Evening star., 1911-08-18
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Walter Johnson is in a fair way to
make the best record Of his career in the
American League this season. To date
the Nationals speed marvel has won 16
games and lost ., and that after getting
decidedly poor start in the spring.
Last year johnson won - games and
lost Il. 1t is not likely that he will work
in as many games this year. but he
promises to finish with a higher per-
centase of victories.
1t shows pitcher to have consider
able class when he can have winning
average of $40 while his teams percent
age is just above the 400 mark. 1t is
often said that if Johnson was with
winning team he would stand a chance of
going through the entire season without
suffering a defeat, which would not be
impossible if the big pitcher was in per-
feet form all season.
1t took johnson long while to get
going this year. Illness handicapped him
early in the season. but now that he Is
in form he is one of the hardest pitchers
in the league to beat. Johnson's pitching
has been greatly improved, too. Untii
this year his curve ball was not at all
battling In the first place II did not
break much and he could not get much
speed on it. Now, however. he has de-
yeloped one of the best curves in the
league and it is even more difficult to
meet with bat than his fast ball.
Every once in while one hears rumors
of the Washington ball club passing into
other hands. and yet there is not the
slightest ground for such reports. over
i'm Baltimore the story is going around
that Ned Hanlon intends to buy the local
club. having failed to get the Boston Ma
tionals though he secured a lot OF free
advertising out OF the effort. Let ii be
understood that the Washington ciub Is
no. for sale Its present owners are Weil
satisfied with their investment. All that
is needed to bring in fiatteTing returns on
the money they have put up Is TO get a
ball team here which will be near the top
OF the second division or better. Wash
incton has proven its right to a major
league berth The American League could
not find city which would prove more
loyal Even under the most discoura ging
conditions the game has been vel sup
ported here.
So far as Ned Hanlon's efforts to invest
in ma ior lea eLe base ball is concerned
there need be no great alarm. Mr. Han
len has the wlereWith to buy a ball cluL
if he wants to, hut he IS not taking any
long chances with his money. ard so fal
as spending any of il to satisfy his pa
triotie desire TO have Baltimore represent
ed in major league, that is hugenjokc
Ill-founded rumors regarding happen
ines on ball teams are as plentiful g.
scales on fish. Misrepresentations have
frequently placed individuals in the wrong
light in the eyes of the fans. Seyera.
weeks ago. for instance. a story was
printed purportinge TO come from Clarence
Walker to the effect that his batting
slump was caused by his having needed
the advice OF Manager McAleer and Kid
Elherfeid and changed his long bat for
a short one. Natui ally the fans and ad-
miIers Of Walker thought such inter-
ference with Young PLAYER was out
raeeous and severe was the criticism
heaped OH McAleer and Eberfeid. In
veStigation. however, shows that no one
ever suggested change of bats TO
Walker. He admits himself that no one
>eNer spoke to him on the subject and
that he was forced to use bat different
from the one he was used to because he
broke those he brought here with him.
And yet McAleer and Elberfeld were un-
thought that they had handicapped
Walker by their interference.
While Bill Cunningham was in his bat
ting slump he probably struck out more
often than any major league player ever
had before. and yet Bill fell little be-
low the record held by Cravath. now
the leading batsman of the American As
sociation, who few years ago was
member of the Nationals for short
actiy nine times during his stay here,
and he struck out on every occasion.
Not only that. but il memory serves
right he swung his bat but twice in the
number of times he faced the pitcher,
the other strikes being called
But CraNath, seems to have developed,
for this is the second season that he has
led the association with the stick. He
was recently purchased by the Phiiadel-
phia National League club and will be
given a chance to show how he sizes
UP when facing major league twirlers.
/: never rains but 1t pours for Hughey
Jennings. Sam Crawford is the latest
of the Tige-- stars to be out of the game
with an injury. and the team which De
uo1 now presents to stop the ea Stern
teams is the weakest which has repre-
sented that city in many Years. With
Cobb and Crawford out of the game. the
two payers who more than any others
were responsible for the high position
the team has occupied In the race, there
is little or no chance for the Tigers to