The Washington herald., 1910-09-12
JOHNSON THINKS WALSH,
CHICAGO, BEST TWIRLER
and Others Gossip and Comment of
Interest at This Time


By WILLIAM PEET.
Walter Johnson says that Big Ed
Walsh. OF the Chicago White Sox. is the
greatest pitcher in the American League.
Johnson passes up Plank, Bender. Rus
sell Ford, and all the others.
II / was manager Of a ball club and
had my pick of any twirler in the Amer
lean League. would sign Ed Walsh.
said johnson to the writer during a fam
fest one day last week.
why do you pick Walsh?" johnson
was asked.
Because he's got more stuff than any
Of the others when he is right. Big Eds
splitter Is a wonder you simply cannot
hit il. lie has a great head. too. and has
twirled$consistent ball for years
When Russcil Ford s name was brought
up. Johnson claimed that Ford was much
easier to hit than Walsh. and added. Ford
is a little chap in comparison to Walsh
and can only pitch every five days. while
big Ed can WORK three times a week II
necessary and be just as strong the third
game as he was the first"
OF course modesty prevented Johnson
saying anything about himself. but you
can't make Washington fans believe that
Walsh has anything on Johnson.
With the Boston printers. here for the
big tourney is Danny Barry who was
given a trial by Stallings. OF New York.
last spring. and sent to the Utica club,
of the New York State League, where he
stumbled into a bunch Of hard luck and
had to drop ont.
Barry is a close personal friend OF Ed
ole Ainsmith, the Nationals young catch
err and says that Ainsmith is not only a
great baclSstop. but one Of the best bas-
ketban players around Greater Boston.
1t behooves Manager McAleer 70 warn
young Ainsmith about playing basket
ball during the winter months. especially
around Boston. where the game usually
ends in a rough and tumble fight Ain
smith stands n fine chance OF breaking a
leg or twisting an ankle
It viii be either Dolly Gray or Bob
Groom against the Athletics this after
noon, in the second game Of the series,
and Ainsmith win work behind the bat
As stated in The Washington Herald
last Monday. the New Bedford player.
Cunningham. will join the club to-day or
Tuesday. ard If he shows up in time
will probably be played at second base
this afternoon.
Lajoie didn't seem 10 be able 70 con-
meet safely yesterday I'm the Maps dou-
bic bill. the big Frenchman going 10 the
bat nine times and only sending out into
safe territory three hits. and as a result
his average took a fall OF one point,
which makes his grand average stand
AT -3eS, which is just four points more
than Cobb In the auto race.
The Philadelphia Record in an article
yesterday declares that the Athletics
this season are the best team which ever
represented the Quaker City Here is
the story: with the pennant assured.
the aim Of the Athletics is now to beat
the American League record for number
of games won 9S, by Detroit, in 1902 and
then land the worlds championship by
trimming the Chicago Cubs The out
look Is good for both propositions. and
when II is all over and the highest hon.
ors In baseball have been won, the en-
thusiasts can be excused II they insist
on branding the combination as the best
ever in the history OF the game in this
city. To be sure. this claim will be dis
puted by some OF the old-timers. who re-
member the teams that have gone be-
fore. including not only the two other
MIN
In the American League but Billy Shar-
sig's Champion Athletics Of 1883. and also
the original Athletics. which won the
baseball championship Of 1871. Then, too.
a comparison must be made with the
many good teams which have represent
ed this city under the name OF the Phil
lies. for while they were never guilty Of
winning a pennant, some OF them have
looked Ike champions. and were unques-
tiOnably very strong baseball machines.
But not forgetting the merits OF these
great teams OF the past, a pretty good
argument can be put up to show that
none Of them had anything on the pres
ent Athletics.
"Of course, there have been players who
were famous in those by-gone days,
who. could they be reiuvenated. would
strengthen the present Athletics. notice
ably such pitchers as Ferguson and Wad-
dell. such catchers as Clements and Rob
inson. or even stars such as Lajoie, Del
ehanty and Stovey; but taken team for
team. managers and ALL that bunch OF
hustlers out at Twenty-frst and Lehigh
this season are the best ever"
Anticipating the Athletics winning the
American League championship, the
management is now planning for the
worlds series. Following the plan es-
tablished at Shibe Park last season and
continued this, score cards will be dis
tributed free. The free distribution OF
the cards at all games played on the
Athletics grounds has pleased the pa
irons. and has become one OF the features
OF tlre park.
Here's q hot one from the pen Of Cor
don Mackay. Of the Philadelphia Times:
Great surgeons. as everybody knows
often perform a difficult operation
known as trephining the skull which
removes a bone pressing upon the brain
and gives the patient newer and bet
ter mental development.
Now II must be that Walter Johnson,
the big Washington pitcher, has been
the surgeon who did the trephining for
Birdie Cree. As the fans remember
Birdie was hit in the head with one OF
Johnsons fast shoots a while ago and
since that time he has been a marvel