“Big Six”, so-called for his six-foot stature, broke in with the New York Giants of the National League in 1901 and promptly became one of the game’s most dominating pitchers. In the 1905 World Series, he pitched three of the five games and won all three by shutout.
Mathewson’s career ended when he entered military service in 1917, upon the United States’ entry into the first World War. His wartime service incapacitated him, but he came home not only a war hero, but a baseball figure respected for his candor as well as his ability. In commentaries he wrote for a newspaper syndicate during the 1919 World Series, he observed that all was not on the level. The next year, it was revealed that several of the White Sox had conspired to throw the Series to the Cincinnati Reds, who won 5 games to 3.
Mathewson died of his service-related illness at age 45, long before he could be honored with induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame.