The Washington herald., 1907-07-07

I
son. the KIDS twirIer. started last year
when he was with Weiser in the State
league. and which Johnson continued
with such remarkable success this year,
has attracted the attention of ball players
and managers all over the country, and
the offer of Joe CantillOn. manager Of
the Washington (American League) team,
is only one of many the phenomenal
youth has received Of late" says the
Idaho Daily Statesman.
With his record Of shut-out games
this season. taking in last Sundays game,
johnson has smashed to smithereens the
worlds record for pitching. He has
pitched 70 innings without run having
been made against him. The former rec
ord was 81 innings. Some may not con-
slider this remarkable because Of the fact
that johnson has not pitched against the
big leaguers. This fact does not in any
way make Johnson's record less remark
able. No matter who is batting him the
record would stand the same. In the 90
innings go men faced Johnson.
The complete record Of Johnson for
the entire season is as follows; He has
struck out 1856 batters; is credited with IS
base nits out Of 81 times at bat; assisted /
Is times, and has put-Outs to his credit.
He has not made an error. and only five
runs have been made by his opponents. /
Twenty-Five base hits have been made off /
his pitching during the season to date.
Walter Johnson was born at lola.
kans, and is nineteen years of age. He /
is six feet and two-ffths of an inch in .
height in his stocking feet, and weighs $50 /
pounds His home is at Fullerton, Cal, .
where he attends school His first ball /
playing away from home was wEh the /
WCiSer team last season.
Johnson has frOwned on a number OF /
good offers received lately, and, unlike 1
many young pitchers. who. through their |
eagerness to get into the big leagues, /
have spoiled bright prospects for sue /
Cessful career, turned them all down, con- /
cIuding that it would be better for him /
to get more Of such experience as he is |
now getting before meeting the big hit /
ters. But Joe CantillOn sent q man from 4
Washington to persuade Johnson to go to 1
the National Capital and Johnson has /
decided TO 90 and take a chance with the I
big fellows. He will probably not be /
pitched in a regular game this season. /
but will be carefully coached, IL is likely 1
during the remainder Of the season and /
put in the game next year
Johnson will be with Weser through /
the remainder Of the Idaho State Leagues /
season, which closes July H.
From St Louis the Washington |
team goes to Chicago. thence to Detroit. /
and ends the long trip at Cleveland on /
July o. returning TO National Park on /
July q for a series with st. Louis
The failure Of the pitchers to come I'd
10 expectations has been the cause OF the
failure Of the Nationals thus far on the
tour.
In nearly all Of the games the batting
Of the team has been good, but the Wash
ington twlrlers have suffered such a re-
versal of form that defeats have been
almost daily occurrences.
The Western clbbs are playing great
ball just at present, but if the local
pitchers can show any sort Of form dur
Ing the next four series the Cantillonites
should be able to win at least a fair pro-
portion Of the remaining games Of the
trip.
Lew Drill is now manager Of the Pueb
10. Colo, team. He is badly in need of
pitchers. DriTs team has been playing
right good ball lately, and the fans are
rot knocking so much If Drill had come
here he might have been manager Of this
club Who knows? But he gave Column
bia the slip.-Columbia Is. c. State.
A J. Flanner. editor Of the Sporting
News. has the following editorial on the
race in the American League:
While the three Western clubs OF the
American League, with championship
chances. are playing each other the Ath-
letics. the only Eastern team with pen
nant prospects. will engage in three series |
with weaker opponents and may forge TO
the front Then comes the second West |
ern trip. giving the advantage TO the home
clubs and presagIng a setback for Mack
men, A month ago. Philadelphas repre-
sentatIves did not appear to have look-in.
but since their return home their pitchers
have improved their inneld has been
strengthened at its weakest position by
Collins. and Nichols disappointment in
the early part Of the seas0n-haS shown
marvellous Improvement i'm fielding and
batting since his assignment 10 second
base. pending Murphy's recovery from
injuries
The Athletics may soon pass their
Western rivals and set the pace for
part Of the route. but It is practically sure
that If the White Sox do not repeat their
1896 triumph Cleveland or Detroit will be
the American Leagues representative in
the next worlds series. The Sox's pitch
ing staff their chief source of strength.
IS not performing well, two substitutes
are on the infeld, and Manager Jones is
lame. All other American League teams
are without the services of stars, but
none has suffered so much and so long as
the leader. The team that in 1866 played
itself into the championship from a lowly
position can surrender first and even sec
oud place IN June and July without sacri-
fiCing its pennant prospects, on Monday
night Cleveland was only four percentage
points behind the leader. Detroit was less
than four games TO the bad, and the Ath-
letics Just that many games removed
from the post Of honor. If Macks men
continue their winning streak through
this week and next. they should be
at the head Of the percentage table
for every Western club will meet with
reverses. and the gains made I'm one series
may be offset IN the next Detroit is no
longer the dark horse Of the race. Jen-
nings' team has not only retained third
position on the road, but has gained over
thirty points over the first and second
teams since leaving home, although from
May % to June O. inclusive all their
games except one have been played on
foreign grounds. During that time Chi
cago and Cleveland have been at home
The American League race has reached
the stage where the result OF a series may
make sweeping changes in the first four
positions
New York fans fear that Roger Bres-