The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-05-17
Huehie Has Never Batted
Against Walter Johnson
Yet Hands Him Palm
Lack of q Scout Prevented His
Being Looked Over and
Grabbed
BY RALPH L. YONkER.

BY HALlH ~. IOIN IA GN'
walter Johnson is the greatest
pitcher l have ever seen" said Man
ager Jennings in discussing the big
blonde pitcher OF the Washington club
this morning.
II is not without elaboration that
Hughie decided that Walter was the
greatest ever.
ITS hard to say whether Walter
had more speed than Rusie, TO- In.
stance" said Hughie. II have never
. batted against Johnson. SO | cannot
tell definitely about that. But would
say, anyway, that he Is the greatest
pitcher l have ever seen, whether l
batted against him or not.
johnson Is ideal not only as To his
pitching ability. but also az to hiI dis
position. And. let me tell you. the dis
position Of q pitcher can make HIM OF
either much more or much less value
than he would be with different kind
OF q temperament.
Manager Grif1th knows that he can
rely absolutely upon Johnson. II he
tells him to nnish a game, Walter -
willing. II he Unexpectedly tells him
to start. Walter is ready. II ne ad-
vertises his pitching days ahead, as
he is right now, Walter Is ready
johnson. understand. doesn't
blame his support II 1t happens to be
a little wobbly. Everybody has to
have q bad day once In while, he'll
say
II remember one time when the Zig
ers were beating Washington regular
ly here. One of our men said to John.
son after q game: Well, Walter, you II
pitch tomorrow, Ell? And then you'll
get yours Walter replied, Maybe.
We all get 1t, you know"
Only the lack of a scout in the west
prevented Detroits getting Johnson.
President Navin, OF the Tigers, was
probably the first big league magnate
to be tipped of to the big fellow.
When johnson was pitching In
Idaho, some friend wrote the Detroit
club about the big fellow. He was
called simply q big Swede who had a
wonderful physique, seemed to have
lot of speed, fairly good control, and
knew something about pitching.
There was nothing to indicate that
Johnson was anything out OF the ordl-
nary from any Of the hundreds Of big
fellows who are tipped of to the big
league club owners.
Navin had no scout out there In the
west whom he could send to Idaho.
The ordinary tip that he had didn't
look good enough TO make an EFFORT
10 get the player, so IL was flied for
future reference. BY the time future
reference was valuable, Johnson had
been grabbed.
A record-breaking crowd Is prom
ised for Sunday. when Johnson Is
scheduled to pitch He Is without
doubt right now the biggest attraction
in baseball. Even Cobb will have TO
concede that Walter will draw more
fans through the turnstiles when he
pitches than Cobb will when he plays.
OF course, a player other than
pitcher. like Cobb. appears every day
his club plays, while Walter can't well
be In the lineup more thanfa fourth
OF the time at the most.
II the weather IL at all good Sun
day, Navin field ought to hold crowd
that will exceed any up to the present
time, even including the opening day
attendance.
Many refuse to call II a ball game
when Johnson pitches, but 1t Is an ex-
hibition worth seeing. at least. Man
ager Jennings evidently considers that
II will be an exhibition. for he has
chosen three men whom are not In the
list to work regularly and from these
three he intends 70 pick the man TO
60 against johnson.
Joe Lake, the veteran, whom Hughie
Is keeping largely to finish games and
to use in emergencies like Sundays.
ls one OF the THO. Zamloch and House,
who haven't gone through their third
degree as Tiger hurlers as yet are
the other two.
While the odds are strong that
whichever one is chosen will lose his
game. yet none OF the three are anx-
ious to escape. In fact, each one Is
willing to take chance that the
breaks OF luck will be such that he
can cut the Big Swede's winning
streak. Whoever pitches goes into
the game with everything to gain and
nothing to lose.
Johnson has to date won eight
straight games. His closest rival In
the American league Is Cy Falken-
berg the Cleveland comeback. Cy's
victory Thursday was his seventh IN
a row.
Johnson pitches Sunday for the first
time after having his string OF score
less innings cut at IS. Although he
was jockeyed along BY Manager Grit
fifth through soft and rough places,
starting games that he didn't finish.
finishing games that he didn't start
and pitching complete games, he man.
aged to keep laying goose eggs In his
opponents nests for 56 innings. The
OLD record was held In dispute, Coombs
and Doc White both claiming 1t.