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Show RUSIE HAD CURVES, MATHEWSON SPEED Charles II. Zuber. in Sporting Life, tolls of champion pitchers: "Rusic had the greatest speed and curves; but Mathowson possesses tho greatest generalship.' That's how President Brush pi the New York club sizes up the greatest pitcher of a decade de-cade ago as compared with the present star of the rubber. Tt's rather a peculiar pe-culiar coincidence that the New York club should have secured the greatest, pjtchor "that is" for the greatest pitcher "that was," tho Cincinnati club getting tho lemon in exchange for tho peach. While waiting for the board of directors di-rectors of the National league to hand down the decision in the New York-Chicago York-Chicago disputed gamo case, President Brush was induced to give a short dis -courso on "Stars I nave Handled." He told of the finding of Rusic by tho Indianapolis club when he was but 17 years old. how he was knocked galley west and crooked on the occasion of his first appearance, sent back to tho farm for a few months, and then returned to last company as a conqueror of the first water. Tho Mathowson yarn included a recital of how tho Cincinnati club had drafted Matty from Norfolk after New York had turned him back, rather than pay $2000; how ho, as president ot the Reds, had traded Mathewson for Itusio even before he had signed tho luturo star to a contract, and how Mathewson turned out a wonder for tho Giants, whilo Rusic was a flat failure with tho Reds. "Of tho two mon," said Mr. Bmsh, "I bclicvo Rusic was tho greater mechanical pitcher. He had wonderful speed, unlimited endurance and as fine an assortment of curves as any pitchor over displayed. But when it comes down to intelligent pitchiug, Mathowson is by far tho greater man. 2s ot only docs Matty pretty elosoly approach ap-proach Rusic in speed and curves, but he has it all over tho oilier fellow in the matter of inside work. Mathewson ''js hccii -working in fast company sinco 1 HOland he was ucver better than ho is this year. Yes, I've had the two greatest pitchers in baseball in the last twenty years, and of tho two I would much rather havo Mathewson than Rusic." |