The Detroit times., 1912-12-12
Was Mathewson q Generation
Ago. Pitching New York
to Pennant
CALLS WILLIAMSON THE
GREATEST PLAYER EVER
Thinks Former Chicago InfieIder
Had 1t on Every
body

When the morning newspapers an
|nounced, in the sos, that Tim Keefe
would pitch for New York. Az roads
led to the old Polo grounds It IL ~
years since Keefe tossed his glove
upon the closet shelf and said good
bye to baseball and the game lost
one OF its immortals.
Pitchers like Tim Keefe occur
about once In decade He was the
Mathewson or Walter Johnson OF his
day. He pitched the New York team
into league and worlds champion
ship. Old-timers say he had every
thing that tho greatest pitchers Of
today possess.
In 1883 Keefe pitched so games.
leading the National league with tho
splendid average vf .744 and he did
this against such men as Curt Weich.
Charlie Sweeney, Titcomb and Hank
O'Day, later an umpire and recently
Cincinnati's manager
\ When he retired from the game for
which he did so much. Tim Keefe
sought the classic shades of Cam.
bridge. Mass, the city o. his bIftn
and he sought relief from the excIle.
ment OF the diamond In the prosaic
business OF real estate. Ia which ~
has succeeded.
Men who knew Tim Keefe when Nc
wna one 0f the games attractl0I1k.
Insist he would be an successful toda
las he was In the SOS. Heswas alwaye
la brainy pitcher, out-guessing his OPP
ponents just as Clark Griffith did
and as Mathewson has been doing 10.
years. Keefe had terrific speed and
a slow ball. curves and control. Hts
change of pace was as deceptive a. q
mirage.
When Jim Mutrie had the GIanrs
In 1889. Keefe pitched the team into
pennants.
II was 55 years ago that Tim Keefe
was born in Cambridge. From boy
hood baseball fascinated him and at
the age OF 20 he started upon his pro-
fessional career, with Lewiston, Me-.
pitching for the same team In 1876
also.
Keefe went to Waterloo. Clinton
and Utica In 1S77-7S and 20 respec-
lively. In 1880 hn was with Albany
and for the next two years with Troy.
In 1884 he pitched for the famous
old Metropolitans OF New York and
1t was not until 1885 that he began
his career as a member OF the New
York National league club. He re-
NAMED with the team until the fall
or 1892. His last year, 1888, was with
Philadelphia.
There is touch of-sadness In Tim
Keefe's answer to the question, sis
baseball faster. today than In your
timer"
.I have seen SO few games in re-
cent years that l am unable to make
a fair comparison" he says.
In Keefe's opinion, the greatest ball
player that ever lived was I'd viii
hanson, the Chicago infielder OF the
sos. This will doubtless call for
criticism, but many an old.timer win
admit that Keefe had reasons to pick
the infieid wonder. ~
When IL came to naming the great.
est pitcher. Keefe unhesitatingly re-
sponded, Charlie Sweeney"
Impossible" you exclaimI Re.
member Il was Charlie Sweeney who
struck out 2l Boston batters one az
ternoon In 1887, a record that has
never been equaled by q National
league pitcher. Sweeney was world
beater In his prime and don't forget IL.
they have found that only 600 OF the
middies disregarded the orders TO pre-
Sey enteen men were awarded their
football "w's" at Western High yes
terday.