Philip Seib
The Player
Christy Mathewson, Baseball, and the American Century

"Conceit and overconfidence are the worst enemies a ballplayer has. Do not let them turn your head. Be humble and gentle and kind." —Christy Mathewson

A model pitcher, baseball legend Christy Mathewson was also a model American. In The Player: Christy Mathewson, Baseball, and the American Century, author Philip Seib rediscovers baseball's first superstar to show how Mathewson not only mirrored the hopes and ideals of his America, but how he influenced it. The Player follows Mathewson's rise from humble beginnings in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, to his debut as a pitcher for the New York Giants in 1900; from his role in the war effort as a captain in the army's Chemical Warfare Service to his role as a coach and an ambassador for the game he helped popularize. Along the way, Mathewson wrote a series of popular children's books and started an insurance company. He still ranks among all-time leaders in wins, earned run average, and shutouts, and was among the first group of five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Player is also a portrait of the times in which Mathewson lived — a ragtime New York populated by a diverse cast of characters including Arnold Rothstein, Teddy Roosevelt, Edith Wharton, and Scott Fitzgerald.

While Mathewson is remembered for his skill as a pitcher, he is most remembered for the integrity he brought to a game that before him was considered disreputable. Although he played the hero to Hal Chase's villain, Mathewson's optimism was not shattered by the Black Sox scandal, and his good-natured view has stood the test of time. The Player is a powerful and timely tribute to a heroic American who "showed that there was more to life than playing ball, and ... was admired for it."

Philip Seib teaches at Marquette University and is an award-winning journalist.