The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-17

FIRST APPEARANCE
ON THE DIAMOND.
Matthewson first appeared on baseball
diamond at Bucknell College. where he soon
became known as 1.-THE Wizard among his
college chums. who could not understand
how any human could have SO much con-
troll over q small sphere. The fame of the
college Wonder soon spread through Viz
ginia. where a fast State league existed.
Matthewson was induced to join the Wheel
ing club Of West Virginia. and won eighteen
out of twenty-one games for his team.
Last fall he was signed by New York. and
was given hut two trials. one of which was
against ST. Louis at League Park, the other
against Brooklyn. Both games We're lost
the young man, but retained him for this
season. Matthewson's poor showing did not
gain him any contract with fabulous sal
that he was virtually working for nothing
this spring in hopes Of making good" as
he had a world Of confidence in himself;
what all the money of Andrew Freedman
and the combined brains Of the National
League magnates had failed to do-he built
supposed the game had died a violent death.
Malthewson alone dispelled this illusion.
He drew the larSest crowd to the Polo
baseball game in any city. The st. Louis
club was fortunate enough to be his OPP
ponent and to defeat him on that day.
not less than 50 cents each to ne the
New York club play against st. Louis that
day. But Matthewson was in the box. and
The New York club is said to have taken
in enough money this early In the season to
pay its way until October. and the balance
drew Freedman, despite his inclination to
rule the world in general and the National
League In Particular. is no niggard. AS
soon as Matthewson proved such money
making investment. Mr.. freedman sent for
him and after q short conference Matthew
son left with a new contract calling for
the end of the season IL his great work
was continued.
IMPROVING IN FORM
EVERY DAY.
AS Matthewson seems to be getting better
going to stop. Apparently he has no weak
nesses. On the first trip Of the New York
club in the West It was thought that the
road. MatthewsOn failed to win a game In
four attempts. That his form is even bet
ter now is shown by the fact that he has
one he lost in St. Louis last Friday can
be attributed to the errors of Buelow more
than anything else. The consensus Of opin-
Matthewson Is the greatest pitcher alive to;
day, and some of the old-timers will tell
you that no greater ever curved a ball.
that IS % Jesse
R ~ who has PLAYED in all the games
Mat fss has pitched against st. LOUIS
where down in his heels and he never can
become accustomed to his style. No one
denies that brains are booming more and
Mr.. Matthewson can size up a batter about
as quickly as any man alive. When facing
! ssnksst ns and Donovan last Friday he
them before and learned how he could mas
ter them. He did 50 the first time he
Pitched e,sansd to to -, them When Bin schrlyer
theWson did not hesitate. He had heard Of
S sen .., as a hitter who can bash" the
Rs Sss. 81 c them the when he
for the first time and he watched him eau
t sio1sly III Like thet rest Of them he did not
ball. but he could not send it safe. Thus
the question arises. "Does Matthewson have
any more than other pitchers, or is It Just
successful fwirlingT. As noted in yester-
days Republic. the st. Louis players did not
t Matthewson had as much "on'' the
as he did on Friday. when he was beaten,
HIS WONDERFUL CONTROL.
OF THE BALL.
Having .stunr' on a ball means a twist
the bat: Some twirlers can pitch so that
four lou balls out Of five balls hit win go into
majority Of the balls hit oil his 81 deiiverS
Will sizxle and twist on the ground where
the fnnelders have little trouble In getting
them But Matthewson seems to combine
the cleverness Of Powell and HARPER He
pitches balls that will leave the bat with
hair- rafsing speed and land in q waiting
mitt like q bean bag. Sudhoff hit q liner to
Matthewson which looked as though II
would 30 right through the young Giant,
but It just dropped Into his glove. Like
English" on billiard balls, nine out of ten
experts In the use Of It cannot explain Just
what 1t Ia Matthewson himself has never
sincerely stated that he could not explain
his success except In the stereotyped way:
Speed. control. q good slow ball and the
proper change Of pace"
Matthewson IL young in years, and his
time IN the National League can possibly
be measured only by his desires. He is q
teetotaler, never touches any kind of al
coholfc drinks, neither smokes nor uses to-
bacco in any form. and, in fact, takes per-
feet care OF his physical condition at all
times. His arm II as sound as bell.
Matthewson was crack football player
at Bucknell College. and 80 eminent an au-
thority as Walter Camp Of Yale pronounced
him the greatest drop kicker in America.
In build the sensational twtrler could
hardly be improved upon, unless 1t be at
the knees-he Is q bit ''knock-kneed.' He
has huge frame, well muscled, and under
pinning capable of carrying II.
Matthewsons best recommendation as q
man is that he has not the slightest symp-
toms Of the '.swelled head" The best that
can be said of him as a pitcher is that he
let down Patsy Donovan's sluggers without
q single hit.