The Washington herald., 1908-02-02
JOHNSON is IN Line
Pitching PhenOm Sends Con-
tract TO Joe Cantill0n.
THREE OTHER PLAYERS SIGN
Charley Smith. Charley street, and
Leonard Peterson, the pitching Re
cruit, Return Papers with EncOur-
aging Messages-Ty Cobb In AnX-
iOus About His stock of Bats.

All doubt as to Walter J0hnsOn's plans
for the coming baseball season were re
moved yesterday when the signed con
tract of the pitching phenom Of thu
Washington Baseball Club was received
by President Tom Noyes. who is In Chi
cage with Joe CanulIon.
In the same mail which brought John
sons contract came the signed papers Of
Charley Smith, the pitcher; Charley
Street. the catcher from the Pacific Coast,
and Leonard Peterson. Il young pitcher
who has been making a great record in
a small minor league In the West
With his contract Johnson sent a short
note in which he said that he has been
pitching a game or two a week with his
home club, near Los Angeles. and has
been quite successful, winning four out
Of FIVE contests He said that he has not
been using his curve ball. but has been
depending almost entirely upon speed and
control 10 fool the Californians. In adj
dition to maintaining his reputation as a
real pitcher Johnson has been doing some
tall batting. In nearly every game he has
had TWO hits. and thus far has smashed
the ball over the fence twice for home
runs.
Charley Smith writes that he has been
spending the off season at his home IN
Cleveland and has been keeping in shape
by indoor sports, including quite little
bowling
Street is wintering i'm Pennsylvania He
is ready for the opening Of the season
and has all sorts Of confidence in his
ability TO make good in the American
League.
In view Of Ty Cobb's hold-out it is of
some interest to know that within a week
he has sent letters to the Detroit branch
of A. c. Spalding < Bros, urging the
sport-shop people TO hurry york on a
dozen bats that he ordered earlier in the
winter. Ty had these sticks made from
his favorite model, the bat with which
he hit the home run that tied up the sew
enteen-inning contest in Philadelphia
Each one bears "a reproduction Of the
Georgian's signature, burned into the
wood. They are made from specially Sc
lected stock.
The interesting phase Of this bat busi-
ness is that the most insistent letters 10
the Detroit people have come since Ty
began holding out. and that the swatJist
has been insisting that he wished the
sticks finished so that they could be prop
erly seasoned by the time that the league
race opens. He ordered the bats sent to
sam CrawfOrcd home, so that the ex-
Wahoo man might oil them and begin the
treatment that swell sluggers give 20 the
sticks that they propose to hit themselves
into the 300 list with
Sam and Ty use the same bat and this
order is for their joint proprietorship. His
earnest interest in these bats shows where
he expects 20 be next season, The bats
were delivered 10 Crawford on Tuesday,
and the big fellow is now tuning them up
for some special performances by the Ne
braska-Georgia ruu-dGviug combination
that teTrOTized American League pitchers
last year
4 red hot St Louis baseball fan who
is an sdmirer Of Pitcher Glade and Sec
ond Baseman Niles of the New York
Americans. says he will make the follow
ing wagers: 800 even that Glade beats
out any of the Browns pitching corps
anybody wants to pick, 800 even that
Glade beats out any member of the New
York pitching corps anybody wants 10 Sc
leCt, Sl00 to 500 that GLADE beats out
every member of the Browns pitching
staff: 500 TO $4o0 that Glade beats out all
Of the New York American pitchers: 500
To $50 that Niles beats out Hoffman. c.
Jones. Williams, and Ferris I'm batting.
500 even that Grifiths team finishes
ahead Of the Browns
The Tiger pennant has been received
in Detroit. 1t Is a handsome affair in
red. white, and blue colors President
Navin has not decided Just what day it
viii be raised. He viii await the coming
of Hughie Jennings before deciding just
which club Will be the visitor when the
flag is Haunted to the breeze, Joe Can
tillon wants to have it raised when Wash
inEtOn gets to TiEertOWn. II would be
fitting. McAleer thinks. 10 have St. Louis
around when the bunting goes up. as it
vas in Beerville that the Tigers cinched il. 4
Joe Kelley will he beth manager and
field captain OF the Boston Nationals,
which means that Dan McGann will mere
reOrganiZed team. Billy Keeler says that
with such quick thinkers and inside play
ers as Kelley. Dahlen. Bowerman. Nc
Gam. Ritchey. and Beaumont in the line
up, Boston will have plenty Of excitement
as far as the National League is conv
cerned. Kelley IS we'll liked by all the
players" says Keeler, which means that
the Boston team Will be hustling all the
time"
"BrI" Donovan's record of winning
twenty-five games and losing only four
during the American League season Of
1907, is "A record for that organization. His
percentage of .S62 is nearly 100 points bet
ter than any other twirler ever made in
Ban Johnson's league.
Previous to last season, Clarke Griffith, /
now manager Of the New York Ameri-
cans. and Jack" Chesbro, one of his
pitchers. were tied for the honors, with
a percentage of III Chesbro's record. |
made in 1904. is better than Grifith's rec
ord Of 1901. because Happy Jack" worked
in fifty-thTee games, while Foxy Grif Of
fciated in only thirty-one
Hughey Jennings didn't use Donovan
until the end of May, working him against
Washington, The late start accounts for
the fact that "Bill' only twirled in thirty
games, one being tie. Late in the sea-
son he was under a great strain, however, /
as he was worked nearly every other day
with the Tigers pitching force fast going
to pieces
A, @. Spalding is the only pitcher who /
ever made a better record than Wild Bill
In 1875, pitching Cor the Boston Nation |
ais his percentage Of victories tOtaled .S99. |
Following is a list OF the leading pitch |