Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-11
Johnson DISPLAYS
HIS BEST FORM
Only TWenty-Seven Tigers
Face Him, and They
Fail to Score.
HAS NOT BEEN SCORED
ON IN LAST 10 INNINGS
Nationals Still in Batting
Slump, From Which Team
Should Soon Emerge.
BY j. ED GRILLO.

u Is doubtful IL Walter Johnson ever
gave a better demonstration of his re-
variable ability than in the game against
Detroit yesterday In many respects it
vas an ideal exhibition. for he only al
lowed twenty-seven men to face him in
the nine innings. allowed two widely scat
Tered hits and was really never III danger
81 being scored on. The game lasted but
one hour and twenty-three minutes. which
shows that no time was wasted by john
son in accomplishing his feat. lie was
IN brilliant form. working through the
nine innings like a we'll oiled piece of
collaborating machinery.
Johnson Is on fair way TO set up an
other record. His last eighteen innings
have been ,shut-outs and his total vic
tories have been brought up to thirteen.
In his present form Johnson is unbeat-
able IL his teammates can get him a run
ar two. Johnson will be ready to pitch
again saturday. though it is barely pos
sble that Griffith will hold him for the
game which the Nationals are to play
In Cleveland Sunday.
Barring accidents this is going to be
Johnson's greatest year, Had his team
Lit behind him this year he would have
lost but one game 10 date Griffith is
working him in regular turn. allowing
lin three or four days rest between
games. and this is keeping him on edge.
i, required just such pitching as
Johnson did yesterday TO make a vic
tory for the Nationals possible. Crit
nths team is still in the throes. of
batting slump. and any time one OF
his pitchers slips trifie he Is apt to
lose his game because his teammates
not hitting enough TO get him
comfortable lead. Two hits yesterday
OFF couple of rookie pitchers gives
~ idea of how deep the players are
IN the batting slump. Gandil appears
10 be the only one in form. and 1t
was due TO his screeching. triple yes
to-day that the. Nationals got the
thFee-run lead. There is sure to be inn
provement In the batting sooner or
later. There are several players who
are hitting so far below their standard
: shat when they break loose they Will
20 AT clip calculated To make up lost
ground i'm a. hurry.
Howard Shanks will play regularly
rom this out. His sprained ankle.
" lille not vet entirely sound. is Well
enough to allow him to go over the
ground at his usual speed. Had Shanks
not been in left yesterday the chances
are that Sam Crawford would have
added "A home run to his batting aver
age In the very opening inning he
drove "a fiign liner to left center which
Shanks pulled down. 1t was just such
a hit as he made off Hughes the daH
previous which went for the circuit.
Shanks however started with the
crack of the bat and reached the BAN
Just in time to make the catch Bar
ring Foster. the team is intact AGAIN.
and Foster il apt to he back at third
most any day now He said yesterday
that he was not a bit sore as the re-
suit Of his working every day and tnat
he hoped TO be in the lineup by Mon
day al least Fosters presence on the
& ha ic
TO make a wonderful difference III the
lineup. both extensively and defensiVely
and III the pitchers show anything there
is a chance for the Nationals 10 do
some more clinr}-i Iry.
No player takes more chances on the
bases than Ty Cobb. and he frequently
gets away with plays that seem I'M
possible In the eighth inning yes
terdav ~ drew base on balls. Gamer
Lit t. Johnson. who throw him out al
first cobb Ovcrran second for the
purpose Of drawing a throw. i'll which
lie succeeded. Morgan making = great
catch ami Cobb. going 10 third. Morgan
threw there. but the ball hit Cobb in
th. back and he h~St. right on for the
plate. but Ldporte'~ throw there just
nipped him. though he eluded Ain
smith but failed 10 touch the plate.
and was touched out before he could
ret back Cobbs speed is remarkable
for the reason that he seems able 90
70 az fast in his first step as he does
IN the last
The cIeyerest play Of tho day came
N the second inning, in which Neach
lad hit for two bases after Cobb had
struck out. Gamer hit an ugly
s.rounder to Mcbride. who made a
.sreat throw to Gandil and Neach tried
10 reach third on the play. Gandil's
reg 10 Laporte was like 4 rifle shot,
aud Veach was doubled up.
House who succeeded Clauss looks like
Il voungster who has the making OF a
cood pitcher He was brought into the
anne with two men on, and before he
vas thoroughly warmed up and Gandii