Amos Rusie, the “Hoosier Thunderbolt” was one of the most feared pitchers of his day. The first half of his career pitchers stood just 50 feet away from the batter. Armed with a 90+ fastball, Rusie was not known for his control. He once hit future HoFer Hugh Jennings in the head, putting Jennings into a four-day coma. Rusie won 20 or more games in eight straight seasons.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977, Rusie died in 1942 and remains a difficult autograph to obtain. This piece is a government postcard complete with a postmark from Seattle, Washington where Rusie resided in his final years. The man once traded for Christy Mathewson won 246 games in his ten-year career.

Government postcards provide aid to authenticating autographs. Collectors would send a postcard to the desired target. When the autograph returned in the mail it would contain a postmark verifying the exact date and place from where it was mailed. This postmarked reveals a June 1st, 1940 mailing from Seattle, Washington where Rusie would die 18 months after he signed this.

John T. Brush owned the Reds while eyeing the Giants. After the 1900 season, Brush as Reds owner “traded” Christy Mathewson straight up for the sore-armed Amos Rusie who hadn’t pitched since 1898. Bush sold his share in the Cincinnati club and bought the Giants for whom Matty was pitching. This book photo is signed by the Christian Gentleman, one of the first five inductees. With 373 wins and a microscopic lifetime earned run average of 2.13, Mathewson was elected in the very first Hall of Fame election of 1936. Mathewson autographs are especially difficult as he died 1925.