Mathewson, Christy

Christy Mathewson, in full Christopher Mathewson, also called Matty and Big Six, (born August 12, 1880, Factoryville, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died October 7, 1925, Saranac Lake, New York), American professional baseball player, regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game.

Mathewson was one of the first “college men” to enter the major leagues, having played football and baseball at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. After pitching for teams in various independent leagues during the summers following his freshman and sophomore years, his contract was purchased by the New York Giants of the National League (NL), and Mathewson made his major league debut at age 19 in July 1900. He appeared in only six games during his first season, but he entered the Giants’ starting pitching rotation in 1901, when he placed sixth in the NL in both earned run average (ERA) and wins.

Mathewson won more than 20 games in each of 13 seasons (12 consecutive, 1903–14) and 30 or more on four occasions. His landmark season came in 1905, when he won his first pitching Triple Crown by leading the NL in wins (31), ERA (1.28), and strikeouts (206). But Mathewson was even more impressive in the 1905 World Series, in which he pitched three complete-game shutouts, striking out 18 total batters while allowing just one base on balls as the Giants defeated the Philadelphia Athletics in a five-game series. In 1908 he recorded 37 victories (11 of them shutouts), had a 1.43 ERA, and struck out 259 batters to win his second Triple Crown. He also led the league in ERA in 1909, 1911, and 1913, but his skills had eroded by 1916. Realizing that his playing days were numbered, Mathewson requested a trade to the Cincinnati Reds. Although he only pitched one game for the Reds before retiring as a player in 1916, Mathewson served as the team’s manager until 1918.

He won 373 regular-season games in his career—tying Grover Cleveland Alexander for the third highest total in major league history—while losing only 188. A right-handed thrower and batter, Mathewson was a master of the fadeaway pitch, later called the screwball. Testifying to the pitcher’s exceptional control, a Giants’ catcher said he could “catch Matty in a rocking chair.” Mathewson was an intelligent, proud, reticent man with great powers of concentration. From 1923 until his death he was president of the Boston Braves in the National League. Mathewson was one of the first five players chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.