The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-28
thing else than good-natured, easy-go-

thing else than good-natured, easy-go-
ing and smiling.
Right then is when I discovered
Walter johnson. We walked back up
the, hill, and Jack and 1 confded to
each other that we were ll-hred glad
we had not invited the bunch down
to watch us make monkeys Of the kids
Walt had pitched us balls Of his own
fast, under-handed style. That under
handed throw was his natural sling.
Many time during the time that
Walt was growing into his baseball
manhood I have heard old experienced
baseball players tell him to change his
style, cut out the under-throw. They
said it would hurt his arm, and was an
out-of. date method of delivery. But it
was the throw that was born in Walt,
and as long as I have known him it
has always been his best
Waits pitching got noised abroad
throughout Southern California. The
games we were playing Sunday after
Sunday turned the eyes of a number
of scouts in our direction. I we'll re-
member one Sunday when Frank Dill.
lon, manager Of the Los Angeles Coast
League team, and Rusty Hall, of the
Seattle team, came down to look us
over.
One of my pet ambitions at that time
v. i
felt sure that if be had half a chance
he would develop into something great
So when we heard that Dillon and
Hall had their eagle eyes on US we
gave the lad the best support there
was in US.
After the game I led a delegation of
Oil Well players to where Dillon had
been sitting, in the little grandstand,
directly back of the catcher
What do you think of the kidG''
[ asked Dillon.
"Well," said Dillon, "he won do
yet. He telegraphs everything he
pitcher in the world remained The un.
property of the Olinda team,
cooperative, dividing SIS and $25
among nine players every Sunday af-
ternoon as the weeks pay roll.
Not only had Dillon passed him up,
but Hall had not even given him con-
sideration or attention. Hall was
spread out on the ground Off third base
he picked Arson Mott and Jack Bur. |
nett, inielder and outfelder, and signed |
them up. Mott made good with Port |
and, Burnett went to Seattle and |
was sold to the st. Louis Cardinals.
Trial With Tacoma.
But somebody persuaded Tacoma to |
yive Walt trial, and he went north.
BE had two workouts there, and his |
did not appeal to the
at all. He was sent out I
% Weiser, Idaho. He pitched there
,or two seasons with Guy Meats, who /
ives at Olive, near Olinda, catching
him, and while there he made world s
ecord for consecutive no-score innings.
The story as to his, taking-on by the
Nationals is familiar
hapter in baseball history.
After his first season Of steady play-
ng at Weiser Walt came home and
,layed on the Santa Ana team.
When the pink sheets brought us /
vord that Walt had been signed up |,
" Washington, D. c., the little oil
vells section felt that it had come into l.
ts own, We knew that he would do. L
We knew he would make good. He !
ad it In him. We had discovered him
nd we watched him develop Person Il
lily, I felt that long since / had dis
overed him. not as scout, for I was Is
ever baseball scout in the sense that
he word is used.. 1t was a discovery
hat I had no greater part in than
theirs had, though probably no one
anne to so early. a realization of the
disabilities that lay in the lads arm
ulu' Dut We IelG ChaJ walt be- ! T
'nged to us. He went to school in our
title red schoolhouse on the hill, and I
Q drove team on our roads. He was g
s much a product of Orange county a
s its oranges, walnuts, colery and :
lgar beets. No wonder il riies ms y y
hen the sporting sheets call him the | \
liant Swede, the Idaho Wonder, the | O
Teiser Marvel, and such names. Wal h
,r Johnson is not foreigner He is y
genuine, true. blue American boy, Z
trough and through. and out at the oil y
ellis he is still Walt He never had | \
ny other nickname-just Walt. q