This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/11/2023.
Offered in this lot is a Christy Mathewson signed presentation copy of his first children’s book titled Won in the Ninth that was published in 1910 by R. J. Bodmer Company of New York. The Hall of Fame pitcher for the New York Giants signed his name in black fountain pen at the bottom of a 3½” x 4¼” white paper label on the interior front cover of the hardcover book, with the legend in black type reading “Presentation Copy No. 352 Won in the Ninth To Mr. W. Keenholts with the Compliments of Christy Mathewson”, in our opinion rating a 9. A dominant right-handed hurler, Mathewson was the best pitcher of the Deadball Era’s first decade as he compiled a 2.13 ERA (over 17 seasons) and set modern National League records for wins in a single season (37), career victories (373), and consecutive 20-win seasons (12). The first edition hardcover is promoted on the first interior text page as “Won in the Ninth by Christopher Mathewson The Famous Pitcher of the New York Giants the First of a Series of Stories for Boys on Sports to be Known as The Matty Books Edited by W. W. Aulick The Well-Known Writer on Sports Illustrations by Felix Mahony.” The green cloth hardback book features the legend “Won in the Ninth Christy Mathewson” in dark green embossed type on the front, with a 3¼” x 5½” tipped-in black-and-white photograph of Mathewson pitching at the center of a green background plate. The final 15 pages of the book are illustrated plates entitled “The Fade-Away and Other Deceptive Curves as Held and Delivery by Christy Mathewson” with black-and-white photographs and illustrations of Mathewson’s hand holding a baseball in various ways, excerpted from the earlier book titled How to Play Baseball. Accompanied by a Letter of Provenance from the consignor’s family and a Full LOA from JSA, grading it an 8.