The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-17
WALTER JOHNSON
IDEAL PITCHER
Washington Twirler One of Most
Popular Players in Base
ball TO-DAY.

d. Ed. urillo, in the Washington Star
few men who have attained the prom
inence in their chosen profession that
the idaho Wonder enjoys can claim
his modesty. Success has not had any
apparent effect on Walters disposition.
lie Is the same plain spoken, honest.
shy boy to-day that no was the dreary
night he reported to Joe Cantillon
Lack in the full of 1907. The fact that
he liz generally considered the games
greatest pitcher has not caused him
to display the fact that he has II high
opinion OF himself. No member of any
bail team is more energetic or more
observant to the rules OF his club than
lie Like the trained soldier. orders
are orders with Johnson. There is
never time when he is not willing to
attempt any task without murmur
or anxious to give helping hand to
The hest interests of his team.
Even tempered and unwilling to rec
oEnize his own ability. IL is no won
der that he is one of the most popular
players the game has ever developed
NOT with the public alone, which appre-
GATES his ability aud Willingness. but
with the ball player. even though he
hs on an opposing team and has rea
son to fear him. Any one who has
hccn In touch with Johnson and
watched his progress up the ladder OF
fame must realize that his disposition
is az valuable TO him is that mighty
arm. There Ia no way to excite or dis
concert him. He has never been known
10 lose his temper. and the time has
yet TO come when he has complained
of the decision of any umpire, though
no doubt he has suffered as much by
reason of the error which Is human
as any other man in baseball Dc
feats and victories are both taken
alike by this remarkable athlete. He
does not enthuse when he has won
his game, though he likes TO win, and
ne does not try TO shift blame when he
has lost ono His habits. like his tenn
permanent arc perfect. He makes base
ball business He shuns the lime
light yet he Ia not rec!usc. for Wal
ter IL good listener and seeks the
conversation OF others. though lie is
not inclined to be particularly talka-
tive.
Liberal 10 foult. he is nevertheless
good business proposition. He dem
onstrated that from the time that he
las had occasion to negotiate with the
Washington club and had to deal with
real live business men Johnson was
mere boy when he became mem
her OF the Washington team. He is a
very young man yet. but is blessed
with old head on his shoulders
Leave it TO the unbiased judges of ball
players. men who have spent their
ives In the game. and they will tell
on that Johnson is the most natural
pitcher that the game has ever pro-
speed with the ease and grace OF Il
dancing master. There is not single
forced motion nor the slightest strain.
When that long arm is set in motion,
lis entire body follows il in the act
az delivery That arm IS strong and
muscular. but not the Kind of muscle
ono would find In lighter or n wrest-
Ter. II is Il 1.-THE arm. which really
Whips like some immense, elastic pis-
ton when II generates the terrific speed
Tor which Johnson is noted.
Johnson does not give himself credit
FOR being a great pitcher. He may
praise nature for having hung that
wonderful arm OH him. hut he oh
serves il all in cool silence.
There have been other sensational
performers in baseball; others hold
records which Johnson has not at
.sincd He has never pitched a no-hit
game. for Instance, and his best win
,Iing streak went 10 sixteen, when IL
was broken. But he has been n most
consistent performer and has accom-
p!ished some feats which no other
pitchers would attempt. For instance
In 1908 he pitched three games In three
days against New York. and did not
allow them single run. On innumer-
able occasions has he retired three
opposing battcrs on nine pitched balls
without having one OF them as much
AK fouled. and when the inning was
over he Ia seen walking toward the
bench in an apparently sluggish man
ner. with head hung. unconscious of
Tic cheers OF the thousands about him.
IL Is with the enthusiast who likes to
strike up an acquaintance with pormi-
ncnt players that Walter Is hero. No
matter who the individual may be or
where or when he may come, johnson
is always ready 10 meet him. He is
decidedly modest on such occasions
hut he, unlike others. who because OF
their prominence are much sought after
ny nero worshipers, never fails to carry
out his part. incidentally he is the
protector for his teammates Let
something go wrong and Johnson Is
the one man on the team who patches
up the frictions. In ball games play
ers have their rows. such as they are
and these are not needed. but let them
ovcrstep the bounds of propriety and
Walter Johnson is usually the one to
arrange an AMIGA BILE settlement
His teammates could boot ten games
away behind him In a row and they
would hear no complaint from him.
The writer once witnessed an incident
which shows the remarkable disposi-
ZION OF the great pitcher. Some three
ycars back the Washington club went
to Chicago for series and surprised
the world by shutting out tho White
Sox three days in succession. Groom.
Walter and ReislinG were the success
ful pitchers, and with Walter carded
to pitch the fourth game it looked as
II the Nationals were carded for n
clean sweep. However he hooked I'D
with young man named Olmstead
and after thirteen innings of battling
lost his game 2 TO 1, because Milan mis-
judged ny ball in the final round.
which allowed the winning run to
score.
When the game was over and the
players had enetered their bus prepar-
atory TO returning to their hotel quite
number of the corwd gathered about
the vehicle. Johnson is always an oh
ject of much curiosity on such occa-
sions, and there were many express
sions of sympathy for him because he
had lost n game which I've should have
won. not having had anything to do
with the defeat
One fellow walked over to Johnson.
extended his hand. and said, johnson,