Before the Yankees ruled New York, there was John McGraw’s Giants. From the early 1900s through the mid-1920’s, the Giants were the top sports team in the nation, winning 10 pennants and three World Championships. It was only the arrival Babe Ruth and the popularity of the home run that eventually forced the Giants into a subservient role to the Yankees.

     This offered ball represents the high-tide of the New York Giants, the last victorious club before John McGraw retired and the Yankees became the center of the baseball world. The 1924 team won their fourth straight pennant, a record which still stands. The Giants met the Washington Senators in the World Series and fought them to a climactic seventh game. Jack Bentley, who in the minor leagues was called a “second Babe Ruth” for his hitting and pitching prowess, started for the Giants. The game remained 3-3 at the end of 9 innings and an aging Walter Johnson took the mound for Washington in relief. Bentley and Johnson dueled heroically for three innings until a pair of errors a bad hop forced in Washington’s winning run.

     This Spalding Official National League Heydler ball has been signed by 23 members of this outstanding ball club, including seven future Hall of Famers: Ross Youngs, Bill Terry, Frankie Frisch, Billy Southworth, Travis Jackson, Highpockets George Kelly and Freddie Lindstrom. Other standouts include Irish Meuse, Art Nerf and Jack Bentley. McGraw is on the sweet spot but JSA has determined this to be a clubhouse signature. All of McGraw’s Giants have signed in crisp black fountain pen and the Spalding ball has only light toning and surface abrasions. A very well preserved ball from John McGraw’s last great Giants team that comes with a full LOA from JSA (Z58607) for the signatures.

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