Evening journal., 1914-08-21
'MATTY BEST EVER.
SAYS JOSH DEVORE
Boston Player Says ChriSty
is the Superior Pitcher
of All Times
NONE OF EN- ARGUE
THE POINT WITH HIM

NEW YORK, Aug. 2t.-Pitching
phenoms and marvels arrive year az
ter year. They pitch a club to q
pennant, la Joe Wood with the
Boston Red Sox in 1912; they con-
quer in worlds series as Joe Bush
did last October, but they don't tarry
long. There's one master, peer and
king of 'em all, according to Joshua
Deyore, who is starring in a come
rack with the Boston Braves. He
Is christopher Mathewson.
Ihe pitching crown is pinned upon
Matty's massive shoulders by tiny
DeVore, who claims and who will ar
que to the last word that baseball
las never introduced another Matty
and that baseball never will see an
other Matty.
Within the past 10 years some Won
dertul curvers have stepped upon the
pig nil. We have Eddie Plank.
Chief Bender, Joe McGinnity, Miner
Brown, Ed Reulbach, Harry Sallee.
Rube Waddell, Jack Powell. Bill
Dlneen, Ed Walsh, Nick Altrock.
Walter Johnson and dozen or more.
Ihey have won fame; they have won
pennants' but as for being the equal
of Mathewson-never! chirps Joshua
While the Cardinals we're In Boston
Coh. such a sad recollectionD Josh
Tanned" with members of Huggins'
troupe one evening. One game after
another was rehearsed; great plavs
and great players. Each one had his
favorite and finally the conversation
drifted around to Devore
No One Argues With Josh.
We'll, boys, I'll give you your nick
for the greatest of 'em all. and now
I'll have mine" said Devore. I'm
going to select Mathewson as the
greatest pitcher in baseball Who'll
argue with me?"
There wasn't a remark from the
circle of athletes.
81 know you fellows have hit Mattv
harder than any club in the league.
you've beaten him frequently" con-
tinued Devore, but let me put you
in on a secret: If this pennant gets
down to the last game for the Giants
TO beat the Cardinals, Matty's going
TO pitch, and I'll bet every foot OF
ground | own that Matty wins.
That's where he is the master-in
the pinch. Put him in a game where
ne has to win, where thousands and
thousands of dollars are at stake. and
I'll take Mathewson for my pitcher.
He lost one game; yes, that one
with the Boston Red Sox. the one
which lost us the 1912 worlds cham
pionship, but Matty didn't lose It, If
ever pitcher deserved tc win, 1t was
Mathewson, and I claim that was the
greatest game ever exhibited on the
hill, even if he did lose
Giants Strong for Matty.
. "If you don't think the Giants claim
him the greatest pitcher in the pinch,
here's an illustration: On the morn
ing of the last game with the Red
Sox we had a meeting in McGraws
/. room. Mac called all Of us around
him and came out with this: Boys,
who do you want to pitch this after
noon%
> "Marquard won two games from
the Sox; left-handers we're strong
against them; Tesreau also pitched
good ball, but the minute McGraw
2 asked us there was a chorus of every
= ball player on the club-'Mathewscn =
I'VE wanted Matty; we knew that
il we could win, that if we needed
real pitcher, Matty was the one.
That's how strong all the Giants are
for him. And Matty should have
won.
"why, that first run they scored.
I when we had them l to 0, in tho
e seventh inning, was a fiuke. / re-
4 II member now how Stahl came up and
= hit a high fly to the outfeld Instead
p of an out Snodgrass and Fletcher
0 allowed it to drop safely for a double.
n Then Pinch Hitter Henriksen. He
took two swings at Matty's fast one,
u high and on the outside. Never
; touched the ball.
L "Matty figured Henriksen would
II swing again at a wild one, and again
/ Christ shot the high one. Henriksen
Z took a swing, just touched the ball.
u and it dropped over third for the hit
n that tied the score. And we lost il
in the eleventh; but 1t wasn't Matty's
fault.
"Over in the American league they
hail Walter Johnson the marvel OF
their circuit. I'll admit Johnson is
q a pretty good pitcher. but put him
ID lin the American league Ia years.
just as Matty. and you'll never hear
of Johnson. He won't last that long
g "I know bit about Johnson my
y self. He's got some speed; don't
e think he hasn't, because l batted
g against him this spring Two balls
Ie slot past me so quick / didn't get a
n. look: Ainsmith was throwing it back
ID to Walter. But I waited on the next
one: took my time about the swing
Just met il and lined a double over
2. third that scored two runs and beai
l the Nationals.
Put Johnson in the National
0 league and l doubt if he'd ever win a
0 game from the Phillies. There's a
l club that thrives on fast-ball pitchers
0 Johnson has the speed. but give me
0 Nathewson for mine, every day in the
0 week. season after season.
l And don't think Matty is ready tC
0 retire. Say. he'll be pitching for tn,
0 Giants when a bunch of these presen
- phenoms have withered back to tn,
4 bushes and back to the farm"
When Joshua completed his las
f. sentence all the Cardinals agreed tina
/ he was the winner of the argumen
l l-Mathewson first, last and always