Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-08
COMMENT ON THE GAME.

the occupants of the bleacher seats made a
dash for the young twirler and wanted to
carry him to the big auto waiting In the
rear of the grand stand. Manager Cartii-
Ion called this off. as he was afraid John
son would be hurt. and then everybody
wanted to pat the western lad on the back.
with the result that the ether players had
to break in and him from his friends.
1t is seldom a player gets this sort of a
reception in Washington but then we have
seen few men like Johnson. II ever.
Just how exceptionally clever was John
sons pitching can be boiled down TO the
hard fact that he struck Elmer Flick out
on two different occasions. Elmer Is CON-
sidered one of the hardest hitters to fool
in the business. and while he slammed a
single into left on the first ball pitched In
the initial inning. that ended his work for
the day in the batting line. Lajoie. an
other mighty hitter, also hit safely in the
first. and then he, too. quit for the day.
Walter is a ''leetle" bit slow in fielding and
on the bases. but he has the goods to
deliver in the pitching line. and his faults
can be easily overlooked. as he does his
best. From present indications, the Wash
ington team can just about beat any other
club in the business with Johnson in the
box and given proper support. This means
great deal to the always hoping and
faithful fans"
The ball that bothered the Maps most
yesterday from Johnson's delivery was a
fast high inshoot that broke Just In front
OF the plate. He had all the Cleveland
batsmen guessing on this ball. If 1t failed
to break 1t cut the plate at about the height
of the batsman's breast letters When they
swung at 1t. however. it seemed to lift over
the handle. OF the bat. This ball. breaking
properly. is practically impossible to hit
sQuarelys and 1t will fool the ceverest stick
artist in the business. Johnso1's speed is,
of course. great factor in all Of his work.
his curves taking their swing viclousiy just
before reaching the batting area Lajoie
would have been struck out at least once
by this high inshoot had the ball not
broken a shade too soon. He was prepared
so swing for the third time, but saw the
course of the ball in time to check his bat.
If he had swung on it he would surely
have missed itsas 1t went almost to the
top of his cap. With experience In the box
Johnson should make many a mighty swat
ter fan the air.
The Clevelands certainly In a badly
demoralized condition, and have evidently
given up all hope of winning the pennant.
Little Tuck Turner Is the only Cleveland
man who played with any spirit yesterday.
and he pulled off one of his cOpper-riveted-
copyrighted plays in the first inning that
saved two runs. Ganley was on third and
Delehanty second when Jones sent a
daisy cutter toward center field. The ball
was so far away from Turner that 1t seemed
destined for safe territory. and everybody
arose with yell of glee. But the next sec
y
over. picked the ball up clean as a whistle
with his left hand, and threw Jones out at
first making the third out. Ganley was al
most home, and Delehanty was turning
third when Turner picked up the ball. and
Tad the ball gone safe the Nationals would
have started off with lead of two runs.
In the eighth inning Ganley. popped up
high fly that came down about twenty feet
from the home plate. Wakefield and O'Brien
went after the ball and with the crowd yell
boz AZ has Gov ha
catch AS a result the two came together
with a crash and Wakefield was knocked
fat on his back, Jut managed to hold on to
the ball. Neither one Of the pair was hurt.
but 1t was a lucky escape from serious
mishap.
Left Fielder Clymer was very sick man
yesterday and he asked to be relieved for
the day, although he went on the coaching
line during the game. Like all strangers to
the City. he hasn't been able to master the
Potomac water. and it put him out of 1t
yesterday. He will be all right in day or
two. George Mil took his place and the lit
tie fellows batting was the feature of the
game getting a tripe, double and a single,
and also stole a base. AS a utility man Mil
seems to be In a class by himself
Frank Oberlin. the new twirler recently
purchased from Boston. arrived in Wash
ington last evening and reports himself in
fine shape. AS the Nationals pitching staff
Is not in the best of shape at present ODER
lin may go on the rubber before the team
leaves for the west. Oberlin says the Bos-
tons have been playing finely under Jim
Mcclure, but he is pleased to be with Wash
ington, as he considers Cantillon the best
ever.
1t would not be surprising II a trade was
pulled off between the Washington and
Cleveland clubs during the present series.
Manager Cantiilon sad this morning that
he had not been approached on the matter of
a trade. but the with the
Clevelands say that Larry would like to
have Anderson. First Baseman Stovaii is a
dead one with the Napoleons on account Of
his fight with Lajoie. and he may want to
offer him for the deserter AS Stovall has
the reputation of being the only man on the
Clevelands with any fighting spirit and as
Cantillon likes this class of player, it
wouldn't be surprising If the two managers
got together and framed up trade Ander-
son would At in we'll with the Napoleons,
and we could certainly use Stoval at first
just now. although Blankenship is doing
very will, but is needed behind the bat
That Manager Cantllon is leaving moth
ing undone to build up new team in this
city can readily be seen by the number of
new recruits who have been signed within
the past few weeks. He secured the sigma
lures of two more youngsters to contracts
yesterday. They are w. B. Kay. out
fielder. and DR.. H. G. Tompkin, a pitcher.
both of the Martinsburg. w. Va. independ-
ent team. Kay. who Is twentyfour years
old, weighs over 200 pounds and is 6 feet
inches in height In the forty games he has
played he has a batting average Of ssh |
Kay has been playing ball a number Of ,
years and Is from New Castle. Va.
Dr.. Tompkin has been the mainstay in
,he box for the Martinsburg team. and |
mas t"1ried in fifteen games winning
l Twelve losing two and tying one He is
twehty-three years old. weighs l65 pounds |
ana is D feet inches in height He Is a !
student at the Maryland University Of Raj
timore and fssfrom Hartford Conn. where
he pitched ball In the Connecticut state
League several seasons ago
Manager Thompson OF the Martinshurq !,
team recommended the two players to Man
ager Cantilion several days ago. and the
National leader lost no time in looking then
up. They came to Washington yesterday
and after having a close inspec ton of the
youngsters the National manager decided
to give them a trial. Owing to an impor- |
tant game to be played at Martinsburg to-
day they returned to that city and will re-
port here tomorrow.
Last year Cleveland drafted Kay. but in
the confusion of having so many players on
hand last spring he was overlooked or told
not to report. Manager Cantillon likes his
size and thinks he may make a great first
baseman.