Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-20
WIN, LOSE OR
UKAW By FRANCIS srANN
The Best Is PoscuoI

TAMPA, FLA, MAR 2O-The stocky, moon-faced man
who walked the White Soxs free bar and grill the
third floor of the Tampa Terrace was in mood for talk
on old times Wild Curry Matthews who represents the
Cubs training Mesa Ariz had Just returned
from extended tour of Mexico Cuba Puerto Rico and
other Caribbean and South American countries.
Wild is personnel director fancy title that adds up
to scout for the Cubs He discovered two good pitchers
during his wanderings Matthews telling Host Al Lopez
Trouble is they belong to two other clubs, he added
regretfuly
Far and away the best right handed pitcher in the
Latin-American countries, Wild said Camlo Pascua
of Washington The top ouhpaw Juan Pzzaro who is
the property Of the Milwaukee Braves Eventually Pzzaro
ought to make it big Matthews told Lopez AS for Pas
cual he's the full pitcher"
who has watched Camilo get his pinned back
asked Then why doesn't he VIM"
THAT is question cannot answer" Wild replied @A
know is that he's got the stun He's the best Highlander
all winter and looked at pretty fair dealers
in those Latin leagues"
wID MATTHEWS is BETTER known to time Wash
fngton fans, perhaps Sparky He the little center
fielder who for third of the 1924 picked up the
Senators they drove to their first pennan later
their only world championship.
Matthews out of Raleigh, III, and played only
three in the big leagues although he colorfu
performer and pesky hitter. Wild had style of floating
under fly ball and catching it bread basket fashion his
hands cupped at his belly Willie Mays of all present-day
outederS closest to initiating Matthews technique
which patterned after Rabbit Maranville's style
handling pop flies during Shortstoppng days.
Wild played the 1923 season for the Philadelphia Ath-
etics and batted 274 II there major weakness
the "a Senators 1t in center Otherwise with
Gosn in left and Sam Rice in right Washington was
fixed in the outed Clark Griffith acquired Matthews and
for period the little centerheder terrific.
Wild still hitting 1902 when he was let out but he
bears malice toward the late Mr.. Griffith
1T WASN'T so MUCH my batting average or my
fading" Wild recalled. the that was the third
efthandedhittin outhelder the club wound up
hitting 1874 and Goslin 344, which left the low man
the totem pole" Little Memo Leibold who played "a
games in the outheld that year was lehanded hitter
In July, seeming pennant, Griffith directed his scout
Joe Enge to- find righthanded cenerelder Engel found
twoBly Ztzmann of Newark McNeely of Sacra-
mento Grif himself entraned to check Zizmann and
returned disenchantd How about this McNeey asked
Engel
They're asking ss5 OOO Joe said I'D rather YOU went
to look at him, too"
by the time go to the Coast and back, even bringing
McNeely we'll lose two weeks I'll make the deal by tele
phone" Grif replied
Then he called me into his office Matthew's said
Wild he said every club in the American League is
thinking we win the pennant. Every club is saving
every efthanded pitcher the roster to throw at us
GoSin Judge and you I'm sorry, but you've got to CO.
Next year . >"
SO AS PART Of the McNeely transaction Matthews
went to Sacramento in "a 0OO plus three unframed
PLAYERS and the loan of Matthews the Senators acquired
McNeeiy and went on to win the pennant
When the players voted World Series shares however
they overlooked Wild completely. Il thought l the
forgotten man" he said Then, during the winter Mr.
Griffith handed 900 The boys made mistake, he
said Maybe this will make IL right
There still something missing" Wild said II still
had the feeling that hadn't belonged Then in the spring
OF 1925, when back with Washington I was called
aside by Eddie Eynon. He gave me this"
wa drew out money clip. solid gold with diamond
set into 1.-THE baube for the 1924 world champs
washington brought Wild Matthews back in 1925 having
paid of the debt for McNeey Wild was hitting 444 after
10 games when he released End of big league career
as player