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#1
05-09-2009, 11:51 AM
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Info Need on Christy Mathewson Day 1925
Does anyone have any information on a Christy Mathewson Day in 1925? I picked up a baseball with an inscription on it referencing that game.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Matt 
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#3
05-09-2009, 02:01 PM
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Matt. I haven't anything solid, but Google Books offers this tantalizing
fragment from a book: "... Lieb's quandary about whether or not to buy rainout insurance for "Christy Mathewson Day" (a benefit for the needy pitcher) at the Polo Grounds; ..." This half-sentence is from Diamond classics: essays on 100 of the best baseball books ever published - Page 53 by Mike Shannon - Reference - 1989 - 455 pages If anybody has a complete Fred Lieb library, maybe there's something there
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#5
05-09-2009, 07:49 PM
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The Matty testimonial game referred to by Lieb was in 1921. "A Gamble for Rain--for Matty" is Chapter 12, pp 139-43, in Lieb's 1977 book "Baseball as I have known it"
I don't have any information on a 1925 game. Max
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#6
05-09-2009, 08:39 PM
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On May 14, 1925 the Giants played the Reds on "Old Timers Day"...I wonder if they were honoring Matty that day?
__________________
Looking for Nebraska Indians memorabilia, photos and postcards
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#7
05-09-2009, 10:25 PM
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According to the New York Times Archives on Sept 30, 1921 a benefit fundraiser was held at the Polo Grounds to honor Mathewson. A five inning game between Giant Old-Timers and the 1921 squad was held to be followed by a regular season game against the Braves which was rained out after the first inning. Searching "Matty Day" yielded an article reporting Matty's letter to Baseball Association of Writers Pres. Frederick Lieb thanking him for the success of "Matty Day".
On May 14, 1925 the Giants game versus Cincinnati was preceded by an Old Timers Celebration which featured the likes of Amos Rusie and Roger Connor and Dan Brouthers. Although the article referred to the National League's Golden Jubilee nary a mention was made of Mathewson. Searching "Mathewson Day" the only hit I got was for an event held in Factoryville, Penna. held on August 29, 1923 which Matty was able to attend. There is this in 1926: BASEBALL TEAMS JOIN IN MATTY DAY GAMES Every State in Nation Stages Contests to Aid in Building of Memorials. August 29, 1926, Sunday Baseball teams throughout the country observed Matty Day yesterday. Professional, semi-professional, industrial and amateur teams contributed the proceeds of their games to the Christy Mathewson Memorial Foundation to assist in the building of two memorials to the famous pitcher -- one at Bucknell College, Matty's alma mater, and the other at Saranac Lake, where he spent his last days. Nothing definitive here. The NL began in 1876 if I am not mistaken hence the Golden Jubilee year would be 1926 yet the 1925 game referenced the GJ. The dates on the ball are a bit confusing and I am not sure what's up with "Christy Matty Day". The articles make for fun reading. They are in .pdf format and apparently too large to upload with the "Manage Attachments" application. E-mail me for copies.
__________________
David McDonald Greetings and Love to One and All Anything is possible if you don't know what you're talking about.
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#8
05-10-2009, 12:46 AM
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The inscription seems fishy. As David mentioned, the Golden Jubilee was held in 1926. There was a ball produced for the event, it was a John Heydler NL ball like yours that had photos of the seven (?) league presidents to that point glued on the surface. They pop up on ebay every now and then.
The Matty inscription coupled with the date being altered doesn't bode well for it's authenticity.
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#9
05-10-2009, 08:41 AM
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"Christy Matty Day" looks fishy to me, might be a fake addition to the ball.
And I would think they would have called it Christy Mathewson Day , not Christy Matty Day.
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#10
05-10-2009, 04:49 PM
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The National League Jubilee Balls with the photos of the Presidents had the Heydler facsimile signature in a different spot and I think it was in red ink.
Rhys
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#11
05-10-2009, 06:22 PM
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Thanks so much for all of the replies. I had some concerns that it was referred to as Matty Day not Mathewson. The inscription appears to be old, and the white spots are where the ball had flaked. It's been sitting in an antique shop for some time and I bought it yesterday. For the price, I thought it was worth picking up.
Thanks again, Matt
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#12
05-10-2009, 09:42 PM
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Quote:
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#13
05-11-2009, 10:18 AM
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The two that I have owned had photos on the side panels so the facsimile signature was beneath the center "Official National League" logo and in red ink as opposed to the side panel in black ink. I have never seen one with a black side panel and it would have been partially obstructed by the photos. To me, there is no way this was one of the Jubilee Balls with the photos on it. Those little photos pop off sometimes but they always leave a mark where they were and that is not present on Richards Ball.
Rhys
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