Reading this post reminded me of a story I was told some years back.
I was very close friends with one of Eddie Mathews teammates, pitcher Carlton Willey. I spent countless hours at his house just listening to stories about all the greats he played with and against. Those hours were some of the best of my life.
He told me the story of his first start, against the Giants. Eddie comes up to him before the game and tells him if he has to throw inside, go ahead and do it because "before anyone gets to you, they'll have to go through me."
Carlton said he never had a worry about brushing someone back.
