Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-09
BY j. ED GRILLO.

d u
Walter Johnson undoubtedly made
record when he struck out the first seven
men to be retired yesterday. and eight in
the first three innings.
The strangest feature of this perform
ance was that when the batter did not die
on strikes he hit safely, with one eXcep-
ton. Twelve men faced Johnson in the
three innings; eight of these struck out.
three hit safely, and the other went out
on line drive TO short.
1t is questionable whether there ever
was a time when Johnson had more
speed The ball could hardly be seen as
it passed from his hand toward the plate
Even Charley Street, who usually handles
the difficult delivery Of Johnson with
great ease, found it impossible TO hoh
the ball.
his mitt stuck there. Most of the time
the ball would pop out of ii, so terrific
was the force which Johnson was putting
the ball.
Jack O'Connor stood by in amazement.
did you ever hear of pitcher striking
out the first seven men retired? he was
asked.
well, j don't know as ! did, but /
tell you what | saw Rusie do ] was
with Cleveland then. We needed a run
to win, had three on bases and none out.
Rusie was pitching, and on nine pitched
balls he struck out Childs, Mexican and
myself. and we were supposed to be
pretty fair hitterS. Rusie was d wonder
full pitcher. but l don't believe that he
had anything on Johnson This fellow
has an easier motion. and / guess even
more speed than RuSie
If there was ever time when the Ma
tionals made ten runs in one inning the
oldest inhabitant does nov remember it.
a he reversal
form. Here they have been going along
losing and winning games, generally the
former, by the closet kind of n margin
ten runs was just about week s scoring
and then in one inning they chase
enough runs over the plate to have won
about every game the team has lost re-
Gently had they been judiciousy dis
tributed.
The inning was started with a scratchy
two-base hit to right field which Schweit-
ger made a mess of. Leliyelt went out on
O high bounder but moved Milan to
third Efberfeld singled. bringing Clyde
home, and Truesdale fumbled Gessler's
grounGer. Then Mcbride was walked.
and the bases were full when Lake also
walked Killifer forcing Elberfeld home
Unglaub forced Killifer at second, but
Street singled. and Truesdale made an
other error Then Milan singled. Lelivelt
and Elberfeld both tripled and Gessier
tore off another single, the result being
ten runs. and it only required few min
utes to get them.
There appears to be more real rivalry
between the Browns and Nationals than
any other teams in the league. No doubt
the local players are anxious to beat out
the Browns just to please McAleer, while
O'Connor's men would no doubt rather
score victories over their former boss
than over any one else
The series promises to be decidedly in
teresting. On the showing to date the
Nationals are better looking team than
Tf,aNy
though the Browns are, perhaps. bet
ter hitting aggregation than McAleer can
boast of. There will be lively scramble
for that double-header today.
OConnor will pitch Bailey and Powell.
while. McAleer has selected Reisling and
Groom.
Monday Gray will be worked against
the Browns. and Tuesday Johnson will
be pitched right back.
Hinrich and Henry. the Nationals kid
battery. had a chance to show themselves
IN the eighth and ninth innings. McAleer
was so dumfounded by the scoring of
ten runs in one inning that he did not
think to take Johnson and Street out
of the game until after the seventh in
ming had been played.
Hinrich may make a pitcher after he
has had year. or so of minor league
experience, but he is far from ready for
fast company just yet. As for Henry, he
~
ever stepped into fast company from
college team. Henry is sure to make
good. He handles. himself like a ball
player and does not have to improve a
great deal to be as good majority
of the catchers in the American League.
Elberfeld hugs the plate closely that
any ball that is pitched on the inside is
very apt to hit him. There is hardly a
day passes that the Kid is not hit with
a pitched ball Lake stung him the first
time up. but gave Kid assurance that
il was not Intentional.
Pitcher Crouch. a left-hander secured
by st. Louis from Wilmington, reported
fellow and if size counts for anything
should be wonderful pitcher. He may
be given trial against the Nationals.
The recent victories of the ST Louis
team over the Detroit Tigers was one of
the greatest surprises in base ball. They
welcomed us to their city when we
reached Detroit said O'Connor. for
they figured that we would be easy pick
ing. Well We fooled EN-. Things just
broke well for us and poorly for them
In all our games We hit their pitchers
and they did not hit ours when it meant
runs We were of course. lucky to win
against them, but every team has to have
the breaks TO win ball games. Detroit
will have to take an awful brace to get
in the race again That Boston team
troublesome from this out. That team
is in good shape again and with its pitch
ers going fairly well il can win, for it
can score lot of runs"
Elberfeld is one of the few players one
sees nowadays who uses his head. The
Kid is always trying TO outgeneral the
opposition and often succeeds. When he
nit into right center in that fifth inning
he would ordinarily have been entitled
to a two Dagger. but by apparently loaf
ing between first and second the Browns
eutfielders took il for granted that he
would stop at second and took their time
getting the ball in. Just as soon as Ell
berfeld saw this he put on full steam
and made a dash for third, which he
reached without any trouble, getting
credit for a three-base hit.
SILK O'Loughlin has been working alone
for the past ten days. and there have
been several double headers during that
time The resignation of Sheridan and
the illness of KERN makes IL impossible
for O'Loughlin TO have an assistant for
the present so he is going 1t alone.
IT realize said Silk. that one man
can't umpire ball games any more. 1t
takes two to watch all the plays. and
<ba,, orc h,1sy enough Rit nndar rnp-