The Washington times., 1911-07-10
Ty Cobb Declares the Beau
tvs SlantS Lack Old
Time Steam.
HURLER HIMSELF
SEES BIG CHANGE
Blames His Illness, and Says He'll
Do Nothing But Rest
Next Winter.
By SENATOR"
Only Washington Newspaper Man
With the Nationals


DETROIT, Mich, July 1O.-That Wal
ter Johnson has gone back" is told
by several members of the Detroit
team, and. in certain ways, admitted
by the pitcher himself. He won yes
terdays game from the Tigers, but they
had little difficulty in hitting his bend
ers, and only the wiIdness of Mitchell
and Willett. coupled with several timely
drives when they counted most, saved
him from going down to defeat. John
son is not the Johnson of old.
I'm the first place. Walter isn't as
big and raw-boned as he was last year. -
says Ty Cobb. He's still a great pitch
er who would win nearly all his games
with a good hitting team behind him.
But that old johnson whose fast ball
would zip past you at the plate is not
on the mound this year. His malaria
has taken a lot of strength from him.
He isn't the same johnson, but 1 wish
we could get him"
Whats the matter with johnson -
asked Moriarty, during yesterdays
game. The last time he was here I
supposed he was sick and that ex-
plained his general thinness and lack of
strength. We used to hear the ball go by
last year and the year before when he
was in the box, but now We can see ii
and sometimes take a crack at it.
Furthermore. he is using a f1oater now
more frequently, and has wider curves
than he ever had before.
Different Now.
''I think he is just as great a pitcher as
ever, but he's n different one now, that's
all. Where he used to rely wholly on
his terrific speed, now he mixes them
up and has a hook that will get the
best hitters if they don't watch out.
But he isn't the same twirler he was
last season. not by a good DEAL
Members of the Nationals are aware
OF the change in the Kansas youth, too,
and they often discuss it.
Last year" says George Mcbride,
II used to hear the peculiar ping to
the ball as l. left Walters hand.
could near 1t easily at short. and the
plate Nov that peculiar sound is gone,
back Of it, ''' 3 III
Yes. I've changed my style. that's
true. said Johnson himself when asked
about 1t last night. I've noticed the
change. used to pitch the last ball
IN the game with as little effort as the
1rSI IL never was an CXertion for me
TO pitch. not since l started tc play ball
out West. l never had the slightest
difficulty in putting stuff on the ball
But this wear I notice that I start
the game with all nv usual strength,
and close 1t working hard TO get any
thing or the bail az all. Toward the
end OF a game / have to summon all
NV reserve force to use any speed; that
is, such speed as used to have without
effort last season and the season be-
fore.
Blames Illness.
My illness is the cause of this change
in me. I think. Next winter l shall rest
all the time, and hope to report at the
training grounds bigger and stronger
than l am now. don't think l shall go
to Hot Springs next season for pre-
hrninary training, but will work like the
rest of the boys and rely on the early
games to take off whatever weight
need to lose"
johnson was tired last evening and re-
tired early. His work against the tt
gers, even though he won, was not up
to his standard. 1t was not as good as
he showed against the Red Sox last |
week. However, when the supreme ef- |
fort was required in the last of the |
ninth, he was there with bells on, fam |
ming both Stanage and Davy Jones.
Zeb Milan is limping around from in |
Juries incurred in sliding to bases. His |
left thigh is raw from hitting the dirt" |
and Prof. Joe Ouirk was kept busy this |
morning applying ointments to the torn |
flesh.
Doc Gessler, Wild Conroy, Tom |
Hughes, Secretary Bill Fowler, Herman |
Schaefer, and Dolly Gray took a boat
excursion on the river last night, going |
up into Lake St. Clair with a friend Of |
Schaefer's. They used a high speed |
launch, and had a delightful trip.
Tonight Schaefer plays Charlie |
O'Leary for the pool championship Of |
the American League, at Bill Donovan's |
place here Both claim to have an edge |
on any other performer in the Johnson
circuit.
The Nationals leave at 10:45 tonight |
for Cleveland, where they open a four
game series with the fast-traveling /
Naplanders. Tom Hughes. handily |
trounced twice on his last visit TO CleVe-
land, hopes to trim them this time, and |
has asked to pitch one of the games.