| Mathewson was a fierce competitor, with complete control of his blazing fastball, a huge breaking curve ball and a screwball; he was the first to develop this fade away pitch. Christy pitched over 16 years for the New York Giants, leading them to many pennants. Connie Mack called him, "the greatest pitcher who ever lived".
Mathewson is ranked in the top three of all-time pitching greats.
In 1903, he won 30 games and then won 30 or more for three years in a row, only four other pitchers have matched this historic feat.
Mathewson won 20 or more games for 12 consecutive years. In a stretch of five (5) years in a row his ERA was under 2.00 each season. Five years in a row Christy Mathewson led the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts.
Mathewson became a baseball hero in the 1905 world series pitching three (3) complete game shutouts as the Giants won the World Championship. Christy Mathewson holds the career record for the most wins by a pitcher in the National League's history. His record... 373-188 ; pct of .665, the sixth highest in all of baseball history. He has the 5th. lowest ERA in baseball history for a pitching career; a stunning 2.13.
Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson hurled 79 career shutouts; third highest total; also in baseball history.
Christy Mathewson's lungs were weakened by poison gas in World War I and he died of tuberculosis in 1925 at the age of 45. We honor this Great American Hero!
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