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shirtmaker, a trade that would serve him well even after his baseball career began—legend has it that he continued to sew his own shirts for years. Education was also a priority, though it took second place to the demands of the work schedule. The boys attended classes in reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion, with the curriculum being basic but functional. George struggled academically, as he had at St. Mary's Parochial School. He was later diagnosed as "mentally defective" by a psychiatrist, though this was almost certainly a reflection of his struggles with traditional education rather than any actual intellectual impairment. In reality, George was a bright but restless boy who simply could not sit still long enough to focus on books. Religion permeated every aspect of life at St. Mary's. The Xaverian Brothers were a religious order, and they saw their work as a holy mission. Morning and evening prayers were mandatory. Mass was required on Sundays and holy days. The boys were taught the catechism and encouraged to confess their sins regularly. For some boys, this religious indoctrination took hold; for others, it was simply an obligation to be endured. George fell into the latter category. He participated in the religious rituals but never seemed to embrace the faith in a profound way. He would later have a complicated relationship with organized religion, respecting some priests and brothers while remaining suspicious of institutional authority. The Daily Grind and First Glimpses of Baseball The typical day at St. Mary's began at 5:30 AM with the ringing of a bell that echoed across the campus. The boys rose, washed in communal bathrooms, and dressed in their simple uniforms. Breakfast was a plain meal of bread and coffee, followed by morning prayers and then the first round of classes or work assignments. Lunch was similarly simple—soup or stew with more bread—and then the afternoon was devoted to work and recreation. Recreation time was precious. The boys were allowed to play in the school's expansive yards, and one of the most popular activities was baseball. The school had several crude diamonds where the boys could play pickup games, and these fields became the proving grounds for George's emerging talent. George had played baseball on the streets of Pigtown, but it was at St. Mary's that he began to develop the skills that would make him a star. The game was played constantly, and George was rarely without a ball and bat. He was a natural athlete, with exceptional hand-eye coordination and a powerful build that made him a formidable hitter. But initially, it was his throwing arm that garnered attention. As a young boy, George played catcher—an unusual position for someone who would eventually be known as a pitcher and home run hitter. The position's demands suited his personality: it required toughness, quick reactions, and a certain fearlessness. But more importantly, it gave him extensive experience with the mechanics of pitching, as he learned to receive and return throws from pitchers with power and accuracy. Despite his talent, George had not yet found his true position. The Xaverian Brothers who supervised the athletic activities gradually recognized his potential, and they began to experiment with using him as a pitcher. The results were immediate: George threw the ball with unprecedented velocity and movement, and he seemed to have a natural feel for the art of pitching. By the time he was ten or eleven, he was already one of the best players at the school. Brother Matthias: The Mentor Who Changed Everything The most important figure in George's twelve years at St. Mary's was