Wid Matthews, baseball player, 1923-1925

Wid Matthews

Born: 10/20/1896 in Raleigh, IL, USA

Died: 10/5/1965 in Hollywood, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1923-04-18 | Final Game: 1925-06-07

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'8" | Weight: 155 lbs

Full name: Wid Curry Matthews

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Biography

Wid Matthews was a professional baseball player who graced the diamond during the early 1920s. Born in 1896, Matthews played primarily as a position player from April 18, 1923, until June 7, 1925. Over the course of his brief career, he participated in 192 games and recorded 188 hits, showcasing his ability to make consistent contact at the plate with a respectable batting average of .284. His offensive contributions included 39 runs batted in and one home run, highlighting his role as a reliable hitter during a time when the game was transitioning from the deadball era to a more power-oriented style. In addition to his batting prowess, Matthews was known for his speed on the bases, accumulating 19 stolen bases throughout his career. His ability to steal bases added an extra dimension to his game, reflecting the strategic importance of speed in baseball during the 1920s. Despite a career that spanned only a few seasons, Matthews left his mark on the game, and his performance in the early stages of professional baseball contributed to the evolving landscape of the sport in a period characterized by rapid changes and growing fan engagement.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
192 663 79 188 21 10 1 39 19 61 32 0.284 0.348 0.350 0.697 -632.9

Career AVG .284 vs. league average .285 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .348 vs. league average .347 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .350 vs. league average .396 across their career seasons — 11.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.697 vs. league average 0.742 across their career seasons — 6.0% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1923 PHA AL 129 485 52 133 11 6 1 25 16 50 27 0.274 .282 (-3%) .344 (avg) .390 (-16%) .734 (-9%) -732.0
1924 WSN AL 53 169 25 51 10 4 0 13 3 11 4 0.302 .283 (+6%) .345 (+3%) .389 (+5%) .734 (+4%) 99.2
1925 WSN AL 10 9 2 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.444 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 172 0 438 10 20 2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1923 PHA OF 127 0 316 3 18 0
1924 WS1 OF 44 0 121 7 2 2
1925 WS1 OF 1 0 1 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 3
Center Field 169