Southeast of Skaneateles Lake and right off of State Route 13 lies the town of Truxton, N.Y. – population of 1,133. At first glance, it might seem like any small town north of New York City – the kind of place where everyone knows each other and family histories date back for generations. But despite its size, Truxton is different. Truxton has a long, largely undisclosed history.

John McGraw, Hall of Fame manager of the New York Giants, was born and raised in Truxton. He grew up playing baseball on the town’s sandlots. And he never forgot where he came from.

Every summer, the feisty skipper would bring his New York Giants to play an exhibition game with the local team, to raise money for the town. One of those years, star pitcher Christy Mathewson accompanied him. In typical fashion, the future Hall of Famer stunned the crowd with his dominance on the mound and pinpoint control.

But what was atypical was that Mathewson brought a bat with him. His 2.45 pound Spalding p5 model is now preserved in the Hall of Fame, as it was recently donated by James Maxson of Montgomery, Texas. It is the first game-used bat of Mathewson’s in the Hall of Fame’s collection.

“John J. McGraw was the most famous person born in Truxton,” Maxson said in a phone interview. “There’s actually a statue of McGraw in the town center. My great grandfather, Charles Maxson, was friends with McGraw; he was born there and was living there when McGraw was there. McGraw would come during the summer and bring his New York Giants; one of those years, he brought Christy Mathewson. The story goes, my great grandfather asked John J. McGraw if he could have a bat of Christy Mathewson’s. So Mr. McGraw gave him a bat.”