Christy Mathewson

Christy Mathewson (1880-1925), American professional baseball player, one of the greatest right-handed pitchers in baseball, born in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University. He began his career in 1900 with the Norfolk team of the Virginia League; in 1901 he became a member of the Giants, the New York National League team. Mathewson won 30 or more games for three consecutive seasons, 1903, 1904, and 1905, and he won 20 or more during the next nine seasons; in 1905 he pitched and won three World Series games from the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League by shutouts. He was noted for the number of his strikeouts; in 1903 he struck out 267 batters, one of the highest marks ever made by a pitcher in the National League. In 1908 Mathewson won 37 games. In 1916 he joined the Cincinnati Reds of the National League, as player and manager. In 1918, during World War I, he was gassed in France and later contracted tuberculosis. From 1923 to 1925 he was president of the Boston Braves of the National League.

In his 17-year career, Mathewson won 373 games and lost 188, for a winning percentage of .665. In 1936 Mathewson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.