The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-13
American Indian Soldier Scores Double K. O.
THEY PLAYED THE GAME NO. e.
Matty Didn't Think Anybody
Could Hit Him Safely, And
Big Six Generally Was Right
sixth Of q series
BY HARRY cRAYsoN
NEA Sports Edltoe

Christopher MatneWSon was broad
shouldered, slightly knock.kneed,
stood six feet, one-and-a-han Inch
es and weighed leS pounds.
Big Six was the number Of New
York's principal flre-engine house
OF the period, and Sam Crane, base.
ball writer, wrote: "Mathewson Is
certainly the big Six Of pitchers"
He was, and the name stuck,
Matty had an imperturbable and
unsuitable air In the box, There
was O contemptuous look In his pale
blue eyes. He despised the opposition
In q big, indolent sort OF way.
It rather annoyed Matty to think
that q batter suspected that he
could hit him safely, and generally
he was right. The batter couldn't,
Because the In comparable right
handler spent practically his entire
career with him, It was to be ex-
pected that John McGraw would call
Matty the greatest pitcher who
ever lived.
But Connie Mack saying the same
thing Is the finest compliment ever
paid q ball player. Mack Is as much
an American Lacquer aS Mc0raw
was O National Lacquer, and had
some fair to middling pitchers down
through the years-from Waddell,
Bender, Plank and CoombeS to Rob.
ert Moses Grove. The Old Man also
saw q lot Of q few others, including
Walter Johnson
NO PITCHER HAD HIS STUFF
with johnson, 1t was brute force"
explains Mack. with Mathewson,
1t was knowledge and Judgment, per-
feet control and form. It was a
pleasure to watch him pitch when
he wasn't pitching against you"
Andy Coakley, who opposed Mat
ty In the World Series Of 1905 and
later many times In the National
League, agrees with Mc0raw and
Mack.
"Mathewson developed his own
stuff" asserts the veteran Columbia
coach, "and had stun no other
pitcher ever had.
He was the greatest guesser /
ever saw. He was fast enough, and
at his best threw q beautiful curve
and what I would call Q fallaway,
The latter was almost o straight
drop which broke around the
knees. He threw this ball three out
Of 1--WE times, yet q hitter would
never get 1t when he was looking
for It.
"Mathewson did not develop the
fadeaway for which he Is remeIn-
bered until he was almost through,
It was the opposite Of the screwball
thrown by Carl Hubbell, SOUTH
paw, It required O twist Of the wrist,
and consequently was hard on the
arm"
CONTROL UNBELIEVABLE
Matty was O straight overland
pitcher, so true that batters liked TO
face him although they knew they
would not fatten their averages, At
his peak, his control was almost un.
believable.
Matty pitched the Giants to Ave
pennants, but was In only four
World Series because there was none
In 1904. His 372 victories and i89 de.
feats left him with percentage Of
1858 for II campaigns. He holds the
National League record for strike
out since 1900, with 2447.
Matty won 80 or more games for
three consecutive seasons, 20 or
more for - straight. He bagged 81
games In 1908, when he walked only
~ In 4l6 innings.
THREE SHUTOUTS IN SERIES
The greatest pitching feat Of all
time was turned In by Matty In the
1905 World Series, when he thrice
shut out the Philadelphia Athletics
so and 30 with four hits apiece,
and 20 with six. He struck out 10,
walked one and hit Andy Coakley
on the arm.
Matty was pitching, Sept. %, 1908,
against the Chicago Cubs when Fred
Merkle failed TO touch second, and
also In the final game Of the 1912
World Series when Fred Snodgrass
made his famous nun. And his
duels with Three Fingered Brown
OF the Cubs contributed glorious
chapters to baseball history.
Matty had strong scruples against
pitching on Sunday, and never
pitched on the Sabbath.
Christy Mathewson was more than
an idol. He was an ideal.