New-York tribune., 1912-08-27
TIMELY BITS OF SPORT.
Johnson's Record Marred by
Humble St. Louis Browns.
WON SIXTEEN IN A ROW
Washington Pitcher Has Brill
liant String of Victories and
a New League Mark.

A blot was cast on the record OF walter
johnson by the st. Louis Browns yester-
day, and II he should win three more
games his title to Marquard's crown
would always be questioned. Just as
Lavendar, the recruit OF the CUBS,
stopped the New York star, so II fell to
the lot Of the tail-enders OF the league to
put fly in the ointment Of Johnson $
success. Hughes may yet be officially
credited with the defeat yesterday, al
though the winning runs were scored off
Johnson. Still it would only be by n
techncality that Johnson would escape
and thousands Of fans" would question
his right to string out his victories for a
record.
The Washington star has succeeded In
breaking the American League record OF
fourteen consecutive victories made by
Jack Chesbro, of the Yankees, In 1901
In pitching his sixteen victories John-
son worked in nineteen games or the
three that do not figure, one ended IN IA tie'
and Hughes got credit for winning ana
is charged with defeat in one each OF the
other two. Fourteen OF Johnson's victories
are entirely free OF technicalties. Twelve
Of these are games in which he either went
the entire route or started and retired
only when he had 20 big lead that IL was
advisable to rest him. The odd one Is the
game in which ne pitched the longest time.
a sixteen inning game with New fork. In
this Johnson relieved Engel in the fourth
with Washington behind, and after rttir-
ing the side pitched twelve straight shut
out innings
The last time Johnson felt the sting OF
defeat was on June %, when the Ath-
letics beat him. to l. although he out
pitched Plank and COombs. Some bad
fielding by his mates lost the game. Since
then Walter has beaten every team he
has faced.
Jimmy Callahan's White Sox have been
the easiest kind of picl0ngs for Johnson
I'm gaining his record Of sixteen straight
games. Six times have Callahan's charges
fallen before The terrific speed OF the
great rieht-hander Then the Tigers
have contributed four games. while the
Maps have been beaten three times and
the Yankees twice The Browns were
downed in the other game.
In the sixteen games Walter has walked
only twenty batters. an average Of lit
tie more than one a game. For control
that Is hard to be equaled. no matter
who the pitcher may be. In six Of the
sixteen games not a batter has reached
first base on balls. In five games one
base on balls was given. Twice two bats
men have been passed while he passed
three men IN two games and once he
passed five against the St Louis Browns
The star Of the Senators has been the
king strike-out hurlcr for a long time
but he IL going better than ever right
now. In the sixteen games i03 batters
have been retired via the three-strike
route That's an average Of a little less
than seven for each game. From July II
TO % Johnson pitched four games. and IN
these he "whiffed" forty batters The
Maps. Tigers and white sox twice were
the victims.
In the sixteen CONSECUTIVE. victories
Johnson has allowed only nlnety-two hits.
an average Of less than six n game. while
just thirty-nine runs were scored by op-
posing teams in games In which John
son officated but he was not responsible
for all OF them. as on several occasions he
relieved a team mate with men on bases.
His last victory over the White sox.
which came on August Is. was the best
he pitched during HIS long siege Of win
ming. In this contest be shut out the
tribe OF Callahan. ( 20 0. giving them a
single safety Not base on balls was
given. while seven were retired on strikes
The record follows