Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-04
MATHEWSON.
PLANK.
2sS 1874 .66s
224 1877 go

Mathewson's record is, of course, SUI
perior to that of his left-handed~ rival.
Big Six" has shown that he was able to
stand more work In one season than Get
tysburg Eddie" In four campaigns Mat
ty rung up thirty or more victories. while
twenty-six was Eddie's high water mark
in one season.
However, there is much similarity in the
To begin. both started their careers In
small Pennsylvania colleges. Matty at
Bucknell and Plank at Gettysburg. Both
began their big league career at almost
the same time. Matty started with the
Giants in 1900. but figured in only two
full games that year, both Of which he
lost. His real career began In 1901, the
year in which Plank broke into the game
with the Athletics.
In eleven years the two men lost al
ewson 1874 and Plank ,1s7. Matty. how
ever. won sixty-four more games than
the Philadelphia star. In the eleven years
both men fell below the 800 mark only
once. Matty, with tailend team in 1902
made the remarkable record Of .419.
Plank, with sixth place team, fell to
.467 in 1905. the year of Matty's greatest
triumph, when he pitched the Giants to
thirty-seven victories.
In spite of their brilliant performances
both men led their league in pitching only
once. and Matty had to divide his honors
with another. In 1902 Sam Lever was
in the lead among National League box
men with eight games won and one lost,
but Matty and Camnitz were tied for the
real leadership. both men having won
twenty-five games and lost six. Plank.
with a fourth-place team In 1905, finished
first among the American League pitchers
In that year with an average Of .76O.
In worlds series games Matty easily is
Gettysburg product. In 1905. Matty smut
out the Athletics in three games, winning
the opening contest from Plank by score
of to o. Plank lost two games In this
series. but pitched high-class ball on each
occasion. He lost his second game to Nc
Ginnity by a score OF to 0. Plank held
the Giants to four hits, and New York 8
lone run filtered over the plate on an err
ror by Monte Cross. In the recent un-
pleasantness, Matty won one game and
lost two, while Plank won one and lost
one.
Plank is the older Of the two men, be-
ing thirty six, while Matty IL thirty-one.
Before going south last spring Plank said
Of 1912. He has recently reiterated that
statement. saying dozen years in har.
ness are enough for any man.
Matty, on. the other hand. has no
thoughts Of retirement. Big Six" IL
good for many years, and Is going after
tories to get into the 500 class II Plank.
five years older. can win twenty two out
OF thirty games in q season, which he
did In 1911, Matty should be able to
travel as we'll in 1917. when he will be
as old as Plank.
The Pacific Coast League seems to be
an excellent training school for fence
breakers. At the end Of the 1910 cam
paign all the experts on the coast were
singing the praises of Ping Bodie. Now
the same experts allege they have a
phenom who will make the celebrated
Ping look like a counterfeit. The new
find travels about the country under the
monaker Of Buddy Ryan. and will join
the Cleveland Maps next season. Though
he fell short Of Pings home-run record
last season. making twenty-seven against
Bodies thirty in 1910. Ryan's batting
average in more than 100 games was .347.
while Bodies 1910 figures were .263.
Ryan performed for the Portland cham
pions Of the Pacific Coast League, and
has an enthusiastic booster In Harry
Wolverton, the new manager Of the
Highlanders. Harry says that Davis is to
be congratulated for landing such a
clubber. and thinks he win make an ex-
cellent running mate to Joe Jackson in
the Cleveland outskirts.
Buddy" says his. great sticking last