-2 record for the Norfolk Phenoms. However, he initially struggled with the New York Giants after his call up to the National League in 1900. So frustrated were the Giants that they actually traded him to the Cincinnati Reds and fortunately for the Giants was quickly traded back for pitcher Amos Rusie. From that point on Mathewson blossomed into the game’s most prominent hurler and one of it’s first true superstar players. Matty would finish his career with the New York Giants having collected 373 wins, 2502 strikeouts, and a staggering 2.13 ERA. As his playing career began to come to a close Mathewson joined the Cincinnati Reds to become their manager in 1916. Just two years later, Christy enlisted into the United States Army to serve in World War I alongside other players including Ty Cobb. Tragically, upon arrival to France to begin training in the Army's chemical warfare division Mathewson was accidentally exposed to nerve gas which greatly damaged his lungs. He subsequently contracted tuberculosis due to the damage suffered by his lungs from the chemical exposure creating greater susceptibility to the disease. After a hard fought period of four years and several stints as MLB executive Christy Mathewson passed away from the effects of tuberculosis at the young age of 45 on October 7, 1925. Universally lauded by his peers Matty stood for something more than the game of baseball at an important period in the game’s history. He understood his fame and tried his very best to leave a lasting impression on the game, perhaps best summarized by quote from Christy himself, "First of all, no one can live up to everything that's been written or said about me. And, I keep to myself. I’m a private man. Yet, because I pitch for the New York Giants, I realize that I’m able to reach more young men than the President of the United States. That’s not due to the fact that I'm more popular than Mr. Taft - I don’t believe - but, it’s a fact boys would rather read about yesterday afternoon's event at the Polo Grounds. Because of that, I feel very strongly that it is my duty to show those youth the good, clean, honest values that I was taught by my Mother when I was a youngster. That, really, is all I can do."

This amazing archive of materials was gifted to the Keystone Academy in 1967 by Mrs. Jane Mathewson and is now being de-accessioned from their collection with their wish that it be enjoyed by baseball enthusiasts, collectors, and other institutions alike. The materials are being presented to the public for the first time and will each be accompanied by a Mathewson Collection Certificate of provenance. Hunt Auctions has been at the forefront of player collection offerings for nearly three decades to include names such as Babe Ruth, Bill Russell, Roberto Clemente, Johnny Unitas, Ted Williams, and Joe DiMaggio. The Mathewson Collection may well be the most significant grouping of its type to have ever been presented to the collecting public with special note to scarcity of the players from the Deadball Era.