Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-13
BATTING AVERAGEs.
FIELDING AVERAGES
me boyhood frIends OF Christy Matthew-

Inc bOyhOOd triendS OF CnrlSty Matthew
son, the great pitcher, say that of the
hundreds of stories printed about Matty's
early career very few of them have been
accurate. Here is one which Matthewson
and his friends will vouch for:
Christy Matthewson was born in Fac
toryville, Pa, in 1873. When but y years
old he began playing with the second nine
Of the village. AS he grew older he be-
gan to develop a wonderful physique. as
well as some good curve balls. After he
had gained considerable attention while
playing with the Factoryville nine he
went TO Keystone (Pa.) academy and con-
tinued his good work. After graduating
from the academy he went to Bucknell
college and by hard pulling made the
team" the first year. There his success
really began. His love for the game led
him to follow It as a profession. Matthew
son first played for money with Taunton
and afterwards with Norfolk, in the Vir-
ginia league. While playing with Norfolk
in 800 he was discovered by an agent
for the New York National league club
and signed a contract. That was before
anything was known of drafting players.
In the fall of 1900 he went to New York,
and in his first game defeated Brooklyn by
a score Of to 2. In 1901 the base ball
war between the American and National
lea CUES was just beginning and Matthew
son, without thought of the seriousness
Of his act, signed contract with the
Philadelphia Athletics, but later listened
to good advice and renewed his contract
with the New York club. That year he
pitched phenomenal ball and has kept It
up ever since. As a, rule, base ball fans
have the mistaken idea that Matthewson's
I'D III 10 aIsN,te
speed This is not true. His "long suit"
as they say in base ball, Is his slow ball,
or fall away" as some have dubbed It.
This ball comes up to the plate slowly
and then suddenly breaks" falling to one
side OF the plate. The real secret OF his
success is his great brain work. He
studies every batter carefully and pitches
| the ball just where the batter does not
| want il. Matthewson was married three
| years ago.
The colleges are likely to be well repre-
sented in the American Henley regatta
at Philadelphia on May 26 with the possible
exception OF Columbia and Cornell, all the
/ rowing colleges In the east having accepted
! invitations to row on the Schuylkill. Neither
Georgetown nor Syracuse have ever been
represented in the regatta, but both are
/ NIdinlnB Crews f1dTNhFQ mas dlIedQy sent
entries Of two Fights, and, although Yale
4 has not yet sent out entries, the COM
mittee is not worrying about its entries
as they have never been sent in until the
last moment. There is nothing to indicate
a crew from Columbia, bur there are
! hopes that Coach Goodwin will send one
( crew from the many that are out on the
water. as the distance 10 be Travelled Is
short and the expense would be light,
/ There are still hopes that Cornell will be
| represented. as Pennsyivania's crew will be
it's only competitor in the Decoration day
regatta, and the stewards OF the Phila-
delphia races think that Cornell ought to
show Its crew there and Will make an
other effort TO induce Courtney to change
his mind. The Annapolis crews are anxious
to row on the Schuylkill. but the govern
ment ohicials have thus far refused 70
give their consent. The rules of the acad-
envy prohibit any athletic team absentlng
itself from the institution over night with
out special permission. which so far has
never been given except to the foot ball
team and the base ball nine in alternate
years, The regatta officials say that the
crew can leave Annapolis on the morning
OF the race and return TO the academy al
night II necessary. strong effort will be
made to secure the attendance Of the
cadets.