It is commonly accepted, it seems, that ballplayers today, whatever the sport, are in it solely for the money. Not like in the "good old days" when guys played for the love of the game. Well, maybe things haven't really changed so much.
I mentioned yesterday that I was reading a book called "The First Fall Classic" about the 1912 World Series when the Red Sox defeated the New York Giants of John McGraw in a best of seven Series that actually played out in eight games, due to 1-1 tie in the second game. Anyway, the final game was a masterpiece pitched by the great Christy Mathewson that was won by the Sox, 3-2, in ten innings. It truly was a classic game. I won't detail it here, but you might want to look it up.
Anyway, the author of the book describes the tension of the ball game, and the euphoria experienced in Boston, and the heartbreak experienced in New York after the game was finished. He also described the defeated Giants boarding the train in Boston after the game to head back to New York and immediately falling asleep after it became known that the players' share of the game receipts for the Series had been turned over to the Giants, and knowing that they would be paid their share. He then gives us this quote from Mathewson:
"We are professionals. The name of the game is to get paid, and paid a fair wage. Winning and losing is important. But money feeds our family."
The author then adds the following:
"Maybe the Christian Gentleman (Mathewson) would have fit in during the next century far better than he - or anyone else - could ever have imagined."
Think of that quote the next time some 2010 jock says "I didn't want to leave (insert team name here), but I have to think of my family."
At least Christy never said, "it's not about the money."
The book is "The First Fall Classic" by Mike Vaccaro. Worth reading.
In spite of what seems like snideness on the part of the author you quote, I don't see anything un-Christian in Mathewson's statement.
ReplyDeleteSeems fully consistent with the principles laid out by Pope Leo XIII in his Encycle, "Rerum Novarum".
One could argue the priority - win vs pay - but the principle is sound.
Note: There was no snideness intended in the author's comments. Matty was a well respected and highly revered player in his day, and "Christian Gentleman" was a comtemporary nickname for him. He was referred to by this name throughout the book, but I can see how putting one quote only in my posting could have caused the referral to be taken out of context, and construed as snideness on the part of Mr Vaccaro.
ReplyDelete