Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-11
Connie Mack's CLASSY Fielder
Solved Washington Stars
Delivery at Their First
Meeting
I.al,e Charles La.. March II.

Lake Charles. La, March II.
CONNIE MACK has the only hitter
~ in the American League that Wal
ter johnson, the matchlcss Washington
finger. confcsscs he holds in fear. The
hitter is f.awton Witt, who ut the age
of twcnty five years is the oldest Mack.
man In point of service on the team.
Whitley" as his pals call him, is one
of Mack'S seven garden candidates. He
arrived here n week late because Of Ill.
ness. In less .than year Witt has
been operated on twice. the last bit Of
surgical aid causing him to be divorced
from set of bad acting tonsils.
Witt. New England boy, Joined the
Athletics in the spring of 1915, and
made good from the start. In his first
introduction to Walter Johnson last
year Witt banged him for two base
hit.
At the time Witt did not know John
son was pitching. Connie told his fell
low players not to say that johnson
was pitching. so Lawton believed he
was batting against just an ordinary
twirlcr.
1t is n singular fact that Witt has
hit johnson hard ever since he would
rather see Walter scale the hill than
any other Washington pitcher.
Last year Witt was in tho diner Of
n train when johnson walked in with
Clyde Milan. his inscparablc pal. and
sat down at the same table with Witt.
There. said the famous pitcher to
Milan. lis the only batter in the Amer
lean League that | can't put out. ="
Witt was asked why It was he could
always hit the pitcher who has baf.
fled the leading hittcrs of the American
League for more than ten wears.
II suppose answered Witt, that
I have battcd at least 800 against
Johnson in my career. The reason Is
that ! always have confidence when
facing him. johnson depends almost
solely on speed. He tries to buzz the
ball past you. For me he pitches right
in my groove. I know where the ball
IL coming and am set for it. That $
| the only way ] explain. it. would
rather bat against johnson than any
other pitcher in the country. for
know just how he is going to pitch
! to me.
Witt Has Good Eye
But Witt hits all pitchers pretty
hard. He is one Of the greatest bats
men in the country. lie has n goot
eye and never hits at bad balls. Neither
does he swing his arms off. lie just
meets the ball, but drives it with tre-
mendous force
Witt joined the Athletics as an in
| fielder and then went to the outfield
In five seasons with Mack, he has
played every position on the team cx.
cept first base, pitch and catch.
He has been handicapped by beinl
injured just when he was going gooc
at infeld posts. lie has always com
planned that he has been switched
around so frequently that he never haC
n chance to concentrate on one position
In the last few seasons Mack has no
had Il great deal of reserve matera
and Witt was forced to fill in .eithc,
the inficld or outiiPd whenever any
thing happened to any player.
, Last year Mack told Witt that HI
would use him exclusively in the out
! field. but injuries to other players forcct
him to fill in at second and third base
Lawton does not want to tackle an.
intcld work any more. lie thinks h'
has found his meter in the outtiel,
and wants to stay there.
Last season only Dugan had highc
batting average than Witt. Dugal
bntted .322 and Witt was only one poin
below his mark. Every player on tn
team compliments. him on his batting
During the last winter Mack ha,
more than ono offer for the hard hitter
The Yanks. Red SoX and Washington
clubs tried to get the sawed off crack
smith in deal, but Mack would ncvc
diStcn to the tcmptcr.