By Elaine Winjen
With warm weather comes baseball, the "national pastime." One of the famous "First Five" inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame had ties to Union County.
Anyone driving down Route 15 can see the stadium at Bucknell University where Bison fans cheer on their teams. The stadium is named in honor of Christopher Mathewson -- "Matty" to the baseball world and "Christy" to his family and friends.
Christopher Mathewson was born in Factoryville, Pa., on Aug. 12, 1880. His love of baseball began as a child when he played for town teams, prevalent at the time.
In 1898, Mathewson entered Bucknell University where he played baseball, basketball and was an outstanding football player (noted for his drop-kick). Besides being a superior athlete, he was an honor student, class president and member of the Glee Club, Band and Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. At Bucknell he met Jane Stoughton, of Lewisburg, who he married in 1903.
In 1901, Mathewson agreed to play for the N.Y. Giants and consequently never returned to Bucknell to complete his senior year. In 12 seasons with the Giants, Mathewson won 20 or more games per season and pitched three shutout games against the Philadelphia Athletics to win the 1905 World Series. He was noted for his "fadeaway" pitch -- a slow in-curve to a right-handed batter.
Mathewson's career was interrupted by service in World War I as a captain in the Army Chemical Warfare Division in France, where he was exposed to poisonous gas. He returned to the Giants in 1919 as assistant manager and pitching coach but was diagnosed with TB in 1920. After two years recuperating, he served as president of the Boston Braves.
Christy Mathewson died Oct. 7 1925 at age 45. At his request, a simple funeral was held at the Lewisburg home of his wife's parents. He, his wife Jane (died 1967) and their son Christopher (died 1950) are buried in the Lewisburg Cemetery.
Mathewson was inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 along with Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson and Honus Wagner. He was the only one of the five who didn't live to see his induction.
n Elaine Wintjen is on staff at the Union County Historical Society. The Society office/library, in the county courthouse at 103 S. 2nd St., Lewisburg, is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-4:30 p.m. For information on membership, events and reference material call 524-8666 or e-mail hstoricl@ptd.net or visit www.unioncountyhistoricalsociety.org.
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