Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-25

Death of Joseph McGinnity, base ball
pitcher who was known as "the Iron
Man" and who was o partner and
possibly teacher of Christy Mathewson,
brings tributes from the press to his
remarkable powers of endurance. He
Is declared to have won contests through
sheer courage and to have added to the
glory Of the national game.
His death in Brooklyn marks the
passing of one of base balls truly great
figures" testifies the Detroit News. with
the tribute to his long career: youth
wins, age loses, in the competitions OF
sport. At least that is the rule and
Joe McGinnity was the exception. He
was sports first Iron Man and her
most prodigiouS craftsman. He entered
professional base ball as a pitcher for
the Van Buren,, Ark, club in 1892.
Thirty-th years later he was still
going strong"
Memories come trooping and senti-
ment lives again" says the Cleveland
News, "as word flashes over the wires
that the Iron Man is dead-the i'm
mortal Joe McGinnity has gone beyond.
A generation that knows the stars of
the diamond; that cheers for Foxx and
Hornsby: to whom the crack of Babe
Ruth's bat on the leather sphere is
music divine, inquiries little hesitantly,
But who was this Iron MANI As II
the mighty pitcher who was the peer
of Christy Mathewson; the magnet that
drew thousands to the base ball field;
the player whose curves, speed and
endurance inspired amazing stories of
his proweSS, could be unknown to any
base ball fan. But those who
were fans a score Of years ago. when
McGinnity was on the mound for the
GiantS-and who saw him play the
game-will never forget him. BY them
he Is remembered as q hero-one OF
the great of base ball. His was
a picturesque diamond career in which
games which had their tense and
dramatic moments were crowded
through a succession of years when his
page. He was known to every fan from
the big league to the sand lot
~ ~
"Up here In Northeastern pennsyl-
vania." remarks the Scranton Times,
there Is something more than casual
regret at the passing of Joe McGinnity,
who, a quarter OF a century ago. WIS
an outstanding figure in major league
base ball. Here We associate McGin-
nifty with the great Mathewson and the
beloved Hugh Jennings. Joe played on
the Baltimore Orioles with Jennings
and is credited with having taught
Mathewson some of the tricks of the
pitching art which were later to make
Big Six famous. In base ball annals
name will always be as
ISOLATED with that of MathewSon.
When Joe was IN his prime, he and
other hurlers took their turn on the
slab every third or fourth day and if
need be sometimes pitched three games
a week"
Gle pitched seven major league base ball
games in six days" recalls the Newark
Evening News, with the suggestion that
the record might well be his epitaph,"
and that although 1t was made in 1900
while with the Brooklyn team of the
League, which won the pen
nant, it still stands; no pitcher has
seriously challenged it in the years
since" The Evening News concludes
that "the fact that he was still play
ing ball in 1925 and pitching winning
games proved his ruggedneSs at an age
when most men are sitting on the side
lines
"The Iron Man who helped win
Brooklyn and New York has passed
from hfe'3 diamond" remarks the Fort
Wayne News-Sentinel. but he leaves a
wealth of memories behind. He was
the discoverer of Old SAL which
many regard as the most effective ball
ever pitched--a twirl which raised him
from the estate of coal miner TO
that Of @ National League star. Men
like Iron Man McGinnity keep base |
ball great There will be o. ia tai |
low Ia hsg footsteps. brings Cd wAse