This Never Happened: The Mystery Behind the Death of Christy Mathewson (The Deadball Files)

It seems so simple, so pure. But behind the green grass and iconic heroes, professional baseball has always been driven by greed, ambition, a thirst for fame, a lust for power, and a ceaseless conflict of motives that go far beyond winning and losing. Peel back the veneer with The Deadball Files. This critically acclaimed series features present-day mysteries and legal dramas grounded in events and personalities from the early days of baseball. The series opens with a genuine mystery. History tells us that baseball legends Christy Mathewson and Ty Cobb volunteered as Captains in the World War I Chemical Warfare Service (CWS). After the 1918 baseball season ended, both shipped out for France where they were exposed to poison gas during a training exercise. Mathewson got the worst of it and died in 1925 of tuberculosis brought on by his exposure. History has it wrong. According to recently discovered military records, Cobb, Mathewson, and other future Hall of Famers were together in June 1918, training on chemical weapons as part of a “show” unit – a propaganda unit designed to attract young men into the CWS. But the unit disbanded early, and news accounts, even in the local press, make no mention of it. A propaganda unit, but no propaganda? A recruiting tool, but no recruiting? Something happened that was not in the script, something that has been the subject of an elaborate coverup for more than a century. But what? Discover the history as you unravel the mystery.
ASIN: B0CHL1CF94
VSKU: BVV.B0CHL1CF94.A
Condition: Acceptable
Author/Artist:Manheim, J.B.
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item is very worn but is perfectly usable. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing age related spots and browning . May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.