Ken Formann, age 13, of Marquette, Mich., for his question:

WHY WAS CHRISTY MATHEWSON CONSIDERED GREAT?

Christy Mathewson was one of baseball's greatest right handed pitchers. He won an important place in the hearts of many baseball fans because there weren't many players like him.

Mathewson won 373 games in the National League. While playing for the New York Giants he won a total of 372 games and he also, won one for the Cincinnati Reds.

The great player became the first pitcher in the 1900s to win 30 games a season for three consecutive years.

Mathewson won 37 games in 1908 and he pitched three shutouts in the 1905 World Series against Philadelphia.

When the National Baseball Hall of Fame was established in 1936, Mathewson became one of the first five players elected. Along with manager Casey Stengel, these players were also placed in the Hall of Fame in 1936: pitcher and outfielder Babe Ruth, outfielder Ty Cobb, pitcher Walter Johnson and shortstop Honus Wagner.

The great baseball player was born in Factoryville, Penn., in 1880. His first name was Christopher, although everybody called him Christy. He died at the age of 45 in 1925.