- Series: Pilgrims
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Christopher Mathewson (1880-1925) was the consummate right hander of the early 20th Century. His “fadeaway” pitch baffled NL hitters from 1900-16. Mathewson won 22+ 12 straight years, 30+ 4x, and holds the modern NL record with his 37 wins in 1908. He hurled 3 shut-outs in 6 days to gain his sole world championship in 1905.
- One of the “first five” into Cooperstown
- Accomplished all this while honoring his Christian faith by not pitching on Sundays
- This Pilgrims card duplicates and preserves the uncorrected spelling error on Mathewson's original T201 Mecca card
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1936
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: Christy Matthewson (sic)
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Richard William Marquard (1886-1980) was a dominant left-hander with the Giants, Robins, Reds and Braves from 1908-25. His Hall of Fame plaque highlights his outstanding performance for NY’s consecutive titles 1911-13 with 23+ wins each year and a record 19 in a row. This streak vindicated the outlandish $11K price the Giants paid to get him from the American Assoc.
- The nickname wasn’t a “bumpkin” reference but a comparison to Waddell
- Helped Brooklyn to pennants in 1916 & 1920
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1971
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: Arthur McCabe
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Naps
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Adrian Joss (1880-1911) starred for Cleveland for all of his too-brief nine-year career. What his ML tenure lacked in length, Joss made up in quality. Of his 160 wins, 45 were shutouts including a perfect game and another no-hitter. His lean frame and exceptionally long arms gave him the ability to fool batters with a twisting delivery. Joss’s first game was a one (scratch) hit shutout on his way to 17 rookie victories. Won 20+ games four straight years before being plagued by ill health his final two seasons. Succumbed to TB as the 1911 season was starting.
- Nap Lajoie said: “In Joss’s death, baseball loses one of the best pitchers and men that has ever been identified with the game.”
- 67 years later, the Veteran’s Committee elected Addie to the Hall of Fame in 1978
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: James Dygert
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Senators
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Walter Perry Johnson (1887-1946) played his entire 21-yr career for the Senators then managed them for 4 more. Ty Cobb’s first impression was of a “rube out of the cornfields.” But when the rube threw “The thing just hissed with danger.” Cobb wasn’t the last player to be stunned by this man’s fastball: Most shut-outs in MLB, 2nd in wins, 4th in complete games, etc.
- Only member of 3000 SO club until Bob Gibson joined in 1974
- Still holds record 12x league-leader in strikeouts
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1936
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: Walter Johnson
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Portland
- Team: Beavers
- League: Pacific Coast League
Sylveanus Augustus Gregg (1885-1964) took the Pacific Coast League by storm in 1910, hurling 14 shutouts for Portland, never bettered in the PCL. Signed to the Cleveland Naps the next year, Gregg led the AL in ERA at 1.80 and went on to become the only 20th century pitcher to win 20+ his first three seasons in the majors. He remains the franchise leader in winning percentage. Dealt to the Red Sox in 1914, Gregg’s arm wore out. He got the thrill of playing for the two championship teams in ‘15-16 but was soon out of the game entirely until making a comeback with Seattle. At age 40, Vean made a remarkable final appearance in the big leagues, going 2-2 with two saves for the Senators in 1925 following a six-year absence.
- The southpaw made quite an impression in his rookie year at Cleveland. Hal Chase, Ty Cobb and HOF ump Billy Evans all thought he was the best lefty they had seen
- Played among the greats at Cleveland: Lajoie, Joss, Cy Young and was helped in 1911 by Joe Jackson’s .408 average
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: Earl Moore
Ars Longa Store
Newsletter
