New Britain herald., 1921-09-30
(BIG SIX IS STILL
 AT SARANAC LAKE
But Today His Friends Play for
 His Benefit

saranac Lake. N. r.. Sept. 3o.- idol of baseball fans in America, re- [ maincd at Saranac Lake today. while thouaands of baseball enthusiasts gathered at the Polo Grounds, New York city. scene of many Of Mathew sons triumphs in baseball. 10 pay trib- 7 ute to him.
 ft Mathcwson. one of the greatest pitchers known to baseball. past or present. has been here for moro than n year fighting the greatest battle of his life-that against tuberculosis. The hero of championship races in the Ma tional league and of worlds series games. too. was anxious to attend the ] testimonial to him but because of the long distance he would have to travel and tho confusion which would have attended the demonstration for him had he done SO. he was persuaded to remain here. Tn spirit, however, he was there.
 Showing the same high purpose and iron nerve that carried him to victory in many Eruelling baseball struggles and placed him on the highest pin- nacie in basebalI's hall of fame. Math ewson today is winning his fight for life. A year ago last July Mathewson
  here only a short time when he be. came seriously i'll. He was in bed for Ia months.
 But Mathewson has fought in the sick he'd as he had fought on the baseball neIds. And today his battle for life appears to have been equally as successful as his struggles on the diamond. Today Mathewson looks like the Mathewson of old. He appears to be in normal weight and SO greatly has he improved In health that now he is permitted to take automobile rides and short walks in the village. He'll soon be allowed to 20 anywhere.
 Last month was perhaps one of the happiest Tn Mathewson's life. On Au- gust i2. he was 41 years old. And. he says. it was his happiest birthday. He passed the day quietly with Mrs. Math swwon. and thcir son. Christy, IT,. and received messages from all parts of the country. conaratuiatinE him on his long uphill light for health. and wishing him . speedy recovery. w And then on August 90. Matherson. for the first time since he arrived here. appeared on the streets of the village. going Co barber shop and chatting with persons he met there. This trip was characterized by his friends as the first step in increase of exercise. and rapid return of strength and health.
 Despite his long illness. baseball Is -tili tho subject closest to Mathewson's .hen~t He has followed very closely the pcnnant races in the two big leagues and has often expressed de- sire to sec tho local team in action. having become greatly interested in tho fortunes of the Saranac Lake club this year.
 New York's feat in coming from be- hind In the National league race and passing Pittsburgh brought much joy to Mathewson. as did telephone con- versation he had with John McGraw. manager of the Giants. after New York had defeated Pittsburgh in the second ganne of their Inst series in f'pftfshnrgh II was sE member of the New York National I,eague club. un- der McGraw's management that Math- cwron achieved his greatest honors fin baseball.
 Mathewson's brilliant pitching help cd the Giants to win the National lea Eue pennants in 1904, 1905. 1911, 1912 and lO1a. Tn the worlds series of 1905 against the Philadelphia Ameri- cans Mathewson pitched three of the i've games played. won all three and dgd not allow Philadelphia to score in the twenty-seven innings. a record un- nrpatl~d [ many worlds series. The de- fcat of the Giants in 1911 and 1913 tv Philadelphia and in 1912 by the Portou Red sox was no fault of Math- cwron. Indeed. baseball experts de- cisre that Mathowson pitched the best ball of his career in tho scriex of 1912 only to he beaten by errors.