New-York tribune., 1917-07-15
Matty, Castoff
OF Reds, Now
Their Leader
Rhineland Halls Him as Man
Who Will Build Pen
nant Winner
BY w. J. MACBETH

You know the story Of Moses in the
bulrushes. Doubtless you have heard
of the return of the Prodigal.
It's not such a far cry from Scripture
20 baseball but that the diamond can
furnish the two examples in one.
Christy Mathewson-he will always be
our own dear Maryland his assocla-
ton with the Cincinnati Reds provide
the illustration.
Mathewson, years ago cast adrift on
the river of doubt by the Cincinnati
baseball club, is the Moses who is lead
ing that prosecuted people out of the
wilderness to the promised land.
Mathewson, too, has returned to the
Rhine and a diet of roast veal after
subsisting on the husks OF pennant
penury and worlds series spoils IN New
York till his financial frame dwindled
10 a mere quarter million or so.
For be it known that Christy Mathew
son is castoff of the Cincinnati Ma
tionals. He was the pioneer of little
army of stars that Cincinnati traded
from obscurity to renown. Matty,
budding star, came to the Giants sec
ond time in exchange for Amos Rusie,
a pitcher worn and frayed to the very
marrow Of his makeup. That was
seventeen years ago.
Some thirty-odd years before Gin
cinnati had had ball club, the famous
Red Stockings, who established the
popularity of Americas game through
out the country. Frank Bancroft, busi-
ness manager then as now, had nothing
but the husks of memory to feed upon
for forty-seven years thereafter. He
hung on grimly. doggedly, like Micaw-
Der, in the hope that something would
turn up. A dozen managers Of renown
failed him, Ned Hanlon, John Camel,
Clark Griffith, Joe Tinker, Hank O'Day,
Joe Kelley and Charlie Herzog among
others. Banny had almost given up in
despair, when a year ago chance or fate
waited the prodigal Mathewson back to
Cincinnati's shores.
Biography Out of Place
II would be next to sacrilegious TO
pen a biographical sketch of Christy.
No one in American sport is so we'll
known as he. Every hoary headed fan
has followed his major league career
with the interest of that of his own
immediate family. Every lisping tot
who can spell out his primer story has
heard the history from bigger brother,
a daddy or an uncle.
No greater tribute TO Mathewson's
prowess can be furnished in condensed
form than the record Of his active
athletic life which accompanies this
article. A mans record speaks for it.
self. And Christy Mathewson has been,
is and always will be first, last and all
the time MAN, spelled in capitals.
New York believes and will always
belieye that Christy Mathewson should
90 down in history as the greatest
pitcher Of all time-the greatest at
least up<to the present time. Others,
principally old timers who live in the
past, argue Radbourne. Rusie and Cy
Young. 1t is true that Mathewson did
not approximate the victories OF the
grand old man, Uncle Cy, for the latter,
by grace of the most phenomenal phys
ical constitution went on many years
beyond the age that marked the decline
of Mathewson. No one will concede,
however, that Young at his best was so
effective as Msthewson in his prime.
Therein lies the answer to real great
ness.
But il Is not of Mathewson's pitch
ing skill that we would speak, for as
pitcher he has passed along. Baseball
sentiment does not enthuse over fallen
idols; nor over inactive heroes.
Mathewson :he pitcher may live few
years in the memories of the old Goth
amite fans who watched him put the
Giants on the road to fame and fortune.
Meanwhile he is more likely TO live in
the hearts of Cincinnati fandom not as
a wornout pitcher, but as a vigorous
and up-to-date manager.
Every Trait of Ability
For Christy, the beloved, has shown
every trait Of managerial acumen
within the short year that he has been
in charge of Cincinnatis i'll starred
club. He went to Porkopolis just one
year ago to take charge of team that
was dying Of dry rot on Charlie Her
zog's hands. He went as part Of a
deal for Herzog. to be exact, q deal
consummatcd July 20, 1916.
Mathewson fell heir to q club that
appeared completely demoralized. His
pitchers couldn't pitch lick; his in
field was strong at the wing positions,
but sievelike around the keystone. The
outfeld was a horrible example that
We'd in deficiencies with Stallings's
Braves.
Mathewson came to town for his first