Before you laugh, at one point a trade bringing “Big Six” to Washington was discussed but dismissed
because the player to be traded for Christy Mathewson was more valuable. Oh, what might have been?
In March 1903 Mathewson had stopped off in Washington for a few days with his new bride before heading for Spring Training. He was asked to address rumors that had him being traded to Washington for Ed Delehanty.
“I too have heard this deal persistently rumored, but I hardly place any credence in it. You see Ban Johnson is too shrewd to give the New York so strong a drawing card as “Del,” to feature against his own aggregation, especially at the very outset of his New York venture. I like Washington, and would like to live here, I am sure Delehanty is anxious to go to New York, and it is immaterial to me whether I play in New York or here.”
At the time a joint league peace conference in February had voided Delehanty’s deal with the New York Giants. Delehanty had taken his advance money from the Giants and lost it playing the ponies in New Orleans. The Giants were willing to advance him even more money, something Washington would not.
At the time “Big Ed” was 35 years old and had batted .376 for Washington in 1902 and one was of the best hitters in the game. Mathewson was 14-17 2.12 ERA in 1902 and 20-17 2.41 ERA in 1901, and was just 22 years old. But Ban Johnson had just put a franchise into New York and was unwilling to give up a huge star like Delehanty.
Delehnaty would die on 2 July 1903. Mathewson would go on to win 30 games.
