Ralph Mattis
Encyclopedia
Ralph Mattis known also as Matty Mattis, was a professional baseball
outfielder
whose career spanned seven seasons, one of which was spent in Major League Baseball
(MLB) with the Pittsburgh Rebels
(1914). In his only season in the majors, Mattis batted
.247 with 14 runs scored, 21 hits
, four doubles
, one triple
, and eight runs batted in (RBIs) in 36 games played
. The majority of his career was played in the minor leagues
. He played with the Richmond Colts
(1911), Newport News Shipbuilders (1912), Roanoke Tigers (1913), Parksley Spuds (1923–24), and Crisfield Crabbers (1925) over his career in the minors. Combined between those teams, Mattis batted .303 with 698 hits in 610 games played. During his career, he stood at 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and weighed 172 pounds (78 kg). He batted and threw right-handed. Mattis served as a manager
for one season with the Parksley Spuds (1923).
to Benjamin and Anna Mattis of Pennsylvania
and Delaware
, respectively. The two had four other children, Frank, Ross, Reed, and Weston. Benjamin Mattis worked as a butcher
. In 1909, Ralph Mattis joined the Roxborough semi-professional
baseball team, which were members of the Northern Pennsylvania League.
Richmond Colts
of the Class-C Virginia League
. With the Colts, Mattis played left field. On May 9, he hit two home run
s in the same inning
in a game against the Roanoke Tigers. In August, Richmond sold Mattis to the Washington Senators
. According to The Indianapolis Star
, Washington was just one of many Major League Baseball
(MLB) teams that was interested in Mattis. On the season with the Colts, he batted
.306 with 140 hits
in 124 games played
. He finished sixth in the league in hits that year.
Mattis was invited to spring training
with the Washington Senators in 1912. Early in spring training, Mattis suffered an injury which caused him miss playing time. The manager
of the Georgetown University
baseball team allowed Mattis to practice with his team while he was recovering from his injury. Before the start of the regular season, Mattis was sent to the Class-C Virginia League by the Senators. He was assigned to the Newport News Shipbuilder, where he batted .249 with 107 hits, 18 doubles
, four triples
, and one home run in 118 games played. At the end of the season, The Sheboygan Press
called Mattis "the best outfielder in the Virginia League". In 1913, Mattis joined the Class-C Roanoke Tigers of the Virgina League. During mid-season, he was described as one of the best outfielders in the Virginia League by The Washington Post
. He batted .300 with 157 hits, 21 doubles, eight triples, and three home runs in 140 games played. Defensively, he played all of his games in the outfield
, committing nine errors
in 332 total chances
. Mattis led the league in hits that season.
of the newly-formed Federal League
. He attended spring training with the Rebels that season in Lynchburg, Virginia
. The Pittsburgh Press described Mattis as having "shoulders like an ox
" and that it is likely he would be a star player for Pittsburgh. The Sporting Life (magazine)Sporting Life predicted that he would develop into one of the best outfielder is the Federal League. He made his MLB debut on April 22, against the Brooklyn Tip-Tops
. In his first career MLB plate appearance
during that game, he drew a walk
. His first hit came that day, as he got a single
, double, and triple in three at-bats. After two months, Mattis was second in the Federal League in batting average with a .406 clip. In June, Mattis received a temporary starting job after the Rebels every-day outfielder Davy Jones
suffered an injury. On July 28, Pittsburgh manager
Rebel Oakes
allowed Mattis to join a semi-professional baseball team in St. Marys, Pennsylvania
. He returned to the Rebels that season on September 11. On the season with Pittsburgh, he batted .247 with 14 runs scored, 21 hits, four doubles, one triple, eight runs batted in (RBIs), and two stolen base
s in 36 games played. Defensively, Mattis made three errors in 43 total chances in the outfield.
, Cy Rheam
, Jimmie Savage
, and Frank Delahanty
for a stating job in the Rebels. The Rebels assigned Mattis to the minor league New Haven White Wings of the Colonial League
. However, Mattis retired and never made an appearance with the White Wings in 1915. By 1920, Mattis working as a truck driver
, and was living in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania with his wife, Clare E., and their daughter Edna.
in the ninth inning, which The Baltimore Sun
called "unsatisfactory". He finished the season with a .369 batting average, which was third in the league. Mattis also compiled 94 hits, 13 doubles, one triples, and 19 home runs in 65 games played. He finished second amongst league batters in hits, and home runs; third in slugging percentage (.651), and total bases
(166); and tied for seventh in doubles. Defensively, Mattis played 64 games in the outfield, committing three errors in 133 total chances.
Before the start of the 1924 season, Mattis resigned as the manager for the Parksley Spuds, stating that he wanted to devote all of his time to playing. On June 24, in a game against the Cambridge Canners, Mattis hit a home run during the bottom of the 12 inning to give the Spuds the 2–to–1 victory. On the season, Mattis batted .322 with 91 hits, eight doubles, two triples, and 14 home runs in 73 games played. He finished fifth in the league in batting average, and home runs; and sixth in hits. During all of his games, he appeared as an outfielder. He primarily played center field that season.
Mattis signed with the Class-D Crisfield Crabbers of the Eastern Shore League in 1925. In 90 games played, Mattis batted .311 with 109 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, and 23 home runs. Defensively, he played all of his 90 games in the outfield. He committed four errors in 162 total chances. Mattis finished the season third in the league in home runs, and total bases (194); and fifth in hits, and slugging percentage (.554). That season would later prove to be his final in professional baseball.
. He was burred at Valley Forge Gardens in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
whose career spanned seven seasons, one of which was spent in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) with the Pittsburgh Rebels
Pittsburgh Rebels
The Pittsburgh Rebels were a professional baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team was a member of the short-lived Federal League, which was a minor league in 1913 but a full-fledged outlaw major league the next two years...
(1914). In his only season in the majors, Mattis batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.247 with 14 runs scored, 21 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, four doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, one triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and eight runs batted in (RBIs) in 36 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. The majority of his career was played in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. He played with the Richmond Colts
Richmond Colts
The Richmond Colts were a minor league baseball team based in Richmond, Virginia that existed on-and-off from 1894 to 1953. They played in the Virginia League in 1894, and in another Virginia League in 1900, and another Virginia League from 1906–1914 and from 1918-1928...
(1911), Newport News Shipbuilders (1912), Roanoke Tigers (1913), Parksley Spuds (1923–24), and Crisfield Crabbers (1925) over his career in the minors. Combined between those teams, Mattis batted .303 with 698 hits in 610 games played. During his career, he stood at 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and weighed 172 pounds (78 kg). He batted and threw right-handed. Mattis served as a manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
for one season with the Parksley Spuds (1923).
Early life
Mattis was born on August 24, 1890 in Roxborough, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaRoxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Roxborough is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is bordered to the southwest, along the Schuylkill River, by the neighborhood of Manayunk, along the northeast by the Wissahickon Creek section of Fairmount Park, and to...
to Benjamin and Anna Mattis of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, respectively. The two had four other children, Frank, Ross, Reed, and Weston. Benjamin Mattis worked as a butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
. In 1909, Ralph Mattis joined the Roxborough semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
baseball team, which were members of the Northern Pennsylvania League.
Early professional baseball career
In 1911, Mattis signed with the minor leagueMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Richmond Colts
Richmond Colts
The Richmond Colts were a minor league baseball team based in Richmond, Virginia that existed on-and-off from 1894 to 1953. They played in the Virginia League in 1894, and in another Virginia League in 1900, and another Virginia League from 1906–1914 and from 1918-1928...
of the Class-C Virginia League
Virginia League
The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928....
. With the Colts, Mattis played left field. On May 9, he hit two home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in the same inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
in a game against the Roanoke Tigers. In August, Richmond sold Mattis to the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. According to The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis Star is a morning daily newspaper that began publishing on June 6, 1903. It has won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting twice, in 1975 and 1991. It is currently owned by the Gannett Company.-History:...
, Washington was just one of many Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) teams that was interested in Mattis. On the season with the Colts, he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.306 with 140 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 124 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. He finished sixth in the league in hits that year.
Mattis was invited to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Washington Senators in 1912. Early in spring training, Mattis suffered an injury which caused him miss playing time. The manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
baseball team allowed Mattis to practice with his team while he was recovering from his injury. Before the start of the regular season, Mattis was sent to the Class-C Virginia League by the Senators. He was assigned to the Newport News Shipbuilder, where he batted .249 with 107 hits, 18 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, four triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and one home run in 118 games played. At the end of the season, The Sheboygan Press
The Sheboygan Press
The Sheboygan Press is a daily newspaper based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It is part of the Gannett Company chain of newspapers.The Sheboygan Press is primarily distributed in Sheboygan County...
called Mattis "the best outfielder in the Virginia League". In 1913, Mattis joined the Class-C Roanoke Tigers of the Virgina League. During mid-season, he was described as one of the best outfielders in the Virginia League by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. He batted .300 with 157 hits, 21 doubles, eight triples, and three home runs in 140 games played. Defensively, he played all of his games in the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
, committing nine errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 332 total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
. Mattis led the league in hits that season.
Major League Baseball debut
On February 25, 1914, Mattis signed with the major league Pittsburgh RebelsPittsburgh Rebels
The Pittsburgh Rebels were a professional baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team was a member of the short-lived Federal League, which was a minor league in 1913 but a full-fledged outlaw major league the next two years...
of the newly-formed Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
. He attended spring training with the Rebels that season in Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
. The Pittsburgh Press described Mattis as having "shoulders like an ox
Ox
An ox , also known as a bullock in Australia, New Zealand and India, is a bovine trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration makes the animals more tractable...
" and that it is likely he would be a star player for Pittsburgh. The Sporting Life (magazine)Sporting Life predicted that he would develop into one of the best outfielder is the Federal League. He made his MLB debut on April 22, against the Brooklyn Tip-Tops
Brooklyn Tip-Tops
The Brooklyn Tip-Tops were a team in the short-lived Federal League of professional baseball from 1914 to 1915. The team was named by owner Robert Ward, who owned the Tip Top Bakery. They were sometimes informally called the Brooklyn Feds or BrookFeds due to being the Brooklyn team of the Federal...
. In his first career MLB plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
during that game, he drew a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. His first hit came that day, as he got a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, double, and triple in three at-bats. After two months, Mattis was second in the Federal League in batting average with a .406 clip. In June, Mattis received a temporary starting job after the Rebels every-day outfielder Davy Jones
Davy Jones (baseball)
David Jefferson "Davy" Jones , nicknamed "Kangaroo", was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played fifteen seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and Pittsburgh Rebels...
suffered an injury. On July 28, Pittsburgh manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Rebel Oakes
Rebel Oakes
Ennis Telfair "Rebel" Oakes was an American Major League Baseball player born in Lisbon, Louisiana. After attending Louisiana Industrial Institute, which is now Louisiana Tech University, Rebel turned his attention to playing professional baseball, eventually reaching the Majors when he was traded...
allowed Mattis to join a semi-professional baseball team in St. Marys, Pennsylvania
St. Marys, Pennsylvania
St. Marys is a city in Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,502 at the 2000 census. Originally a small, Bavarian Catholic town, St. Marys was founded December 8, 1842. It is home to Straub Brewery and the first Benedictine convent in the United States. In 1992, the...
. He returned to the Rebels that season on September 11. On the season with Pittsburgh, he batted .247 with 14 runs scored, 21 hits, four doubles, one triple, eight runs batted in (RBIs), and two stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 36 games played. Defensively, Mattis made three errors in 43 total chances in the outfield.
First retirement
Mattis reported to spring training with the Pittsburgh Rebels in 1915. He was competing against Jim Kelly, Mike MenoskyMike Menosky
Michael William Menosky was a professional American baseball outfielder for the Federal League and Major League Baseball. Born in Glen Campbell, Pennsylvania, he was known as "Leaping Mike" for his daring, fence-crashing catches...
, Cy Rheam
Cy Rheam
Cy Rheam was a professional baseball player from 1914-1915. He went to Indiana and Pennsylvania universities. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He played for the Pittsburgh Rebels.-References:...
, Jimmie Savage
Jimmie Savage (baseball)
James Harold Savage was a Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of three seasons in the majors, between and . He played two games in 1912 for the Philadelphia Phillies, then spent playing regularly for the Pittsburgh Rebels in the Federal League...
, and Frank Delahanty
Frank Delahanty
Frank George Delahanty , was a professional baseball player who played outfielder in the Major Leagues from -. He would play for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Buffalo Buffeds, and Pittsburgh Rebels...
for a stating job in the Rebels. The Rebels assigned Mattis to the minor league New Haven White Wings of the Colonial League
Colonial League (baseball)
The Colonial League was a mid-level American minor baseball league that existed from 1947 through mid-July 1950. It was graded Class B, four levels below the Major Leagues, and featured teams in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey....
. However, Mattis retired and never made an appearance with the White Wings in 1915. By 1920, Mattis working as a truck driver
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
, and was living in Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania with his wife, Clare E., and their daughter Edna.
Return to baseball
In 1923, after a nine year absence, Mattis made his return to professional baseball. He signed with the Class-D Parksley Spuds of the Eastern Shore League. He served as the Spuds' player-manager. During his debut with Parksley on May 27, Mattis forced his team to forfeitForfeit
- In sport :* Forfeit * Forfeit , defeat in a chess game by a player being absent or out of time* Declaration and forfeiture, in cricket, two possible ends of an innings- In law :...
in the ninth inning, which The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
called "unsatisfactory". He finished the season with a .369 batting average, which was third in the league. Mattis also compiled 94 hits, 13 doubles, one triples, and 19 home runs in 65 games played. He finished second amongst league batters in hits, and home runs; third in slugging percentage (.651), and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(166); and tied for seventh in doubles. Defensively, Mattis played 64 games in the outfield, committing three errors in 133 total chances.
Before the start of the 1924 season, Mattis resigned as the manager for the Parksley Spuds, stating that he wanted to devote all of his time to playing. On June 24, in a game against the Cambridge Canners, Mattis hit a home run during the bottom of the 12 inning to give the Spuds the 2–to–1 victory. On the season, Mattis batted .322 with 91 hits, eight doubles, two triples, and 14 home runs in 73 games played. He finished fifth in the league in batting average, and home runs; and sixth in hits. During all of his games, he appeared as an outfielder. He primarily played center field that season.
Mattis signed with the Class-D Crisfield Crabbers of the Eastern Shore League in 1925. In 90 games played, Mattis batted .311 with 109 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, and 23 home runs. Defensively, he played all of his 90 games in the outfield. He committed four errors in 162 total chances. Mattis finished the season third in the league in home runs, and total bases (194); and fifth in hits, and slugging percentage (.554). That season would later prove to be his final in professional baseball.
Later life
In 1942, Mattis was living in Radnor Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania and working for the Philadelphia Electric Company. On September 13, 1960, Mattis died in Williamsport, PennsylvaniaWilliamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
. He was burred at Valley Forge Gardens in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
King of Prussia is a census-designated place in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,936. The community took its name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after...
.