Christy Mathewson was a tall, college-educated, blue-eyed, blond-haired god known for clean living, good sportsmanship and an elastic arm that racked up 372 wins (4th all-time), 78 shutouts (3rd) and a 2.13 ERA (5th), mainly for John McGraw's New York Giants. However, these vintage photos recall the tragic end of his life. In 1918, Mathewson, having enlised as an Army captain, was gassed in a training exercise and suffered thereafter from tuberculosis, which slowly drained his life away. Still he managed a smile for an Easter seal campaign in 1922 and for his old mentor McGraw in 1924. The other two shots are of his sad burial in 1925 and a memorial plaque dedication in his honor in 1926. These are original wire service photos with attached captions on the back, thus there is wear and pruning, yet they are still quite vibrant and moving.