Extremely rare brass oval pin, issued for members of the press covering the championship series between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. Intended as credentials for press access, press pins replaced the need for paper passes to help control entry to press areas during the World Series. Manufactured by Bent & Bush Co. of Boston, the pin measures just 7/8" at its widest with a threaded post, the design featuring an image of tall ships sailing in Boston Harbor. Surrounding the image is text that reads "Boston Red Sox" and "World Series 1918." The design mirrors that of the Red Sox' 1915 press pin, with just the year changing.

In very good condition, the pin is intact and sturdy, with some age-related patina visible in the brass and some signs of surface wear visible within the detail of the front. The original fastener is present and functional, the image slightly toned with age.

The 1918 pin is particularly desirable and quite rare. For the 1918 World Series, only the Red Sox are known to have produced an official pin; there is no corresponding press pin for their National League opponent. The 1918 World Series was held in early September due to the "Work or Fight" order that forced the early end to the regular season. During Game 1, the band began playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" to commemorate the United States' involvement in World War I. By 1931, the song had become our national anthem, and in the ensuing years, its playing became a regular occurrence at sporting events. Boston won the Series, scoring just nine runs in total (the lowest number scored by a winning team in World Series history), with star pitcher Babe Ruth winning two games and pitching a shutout in the opening game. In contrast to today's game, just eight pitchers saw action during the Series - four for each team.

In addition to being a wartime Series, the 1918 Boston Red Sox are significant because this Series began what became known as the "Curse of the Bambino," an 86-year championship drought tied to Babe Ruth's 1920 sale to the Yankees. The 1918 World Series would be the Red Sox' final championship until breaking the curse in 2004. An extremely rare pin, this is just the third example we have encountered in our research. An outstanding, tough-to-find relic of an important World Series.

Size: large
Condition: yes