The Washington times., 1920-02-11

Before the 1907 season was over
Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford. and all the
rest of the American League were
pretty well acquainted with Waiter
Johnson, the boy wonder from Idaho.
since Sam Crawford first asked what
Walter had on that August day OF
1907, perhaps a thousand American
League ball players have endeaVoreo
to answer the question. But they all
were in the same boat with Davey
Jones. The thing got by 80 fast thal
no one ever has been able TO get
good look at it
Didn't Win His First.
Walter johnson didn't win his irst
game in the American League; in
fact, the Detroits climbed into first
place as a result of a'victory over the
Idaho phenom," as he then was
called. But the nineteen-year-old
boy let the Tigers know they were in
a ball game.
johnson pitched his first game in
Washington on August 2, 1907, and
the following brief lead proclaimed
the fact to the world that basebalrs
greatest pitcher had hurled his hat
into the big league ring:
Detroit defeated Washington in
both sections Of a double e-header here
today. and went into first place in
the American League race. In the
first game johnson, the Idaho won
der, made his debut with Washing
ton and pitched a good game. Sewers
effectiveness, however, enabled De-
troit to VIM
johnson held the Detroit sluggers
to six hits in eight innings, and yield
ed only one base on balls. However,
with the score tied at l and 1, Sam
Crawford kissed" one for n homer in
the eighth inning. Cliff Blankenship
batted for Johnson in the second half
OF the eighth, and Tom Hughes
pitched the ninth inning. He was
clipped for another run, and Wash
ington also rung up a ninth inning
tally. the game ending in Detroit's
favor by a score Of 3 to 2.
He whiffed a Trio.
Johnson started his famous cam
pilation OF strike-outs by whiting
three OF the Tigers.
Ty Cobb got to Johnson for ono
single in four times up. Cobb Is the
only player who took part In John
sons first major league game who
still is playing In the big leagues to-
day.
There are many tales going around
as to how Walter Johnson got his
first big league start. 1t is true that
the Pittsburgh club lost Johnson's
services because It wouldn't pay Wal
ter's train fare from Weiser, Idano
to Pittsburgh.
In the summer OF 1907 the manager
OF the weiser, Idaho, club, for whom
] Johnson was pitching, wrote Fred
Clarke, then manager OF the Pirates,
that he had the greatest pitching
nrospect in the world and suggested
that Clarke look him over immedl-
ately.
Most big league clubs get Smany
such letters in the course of season,
as most semi-professional managers
harbor the idea that they have a few
budding CIV Youngs and Ty Cobbs on
their clubs. Perhaps had Walter
Johnson done his great stunts at
Weeling. W. Va, or McKeesport, Pa.
Dreyfuss would have advanced him
the money to come to Pittsburgh, hut
the fare from Weiser to Pittsburgh
we'll. IL wasn't worth the gamble!
BIames Travelling Man.
In the meantime a travelling friend
OF Joe Cantillon, manager of the
washington club, wired him telling
him OF this young phenom at Weiset
He was so insistent that Cantiilon
sent Cliff Biankenship, one of his vet
eran cstchers. out to Idaho to look
johnson over.
The Senators then were tail-enders
and didn't have much money to spend
on talent, but II this fellow Johnson
was as good as Cantillon's friend In
sisted, why. he was worth little
carfare.
Blankepship wasn't around weiser
long befors ~ discovered that all the