CGC x JSA Signature Analysis: Christy Mathewson

The sensation of Christy Mathewson far exceeds his legendary diamond performances. Baseball, at the turn of the century, was looked down upon by society as a crude, unsophisticated game played by uneducated ruffians. The clean-living virtues and refined manner of the college-educated Mathewson served as a role model for the nation's youth. Although the press might have exaggerated these noble qualities, his 372 career wins (fourth all-time), 78 shutouts (third) and 2.13 ERA (fifth) are not to be embellished. Like so many other classic American heroes, Mathewson’s life was abbreviated, which may have indeed helped perpetuate his phenomenon.

While his off-the-field facade may not have always lived up to his on-field persona, there is no denying the 6'1" hurler's dominance on the mound. To this day, Mathewson still ranks in the all-time top 10 in several categories for Major League Baseball pitchers. The longtime New York Giants pitcher is also one of the most decorated pitchers in MLB history. He pitched two no-hitters, is a five-time NL strikeout leader, a five-time NL ERA leader, a four-time NL wins leader, a two-time Triple Crown winner and a two-time World Series champion. In 1936, Mathewson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of the first five members ever inducted into the coveted institution.

Iconic athletes from the early 20th century often command a premium when it comes to their signatures. Considering that Mathewson only lived to be 45 years old and that he rarely signed memorabilia, his autograph is especially tough to come by and very expensive. In fact, there are fewer known autographs of Mathewson than there are of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Ty Cobb. Fewer than 100 baseballs signed by Mathewson are thought to exist today, making his autographed memorabilia extremely rare.

Many forgeries of the MLB legend's signature have polluted the hobby for decades and some people have these in their collections, mistaking them for authentically signed items. Education is key when dealing with such a rare autograph, making JSA's in-depth analysis of Christy Mathewson's signature vital for high-end autograph collectors.

Signature analysis

Authenticating the signature of Christy Mathewson can be a formidable task for even the most seasoned of authenticators. Limited dated examples, substantial evolution in formation, variable slants and speeds, and high-dollar stakes suggest careful scrutiny in a myriad of forgeries. Like so many other youths experimenting with their identity, Mathewson sought and explored several formations that evolved or even changed drastically. The capital "C" and "M" and the lowercase "s" are prime examples of these variations and symbolize the most prominent and noticeable individualized characteristics.

Three distinctly different C's predominated throughout his truncated life. The most ornate style reflects a Spencerian System flourish, tilted upright loops dipping below the baseline. Penmanship instruction at the time was phasing out this slower style of writing, aspiring for a more simplified form to expedite production in the business world. The "Vertical System," popular from 1890 to 1900, was temporarily adopted, which can be identified from the balance of his circular and erect handwriting (Figure 1).

Figure 1

During his early years with the Giants, Mathewson substituted his elaborate C with a more simplistic vertical letter that would connect with the lowercase figures. This basic structure was used interchangeably for the rest of his life, with the more common and elongated and hairline initial stroke that slanted right and produced a noticeable curl at its apex. Each letter was carefully crafted to produce a bold, legible and even spaced manuscript that flowed easily, accented by heavier downstrokes.

Usually the tallest letter, regardless of the varying slants, was the "h" followed by a tilted plateau "r" often pointed at its turns (Figure 2). His nondescript "i" preceded a carefully crafted "s" before ending with a common "y" whose descender darted downward and, on rare occasions, crossed in loop formation upward. Like his family name, each name virtually remained brakeless.

Figure 2

The uppercase "M" varied over the years, starting out with a less pleasing to the eye angular undulation. This configuration eventually gave way to a more appealing retraced stem version that exaggerated a high horizontal initial stroke. The stroke on rare occasions would double as a vacillating cross in the "t." He would revert back to this pointed character in later years when rushing through a document or letter, omitting all the letters in his first name but the initial (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Mathewson used an awkward "I"-like configuration circa 1901-02 that would appear in his prose at times for years to come. Intermittingly, his vertical version that was used right up until his death employed a slower hand, evident in the higher cascade humps. He chose to downplay the conventional "a," which is far greater in size in the 1910 ghost-signed bookplates.

The stem in the "t" is short in comparison but his distinctive long cross or slash often sharply angles downward, piercing the subsequent "h" that stands slightly smaller than the earlier model (Figure 4). Mathewson seemed to alternate usage of his lowercase "e," not favoring the simple loop over the reverse 3.

Figure 4

The second "u" of his "w" tended to be narrower than the first. His pronounced "s" balances off his lengthy surname, creating an oversized figure with a crescent-shaped base. This character often dips below the baseline, emanating from a thickened downstroke off a peaked staff.

The smallest letter of the lot comes in the form of a diminutive filled-in-loop "o" followed by the final "n" that abruptly stopped with his vertical version but uses a terminal stroke when the autograph leans acutely. It appears that Mathewson’s inconsistencies proved that he never was truly comfortable with a set style. Such a paradox allows forgers to take advantage of a dynamic signature that permits allowances and variations.

In relative terms to an insatiable hobby, the signature of Christy Mathewson is rare and expensive, with the demand for his autograph exceedingly high. Cancelled checks are the most reliable form of his signature, all dated from 1922 to 1925 from the Adirondack National Bank in Saranac Lake (Figures 5 and 6).

Figure 5

Figure 6

A few payroll receipts from the turn of the century New York Giants office were uncovered in the early 1990s, showing us exemplars of his early manuscript. There are a handful of handwritten letters (Figure 7) that have gained much attention through major auction houses and their values are wide-ranging. Typewritten versions from his days with the Reds and Braves are equally scarce and valued accordingly depending on the content.

Figure 7

Photographs signed are rarer than hen’s teeth and often forged or even ghost-signed by his wife Jane. Her non-malicious secretarial version is far more angular with extremely sharp strokes. A sampling of documents from his brief military service have presented themselves, all commanding a five-figure or more starting point.

A valid penned "T" card has yet to surface, although counterfeit ones do exist. 1910 book plates adhered to the inside front covers of "Won In The Ninth" have come under scrutiny for their controversial legitimacy. These numbered (approximately 500) presentational copies have a typewritten name added with a large and spurious secretarial black fountain pen manuscript (Figure 8).

Figure 8

Observe the low initial stroke of the "M" and the oversized lowercase letters and the unusual "t-h" combination that is heavily retraced. Overall, this vintage ghost-signed anomaly is far more pointed than his other versions. Signed team and single-signed baseballs do exist but are far less common than one would expect by observing what’s littered around the hobby.

Figure 9

I recall learning about a day at the ballpark when Mathewson actually signed a quantity of baseballs for some paying recipients to aid him with his medical expenses (Figure 9). This type of multi-item signing must have been unheard of up until that time and did not become a known practice until the heyday of Babe Ruth.

Signing typically on the side panel, Mathewson tended to write from lacing to sweet spot (Figure 10). Rarer examples have him penning the sweet spot and have demanded astronomical figures in respected auctions (Figure 11). Autographed non-document type items are basically all fakes and can be found on eBay and offered by schlock auction houses often selling for far too cheap (e.g., album pages, cuts, magazine photos, etc.). Save your money... you’ll need it when you have to pluck down big dollars for the real deal.