The Washington herald., 1921-05-13
Erickson Worries Champs.


There must have been some rea-
son for the phenomenal reversal
Of the Redskins at the bat. There
was. This particular reason was
man who stands feet inches
In height. has sandy hair, a fiorid
face and neck, and throws a decep-
tive side-arm ball. The reason is
known on the payroll Of the Wash
ington club as Olaf Erickson, a
Scandinavian who halls from James
town. ". Y.
Upon Olaf seems to have fallen
the mantle once worn by Tom
Hughes, famous for five or six
years as the Cleveland jinx. When
Erickson was a Detroit hurler the
Indians used To welcome his en-
trance to the pitchers box. As
Tiger he was one of the best step
ping-stones to a 800 batting aver
age the Redskins had. 1t is different
now. In a Washington uniform he
brings as much joy to an Indian
as case of malaria During the
campaigns of '19 and 30 he had
their number. and today he started
put to demonstrate he still was
their master.
Olaf looks forward for several
lays to the date when he Is slated
TO pitch against Cleveland. He
feels that the battle is half won
the moment he steps in the box.
Such was the case today when the
tribe scored but one-quarter of the
runs made by Washington. despite
The fact that the Mats registered
two less hits.
Tribe Scores In seventh.
Two real blows by Johnston and
Speaker in the first inning ayaiIed
pothing except blasted hopes for the
reason that the next two Indians
popped out. The Tribe punched a
single and a pass in the second
round Again two men were left on
the sacks as O'NeilI and Jsanieson
we're retired by the air route.
SO IT went until the seventh
inning was reached. 1t was then, in
the lucky seventh" that the Tribe
escaped a shut-out and it took a
pinch hitter, old reliable Jack
Graney, to turn the trick with a
single against the right-heId wall
that scored Stephenson Cleveland
stlIl had two men left on the sacks
In that round. but another air-out
brought the rally to an end. An
ether hope was nurtured in the
eighth, when Speaker doubled, only
70 be withered when the next two
died without pain.
walter Mails was the Cleveland
pitcher so unfortunate to be in the
DoN FOR Cleveland on a day when
nis colleagues showed they had run
put OF base hits upon the previous
afternoon. The Coast soutbpaw
tanned five of his adversaries and
sHSwed but six hits. Such Mitch
Ing would have won most of fhe
games played by Cleveland this
season To have won today. Mails
had to shut his opponents and
ne was not Up to that mark. for
hIthough he PERMITTED but six hits
pc let the Mats get five of them in
punches.
Mails Out a. Luck.
TWO of Washington's runs came
IN the first round. After Judge
mad souled out, Milan singled ana
-Gored on Rice's double. Rice tool,
third on the throw to the plate and
scored on Miller's hot infield smash
a pass. three singles and a sacrifice
ny accounted for the other tue
which were sent across in the fftb
In the other five rounds Mails
worked he pitched brilliantly. as ala
Caldwell during the two rounds ba
laoored as a relief hurIer. seven
FeL-pitched innings, however were
not enough. Cleveland had to bsye
bhutout hurting to win and il was
hot Forthcoming.
III ever pitcher deserved to wi,
today X was Erickson.
The trade that sent Erickson 70
washington and DR.. Ayers TO De.
trolt was a good one for Wasbinp-.l
ton as the lanky Swede still isl
Pltcnins eHectively, while Ayers
mas been released by the Tigers ara
is headed toward the minors nroh
ably Toledo.
Erickson used TO have a repertorv
which Included the emery. mud and /
taliow ball, as well as the sailor !
When the ban was placed on these
freak deliveries, il was Thought he
Eould have to retire Today Inds
nim using legal methods to deceive
and pitching better ball than ever
His fast ball yesterday had a de-
eided hop on 1t. which accounts for
30 many of the Indians being re-
Tired on fly balls.
There were but two Indians
Ehom Erickson could not puzzle to
any extent. They were Manager
Speaker, who made a single and a |
houbble. and "Ole Hoss" Stephen
son, who registered two clean sim
giles and would have had a third but
tor the phenomenal stop by Judge.
Like a shot the ball left the bat.
More by luck than anything else.
Judge put his mitt down. The ball
hit IL. stopped dead and Stevie lost
. hit
Manager Mcbride calls all of his
light pitchers first stringers, hay-
ng been unable thus far to decide /
lpon four whom he wishes to rotate /
and hold the other four for relief |
futy.
Erickson's control seemed to be |
greatly at fault during the early |
part of the game for he was in the
hole on nearly every batter In
nearly every instance. however. he /
would settle down after throwing /
shree wide ones and pitch strikes
anth the batter popped up.
clyde Milan did not look the same /
ielder he did the day before, not
'niy catching all the fly balls hit |.
hims but also. stopped eyery
sround ball cleanly.
Hess stephenson was the hero
oriilant and daring play in the