FACTORYVILLE

Christy Mathewson Day

Christy Mathewson Day

Christy Mathewson was born in Factoryville on August 12, 1880. He attended Keystone Academy where he played both football and baseball. Starting at 14 years old, he began playing semi-professional baseball. He pitched for the New York Giants for 17 seasons and is considered one of the top ten pitchers of all time with leading stats in several areas. He was one of the first five original inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.  In honor of this baseball hero born and raised in Factoryville, Pennsylvania the Borough holds festivities every year. Although we were unable to hold Christy Mathewson Day in 2023, we are hoping to make it bigger and better in 2024. In the works:

  • A traditional parade complete with floats and classic cars!
  • The Boy Scouts BBQ chicken dinner and Little League hot dogs!
  • A car show!
  • Silent Auction for sports memorabilia
  • Baseball tournaments featuring Keystone College, Little League, and “Old Timers”
  • Local vendors
  • The potential of the 6K race
  • Pie eating contests, bake sales, music, and more.

SAVE THE DATE FOR AUGUST 23rd and 24th!!! If you would like to get involved, contact Lou Jasikoff at 570-677-2607


Basket raffle sponsored by FWCL. (Photo by Bre Reynolds photography)




One mile fun run participants, 2011. (photo by Bre Reynolds photography)


Free breakfast offered for the run/walk and parade participants, courtesy of
Keystone College


Eddie Frierson as “Christy”, College Avenue, Factoryville

Some Information About Factoryville’s Christy

Birth name: Christopher Mathewson
Nicknames: Big Six, Matty

Birth date: August 12, 1880
Birth place: Factoryville, Pennsylvania
Death date: October 7, 1925
Death place: Saranac Lake, New York

Height: 6’1 1/2″
Weight: 195 lbs.

Position: Pitcher
Threw: Right
Athletic teams: New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds

Did you know?

    He was the most dominant pitcher during the first two decades of the 1900’s.
    His 373 career wins is third on the all-time list.
    He had a career winning percentage of .665 which is sixth best of all time.
    His career ERA was 2.13, which is fifth best of all time.
    During his 17 year career, he led the league in ERA five times.
    He pitched a record three shutouts in six days against the Philadelphia Athletics, leading the Giants to win in the 1905 World Series.
    From 1907 to 1911, his ERA was under a 2.00.
    In 15 full seasons of pitching, his ERA was above 3.00 only once.
    He led the league in wins four times, in strikeouts five times, and in shutouts four times.
    He won 20 games 13 times and 30 games 4 times.
    He won at least 20 games for 12 consecutive years (1903-1914).
    He is third on the all-time list for shutouts with 80.
    His best season was in 1908 when he led the league in wins (37), ERAs (1.43), games pitched (56), games started (44), complete games (34), innings pitched (390.2), strikeouts (259), and shutouts (12).
    Christy Mathewson had the most wins in Giant franchise history – 372 with 83 shutouts and over 2500 strikeouts.
    A man of high moral convictions and a great right arm, Mathewson was a posthumous member of the original Baseball Hall of Fame class of 1936.

Biography

Christy Mathewson was a college man, with a range of interests, who mowed down opposing hitters in his spare time. While at Bucknell University, Mathewson sang in the glee club, belonged to a literary society, played football and served as a model of clean living. On top of these achievements, Mathewson also wrote a series of children’s books. In a time when baseball was known for hard-living, hard-drinking baseball players, there was Christy Mathewson to prove that there was another way for athletes to live. He was the role model after whom every parent wanted their children to shape their lives.

On the mound, Mathewson was a fierce competitor who became arguably the most dominating pitcher of all time. During his illustrious 17-year career, he led the league in wins four times, won five strikeout titles, won 30 or more games four times, pitched four shutouts and ten complete games in World Series competition, and won 373 games in his career.

In 1936, he joined Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson as the first class of baseball Hall of Famers.

Information obtained from: http://www.christymathewson.com/cmcare.html

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