(LOT 313)
Extraordinary & Fresh to the Hobby 1920 New York Giants Team-Signed Official N.L. Heydler Baseball Including an Ultra-Rare Ross Youngs and a Striking Christy Mathewson - PSA/DNA & JSA LOAs: Includes Letter of Provenance from A.J. Statz's Granddaughter
MATTY & ROSS YOUNGS!!! Major League Baseball spring training is a time for enthusiasm and hopeful ambitions, when every team is gearing up for the long season and every team begins with a clean slate. The 1920 John McGraw-led New York Giants were no exception as they were looking to return to the World Series for the fifth time in ten years. But despite having the immortal Christy Mathewson serve as a coach to handle their pitching staff, they would sadly finish seven games behind the National League pennant winning Brooklyn Robins. One of their players, centerfielder Arnold "Jigger" Statz joined the Giants on July 30, 1919, and would post an even .300 batting average in 63 plate appearances his inaugural Giants campaign. Unfortunately, his stint with the Giants was short-lived for after playing in a mere 16 games to start the 1920 campaign, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox, ultimately playing eight MLB seasons. Most significantly, during the Giants 1920 Spring Training tour, Statz would have 25 N.Y. Giants team members sign an amazing 1920 Giants Official National League John Heydler baseball which includes a beautiful and astonishingly scripted Christy Mathewson autograph (7-8 strength), the extremely rare Hall of Famer Ross Youngs (6 strength), as well as 23 additional Giants' autographs. Included on the sweet spot as ironclad provenance is A.J. Statz's boldly printed name and "March 26, 1920 Spring Training date. Some 68 years later on March 16, 1988, Statz passed away at the age of 90, and the ball has remained safely tucked away with his family.

Courtesy of Memory Lane, this extraordinary Christy Mathewson/Ross Youngs heirloom now surfaces for the first time as an amazing "treat" for the collecting community. "Fresh to the hobby", all of the signatures have been signed in period-style black fountain pen, and as previously stated, is inscribed on the sweet spot "A. J. Statz – N.Y. Giants – March 20, 1920". Notable players include: Ross Youngs/HOF (6 str.), Frankie Frisch/HOF (7 str.), Jess Winters, Lew McCarty, Alex Gaston, Mike Gonzalez, Jesse Barnes, Earl Smith, J.C. Benton, Bill ("Rosy") Ryan, Wm. (Bill) Hubbell, Phil Douglas, Art Nehf, George ("High Pockets") Kelly/HOF (5 str.), Christy Mathewson/HOF (7-8 str.), George Burns, Eddie Sicking, Larry Doyle, King (Fred) Lear, Fred Toney, Art Fletcher and a few unidentifiable signatures. This fantastic 102-year-old sphere carrying four Hall of Famers shows light expected toning and tightly wound stitching, with the signatures presenting in 4-7 overall strength. Of the utmost significance, it includes the miraculous combination of Christy Mathewson and Ross Youngs, with Youngs' untimely death in 1927 at the tender age of 30 resulting in a scant number of autographs for this HOF outfielder. Regarding the legendary "Big Six", he unequivocally stands tall as one of our National Pastime's greatest all-time pitchers. It is no secret that obtaining any Christy Mathewson script is an excruciating task, let alone a super clean signature on an Official N.L. Heydler horsehide sphere. Over a century old, it turns back the clock to an era when the iconic "Christian Gentleman" was batting the ill effects of tuberculosis from inhaling poisonous gas in World War I, eventually claiming his life at the premature age of 45 on October 7, 1925. Due to Matty's untimely death, his autographs are few and far between, with this remarkable Christy Mathewson signature joining forces with the near-impossible Ross Youngs script to earn this world-class keepsake a solidified place in the most esteemed autograph collection! - Full LOAs from PSA/DNA & JSA, Includes Letter of Provenance from A.J. Statz's Granddaughter

MIN BID $3,000
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