Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-07
MATHEWSON IS
ACCEPTED HERO
HE DID NOT WIN 4
GAME IN BIG sEsIEs HE is
REGARDED As REAL HERO
COULD NOT WIN ALONE
In <rhree Games He Pitched Boston
Scored Eleven Runs, Nine Of
Which Were Donated by
His Team Mates

No man ever demonstrated that he
is better fitted for the pitching honors
of the baseball world for the last de-
cade than Christy Mathewson did in
the worlds series Of 1912. Up to the
last game he had not walked man
In the first game, which went eleven
innings, he pitched 1928 balls; second
game 81 balls and third game which
, went ten innings he pitched 124 balls,
or an average Of twelve and one-third
balls per inning.
The critic of the Sporting News
pays an excellent tribute to Matty
which Is In the following:
There is but one answer to the
most dramatic, hearttearirg worlds
series ever played, Mathewson. the
central figure Of the twirling scene.
could not beat the Red Sox unaided,
and he was powerless before the COM
bined assault of the Red Sox and the
Giants. Briefly, pitching with all the
wonder of his combined brain, heart
and arm, he was unequal to the task
of beating both clubs. He was never
greater in his career, but there Is no
man that ever lived who Is great
enough to beat seventeen. writes
Grantland Rice in reviewing the result
Of the 1912 event.
Three times he stood and fought
back the Red Sox's rush. He carried
them into extra session rounds in spite
of his support, not through it. In these
three contests he held his rivals to
two earned runs, while eight earned
runs were scored behind him.
But the answer comes herein the
three games eleven runs were piled
against him, and, Of course, nine were
presented Boston through the blear-
eyed support Of his own henchmen.
Backed up as he should have been and
counting only the earned runs made
by both contestants, his three games
should have resulted go, ii, al, with
two victories and a drawn fight in
place Of two defeats and a draw.
Giants Score During Last Stand
Take that last stand by Mathew
son, where, working the deciding bat
tie after the frenzy Of those first seven
games, he came back with the great
est pitching he has shown this year
pitching he has never surpassed when
in his prime. He had one-run lead to
the seventh, when Stahl popped a
short fly between Snodgrass and Muir
ray, which should have been eaten
alive. but which was allowed to drop
safely for a hit.
A double followed later on from
Henrikson's timely bat, and the score
was tied. But he still had an even
fight, and when the redoubtable Muir
ray tore double from Wood in the
tenth, and Merkle drove him home, It
seemed as II fate at last had turned
his way, won over by his valiant bat
tie against such unbeatable odds.
Engel, batting for Wood, lifted fly
to center, and one man looked gone.
The ball scared up and out Topped In
curving arch to Snodgrass, set for
tho play, thudded into his glove and
popped out again as if striking the
heart of the rubber trust. Hooper, how
ever, died on line smash, and there
was a chance again. Speaker, always
8 deadly, dangerous hitter, swung
weakly, and lifted short, easy foul fly
within six feet Of first.
MerkIe Still In. Trance.
Merkle, apparently still in a trance
from the fatal muff In center, failed to
rush for the ball, which should have
been one of the easiest outs Of the
game, and it fluttered to earth.
Between these two plays the extra
$4,000. which had almost disappeared
into Giant pockets, fluttered out and
over to Boston. For Speaker, given
life, slashed a hit, and before the rally
ended Matty had lost another fight.
Beyond sympathy for Mathewson,
we have no alibis to present. When q