Charles Matthews

Charles Frederick Matthews
(Modice)

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown

• Debut September 25, 1891
• Final Game September 25, 1891
• Born March 11, 1863 in Camden, NJ USA
• Died December 26, 1926 in Camden, NJ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Charles Matthews played one game for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association in 1891; he singled and was hit by pitch twice in 5 at-bats, giving a career on-base percentage of .600. Not much was known about him for the longest time, especially as most records had him down as Bob Matthews, in apparent hommage to pitcher Bobby Mathews who had starred for the Athletics a few years earlier.

He was called the "Pride of Camden", thanks to a long a successful career with amateur teams in Camden, NJ, especially one called simply the "Camden Club" on which he played from 1890 to 1896. He received offers from various minor league clubs and in fact spent part of the 1892 season with the Peoria Distillers of the Illinois-Iowa League, but left mid-year when it failed to meet payroll. He played in the Pennsylvania State League in 1894 and 1895, with the Easton Dutchmen and Pottsville Colts and had a contract with the Atlanta Crackers in the Southern League in 1895, but that fell through. It seems that 1896 was his last active season. In 1891, he was plucked from the Camden line-up to join the Athletics for his one game on September 25th.

He was born Charles Frederick Matthews in 1863, although his last name is spelled both Mathews and Matthews in various records. His parents were both from Germany. He lived in entire life in Camden, except for a brief stay in Gloucester, NJ after marrying a woman from that town in 1897. He returned to his hometown after the marriage ended in divorce and remarried with a local woman named Mary. He is listed in various city directories with the occupation of "oil cloth printer", a trade linked to the local chemical industry, the last time in 1927. Mary is listed as a widow the following year. He was listed in newspaper stories with the nickname "Modice", which as apparently a corruption of "Mudash". In 1912, newspapers reported he was injured in an industrial accident as a carboy of acid burst open as he was moving it; the story references his past fame as a baseball player.

Further Reading

• "Charles Matthews Found", in Bill Carle, ed.: "Biographical Research Committee Report", SABR, July/August 2018, pp. 1-2.