The Washington times., 1920-01-13


Dear Sir:
~ am surprised to read under your
signature that Walter Johnson
should be traded to the New York club
for two infielders, two pitchers, and
$4,000 in money. j have been read
ing your baseball writings for several
years and / am truly surprised now
10 find you favoring the release of
Johnson, the only really good pitcher
We have ever had here in Washing
ton. Like many others, / would re-
fuse to support the ball club IL it sold
or traded. unless he asked IT.
Sentiment seems to be leaving
baseball. just as ii is leaving many
other things these days, but L do
think that sentiment, IL nothing else,
should keep Walter johnson with the
Washington club until his pitching
days are done forever. He Is worth
more to the Washington ball club
than any collection of players the
New York club could give for him."
And Here's Another.
Before replying to any OF this com
ment, let's look at another, coming
on the letter-head of a prominent
business man:
Mr.. Sporting Editor: .
"If the Washington Baseball Club
Johnson to the New York Yankees, 1t
will be digging it's own grave and
will not deserve a corporaPs guard
at the park next summer. /, for one,
would never pay another cent to see
the club play is Johnson is put on the
auction block. i am writing for at
least four other fans in this office"
Then here comes the real sob stuff:
Dear Sir:
70 IN n nh
ment calling for the sale of Walter
Johnson to the New York Baseball
Club. Indeed, it seems to me the
most foolish argument ever made. IL
c. Comiskey could keep Big Ed
Walsh until he was through, and If
the Giants could keep G. Mathewson
long after his winning days were
gone, the Washington club can afford
10 keep Walter johnson. Walter was
the best pitcher in the American
League last year. You said so in
your paper. Then how do you think
the Washington club could be strong
er when it gives up the best pitcher
in the league? Answer me that
Deserves Salary Raise.
Walter Johnson's fine pitching
here for a poor team behind him de-
serves something more. than to be
sold like cattle. He ought to have
q. his salary boosted to reward him for
staying 80 long with such weak
team. l remember when he first
came to Washington. He was big
green farmer boy then. but he was
still a great pitcher He has got
better the longer he has been here.
Last year he was the best pitcher
in tn league. If the Washing
ton club doesn't KEEP him on the
list until his arm goes back on him,
It ought to fail in bankruptcy. And
| hope l can be around then to cheer
when the magnates are broke"
Well save some of the others for
lack of space, but most of them pull
the tear stuff along the same lines
with the above. The writers, like
fans everywhere, are sentimental to
an extreme. Furthermore, baseball
means something to them, or they
wouldn't have taken the time to
write to me. All of which should be
interesting to Clark Griffith, indi-
eating a new lease of life to baseball
in the Capital.
Opinion Arc Unchanged.
However, our opinions remain un-
changed. We reiterate that, if the
New York club, or any other club, Of
fers Clark Griffith players and money
that in his opinion would warrant the
passing OF Walter Johnson from
Washington, he could do no better
than to make the deal We allow of
no sentiment in the matter, not a bit
moro than Johnson himself would
show.
1t is unfair to the Washington club
10 compare 1t with the Giants or the
White Sox. Christy Mathewson, it's
true, had earned much from the New
York National League club, and he
got IL. He was kept as a coach until
given a chance to manage the Reds.
Losing out there, he was signed again
as a coach.
But Christy Mathewson had pitch
I'd the Giants to championships. Mat
ty was the property of a rich organ
isation which had made thousands
through his skill.
big Ed" Walsh, like Matty. had
pitched his club into a worlds cham
pionship. Charlie Comiskey had made
n fortune partly through the efforts
Of Walsh on the mound. And so, in
the days of their approaching use
lessness, IL was but fitting that they
be retained as long as possible.
Jebnson's Case Differs.
Johnson's case differs, It seems to
me. In the first place, Walter is not
useless, nor even approaching the end
of his career. The very fact that he
led all American League pitchers in
efficiency in 1919 ends that argument
Furthermore, IL he were traded to the
New York club, it's a practical GER
tainty that whatever his salary de-
mands might be, they would be ac-
cepted. He couldn't lose n nickel by
changing from a Washington to
New York uniform.
Il IL La, l. L. ~. ~