(LOT 44)
1911 M116 Sporting Life Christy Mathewson "Pastel Version" PSA 8 NM-MT
PACK-FRESH MATTY!!!... One of the M116 Sporting Life set's majestic subjects is the immortal Christy Mathewson, with his "Pastel" subject presented here in an astonishing PSA 8 NM-MT holder. Of the roughly 90+ PSA encapsulated M116 pastel specimens, this spectacular high-grade Matty has been joined by only nine other examples with a mere three copies graded higher! The M116 Sporting Life cards were offered to subscribers of the Sporting Life periodical in 24 separate series of 12 cards each, with the set's world-class subjects including Cobb, Wagner, Johnson, and of course, the legendary Christian Gentleman who was baseball's greatest dead-ball era pitcher. This esteemed offering reveals a hallowed Carl Horner image of the iconic Matty affixed to his ultra-popular M116 keepsake. The mere mention of Christy Mathewson's sanctified name can make even the most novice collector's heart skip a beat. Matty's 373 lifetime wins is tied with Grover Alexander as the most in National League history, so it comes as no surprise he was selected as one of the five original 1936 Hall of Fame charter members.

In 1911, the year this stunning card was issued, Matty tallied 26 wins and posted a sensational 1.99 ERA. It was the seventh consecutive season the Big Six surpassed the 20-win mark, and the fifth time he posted a sub 2.00 ERA. Matty's classic portrait image is set against a nearly flawless pastel background, encompassed by bright white borders and four pinpoint corners. The Christian Gentleman's image is absolutely stunning, highlighted by an awesome array of pastel oriented colored hues including Christy's deep rosy cheeks. The well-centered illustration only reveals a slight partiality towards the upper right edges, both surfaces are super clean, and the verso exhibits a bold midnight blue "300 Subjects" Sporting Life advertisement. Only a handful of pre-war cards could possibly boast the magnificent aesthetics emanating from this PSA 8 offering that has been bested by only three meager specimens!

MIN BID $4,000
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