New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-08
Pitcher
Discovered bv
Michael Shea
Cliff Blankenship in N,
Manner Responsible f.,
Uncovering of johnson

Washington, April 1T has ~.
definitely settled who really diseov,,.i
Walter Johnson. u was Mike Shea a
played IN the old California Leszu.
which Manager Griffith OF tie n
tionals and Joe CantiIlon, pilot Of =,
Minneapolis American Associatioa s,,,
played in their younger days. Shea
a member Of the San Francisco ~,
and Griffith and CantillOn were a.,
with Sacramento.
This fact about johnson was dsv,
oped In tanning bee between n,
famous pitcher and Cantllon, who ~,
manager Of the Washington club WIZ.
Walter was Drougn- from the West !,
play for the team IN the nationi
capital.
Chf Bianken ship. catcher for n.
Washington club in the Cantillon rs.
CINE, generally credited as the pites.
er's discoverer. never saw Johnso,
pitch until the big twrlor worked 70,
the Nationals. known as the Senator
when Cauti'lon war AZ the helm. L Il
true that Blankensh.p took a trip I.
Idaho % gn Johnson. as an emisar,
sent by Cantillon. The latter rad bee,
tiuped OF 20 the rookie pitcher By Shea
who had seen Walter working IN mar,
games.
Blankenship Chance Emisssry
As CautiIlou explained 10 during .,
confab which took place Do Augusta !,
fore the Nationals broke training cam
Blankeuship was selected 20 make Il.
triD West because he was on The hos.
pital list with injured fingers and sid
out prospect of being able 20 20 benin.
the bat for some time.
IL was. as close a. Cantillon could Y.
call. about the second week IN JUL
1907. while the Washington club va,
playing a series in Philadelphia. thai
Blankenship was sent to sign Johnson
Il cant. Of course. recall the exs,.
date Of the month in which Bankeh.
ship made his visit 20 me- SAID John.
son. but recollect very distinctly thar
il was on a Friday. about the MIDI,
Of July. 1907, and that / was to pite,
for Weiser. Idaho, where Blankenshi;
located me, against a picked team Oh
the following Sunday.
However. Blankenship was In huug
10 return TO the Washington club Of
somewhere else, and did not even val
10 watch me pitch that contest. and 1
was not until the early part Of August
when | pitched my first game IN NaSs
ington. that he saw me work.
"In the Idaho game just mentioned
{ was beaten. 10 0. IN II innings, the
opposing team having been recruited
from players of the Pacific Coast
Leagus Higcinbotham, who was after
ward IN the big league, ] believe, wa
their pitcher Previous 10 this contest
/ had worked seventy-tiye innings foI
Weiser without having allowed q run.
Walter Afraid of Test
81 was a little leary about accepting
the proposition which Cantillon had In
structed Blankenship TO make me, anc
had a pretty strong feeling that
would not make good with Washington
However. when was assured that
would be advanced enough money
make sure that could get back HON
i'm case failed, J agreed 10 take
chance. was nothing but gree
country boy. and jumping to city n
size Of Washington was a real sens'
ton to me. and ! was about rs nervou
as it would be possible 70 be.
Here Johnston turned 10 Cantlllo
ard said: Joe, guess | was the wors
busher that ever broke into the bi
league, wasn't ~
Cantillon replied: "No. you weren't
Walter. You had sense enough to kee
your mouth shut. and that's more tina
rost Of them have
Cantillon is very md Of johnson
and in addition to believing that VA
ter is the best pitcher in the game
thinks he is the greatest fellow per
sonally.
Johnson and Cantilon arc gres
wcodsmen and hunters, and they, Wit
Clyde Milan, spent many hours IN Al
gusta in discussing hunting, dogs am
all that goes with the sport