Spectacular and exceptionally rare 1919 Cincinnati Reds championship pin awarded to the winners of the most controversial World Series in history. The equivalent of a World Series ring, pins of this type were what the Reds players received for winning the title, later determined to have been "thrown" by the infamous Chicago White Sox, better known as the Black Sox for their indiscretions. Simple yet magnificent, the 0.75" pin is 14k gold with a genuine diamond center, surrounded by "1919 World's Champions." A. Roy Mitchell is engraved on back, has threaded post on back with original clasp, along with F.H. Co. stamp and 14K. Elements of that Series are disputed by historians to this day; what is certain is that some (not all) members of the Sox conspired with gamblers to throw the series to Cincinnati, and the surprisingly poor play by the overwhelming favorites in the early games raised more than a few eyebrows. The extent of the involvement by some of the eight players implicated remains somewhat unclear, but the scandal did result in the creation of the first Commissioner position in 1920, and respected Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis exerted his authority in imposing lifetime bans on Chicago's "Eight Men Out." Nonetheless, Cincinnati did claim the championship and this pin was part of the spoils of that victory. In NRMT-MT condition, this rates as one of the most desirable of all World Series awards, only presented to team members and only a few are known to exist at all, not surprising considering their size and the more than a century that has elapsed since. Comes with Letter of Provenance.