In 1917 Christy Mathewson returned to New York for the World Series. It must have been an odd felling for Matty to watch from the press box as his Giants took the field in the Fall Classic. Mathewson had left the Giants the year before to begin his managerial career with Cincinnati. As one of the most respected men in the game Matty was hired by a newspaper syndicate to write a column reporting on the World Series. The Giants would fall to the Sox four games to two and it’s not hard to imagine John McGraw casting a gaze up at his former ace in the press box wishing he could suit up and take the mound as a Giant for him again.

Featured here is a super rare 1917 World Series press pin issued to Mathewson and possibly worn by the legendary hurler for games played at the Polo Grounds. The 1/2” square pin has a white enamel baseball at its center with “GIANTS” in gold surrounded by “WORLDS SERIES 1917” in gold on blue enamel. The high profile of the baseball on this Dieges & Clust pin has made surviving examples susceptible to greater than normal wear. Mathewson’s pin shows some abrasions to the peak of the ball and chipping to the enamel finish and the gold lettering. The pin retains its original threaded-post spinner nut and bright colors. A beautiful press pin from one of the beloved stars in the history of the game.

Sourced from the Mathewson estate.