Interesting quotes about vintage players

“I see,” writes a correspondent, “that some fan picks [Christy] Mathewson, [Ed] Walsh and [Rube] Waddell as the three greatest
[pitchers]. Matty was a marvel. But when you come to the greatest, it is a matter of choice between Radbourne and [Walter] Johnson. Radbourne, I think, was the greatest pitcher I ever saw.”

“Rad” is a peculiar fellow personally. He is called a crank by many,but at the same time these very ones admit he is a thorough good fellow. This statement, though apparently paradoxical, is quite true. With managers and umpires he is seldom able to get along. Possibly this is due to the fact that his own estimation of his value and importance is not always shared by them, for it must be admitted that Charles Radbourn sometimes is afflicted with what is known in common language as a swelled head. However, all this does not detract from his ability as a pitcher, for when he does ‘let himself out’ there is some excuse for his vanity.