Bookshelf review: Pitching in a Pinch

July 11, 2011

By Christy Mathewson, 1912

A “pinch” is a tight spot, when one is expected to suck it up and give it that extra 10 percent; Mathewson had to do that a time or two in an era when starting pitchers were expected to go the distance. Hard to believe that Mathewson, one of the original group of Hall of Fame inductees in 1936, every felt the “pinch.”

But the star’s modesty comes through in the modest volume, originally published in 1912, with the “considerable assistance of a newspaper syndicate operator named John Wheeler,” according to a 1977 article in Sports Illustrated announcing the book’s re-issue. It has been reprinted several times over the years.

Perhaps the earliest player-written work (at least in baseball), Pitching in a Pinch depicts the rigors of life in the big leagues as seen through the eyes of one of its all-time greats. Here’s a review from The New York Times following the book’s initial publication.

Everything old is new again, as Mathewson writes about the complexities of pitching; working under the leadership of the legendary tough guy manager, John McGraw; dealing with umpires; spring training; and methods of stealing signs, both acceptable and un-.

Of particular note is his chapter graciously exonerating teammate Fred Merkle for his “bonehead” play against the Chicago Cubs in 1908, which ended up costing the Giants the pennant that year.

In a world (to borrow from that movie trailer fellow) where it’s all about the “me” in current “me”moirs, it’s charming to spend a few hours with Mathewson’s old stories.

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