Who was the better pitcher?

[ChrisStufflestreet]

Since I was born in 1972, both men had passed away long before I was around.

However, I'd like to point out one similarity between the two: both went to France for WW1 and brought home issues that would plague them for the rest of their lives.

Captain Mathewson was a trainer with the Army Chemical Warfare Service. During a readiness drill in Chaumont with 80 soldiers, a poor warning was given before mustard gas was dropped into the chamber and several men died. Both instructors (Mathewson and Ty Cobb) survived, but the event made them both ill for a few days. Cobb had some discharge from his lungs for a few days but Mathewson took loner to get over it. Then, before leaving France, Mathewson caught the flu during a pandemic where influenza killed more Americans than the War's fighting did. Mathewson's health was never the same, and he died young from tuberculosis.

As for Sgt. Alexander, he was assigned to the artillery. While working around the big guns and the constant noise and having some near hits from German return fire, Alexander suffered hearing loss and was soon diagnosed with epilepsy. The shell shock from his time in the trenches likely led "Alex" to hit the bottle more heavily once he returned Stateside. Today, the general populace understands that wartime service often results in post-traumatic stress issues but in the 1920s, the guys who'd served in the Great War were expected to get over their demons quietly; his drinking was seen as a sign of weakness in an era where booze was illegal.

On the field, I'd give the edge to Matty; however, there is a big difference between the two pitchers. One had finished his career before the War and the other returned to continue afterward. Alexander had put up some gaudy numbers just before the War...it's not known if he'd have had a better record if he returned without the problems he brought back from France. Similarly, what would Matty's record look like had WW1 broken out 8-9 years into his career?

[drc]

Mathewson is almost always ranked higher in the various polls and lists.

[tbob]

Walter Johnson

[Matt]

These kind of questions usually need refinement; not that I have an answer either way, but as Chris brought out so nicely, are you asking who had a better career, or in his prime, who was the better pitcher?

[T2069bk]

only because he was a Cub!!!!

[tbob]

Both were great pitchers, but sadly Matty is remembered as losing the two crucial games in his life, the "makeup game" against the Cubs which decided the pennant on the last day in 1908 and the infamous "Snodgrass' Muff game" which decided a World Series. Pete is most remembered for striking out Tony Lazerri of the Yanks with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning and winning a World Series. Old Pete was hung over from a drinking bout the night before, celebrating after winning Game 6 with a stellar performance and never gave a thought to pitching the next day. One Yankee fan of the day said it best when he said he still remembered that dusty, drunk old man slowly wandering in from the bullpen still wearing his jacket and snatching away victory from the jaws of defeat, pitching on nothing but guts and guile to face one batter and achieve glory.

[GrayGhost]

Hmmm, I don't think there were two outs in the ninth, from what I recall reading in Glory of their times. Didnt Babe Ruth get caught stealing to end that game and the series? I thought that Lazzeri was the 7th. If Im incorrect, I stand corrected.

[Bamacollection]

Based on Jacksons' research, Matty is the Man.

[fkw]

W.Johnson #1 easily

#2 is Alexander IMO...... mainly because he played for less talented teams overall and had less time in the dead ball era (pitchers era)