Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-11


Walter j Johnson, one OF the TIL
the dust of defeat He was cut {
of the Giants, as by the relentless
without sentiment and without re
Johnson lost his second game O.
the series, to =, before a record
c.owd as the Giants moved to with
in one game OF the golden goal tina
waits just beyond. SO the vas
shadows of despair hang heavil,
over Coffeyville, Kan, and Wash
ington, ID. c., where the big, broad
shouldered, sandy-haired pitcher i
something more than a pitcher witt
a fast ball. Walter Johnson, to thes,
two towns, is something more thar
pitcher with a brilliant past. Fl,
is one of the paladins, a bea.
sabeur of sport, an outstanding fig
ure of modesty and courage AM
fairness and great skill. But John
son had waited too long, here fate
and time, the relentless prosecutors
take no heed of anything but facts
For eighteen years, johnson, wit.
his fast ball singing through the
OH, had become one of world series
glory. He had broken records er
route, but his team waited TOT
long.
When all the game is youno. lad,
And pitching arms are Keen.
When morning songs are sung. lad.
Along the sporting green.
Ieen neg for 0ny game. lad.
A rO7Jnn the 1rn1,Jd of ,,Jo,,
Young 6'ood aciU Jj1ld its tame. lad.
And stars 1ciU hare their dov.
But tGhen the game is old. lad,
Ana pitching arms are 1corn.
IN search OF Jane and gogd, lad,
Ihe aging nerves are torn.
And in the dcdd1V S3cerUe. lad.
where hearts must be NnStYunQ.
God grant YoU find one cuYve. lad.
You thre10 1Ohen y0u 4Ucre uouno
Mr.. King Levy knew the ways Of
sport. Johnson, at thirty-eight. ha1
passed the prime of his greatness.
At thirty-eight, in the drive of com.
peutlVe sport, after eighteen wears
of struggle, one may come upon a
great day by some happy chance
but the odds lean to the sinew and
the stamina of youth. For eighteen
years the COffeeville cyclone had
been sending his fast ball by the
Whlrrlng bats of countless stars. In
tnat long span the old elastic ha q
about worn out. The ruhber was
gone, stretched to the breaking
limit. .
Stamina Gone
They got twelve hits from the star
veteran in his first game, and heat
hlm after a gallant struggle in his
fifth game, and his second start the
Giants collected thirteen hits and
three of the six runs came in the
eighth inning when the speed king
was just Il tired old man, calling
upon something that had passed
The passing years had collected their
toll, and when Johnson called upon
his reserve force he found that the
cupboard was empty and nothing
was left but WEAKNESS and heart,
ache and defeat.
Here, in this fifth game, We're all
the settings and the trappings. The
flares were ready to be lighted in
far-aWay Coffeyville to spread their
story of victory across the western
plains.
Here was one of the vital games
Of the series before the greatest
crowd. The president of the United
States was waiting eagerly and
for each play. Thousands
Of letters had come to Johnson, Civ
ing encoura cement for success. We
know of one eight-year-old Wash
ngton lad who sobbed his heart out
I'll night when the king was t-lten
n his first start. Eighteen veal g
and the second chance after defeat
And we happen to know the dead
s. earnestness johnson felt, not only
for himself but for this national I o.
peal. They were all for him. Every
thing was for him but that grim,
and haunting ghost
Known as time. These encroachin,
years are the most merciless of all
ties factors. They are without
sentiment or regard for beauty or
Tor skill. Their business is to col
ect the toll.
Fifty Thousand Watched
Over $4,000 fans at the Polo
grounds sat and watched young
Giants hammer Johnson's speed and
urves for thirteen hits and six rurS.
In the two games that he had pitch
I'd Giant bats had played the funeral
march upon this once all-conquer-
hg right arm for twenty-five hits
md ten runs as the spectre of time
oCked into his weather-beaten face
ina laughed at the vain efforts OF
an old man in sport, trying to play
with kids.
One of these kids was Fred Lind
strom, the young Giant third base
nan. Lindstrom is eighteen years
Did. He was born about the time
Johnson won his first big league
game. Lindstr m tore into Johnson
COR four hits. He had his seven hits
,or two Gays He was eighteen
,.~ainst thirty-eight. He had a start
u twenty years.
If you think this means nothing
you know but little of competitive
sport. Thirty-eight is young in many
fields. One may have the SHOWS of
winter upon his head and the sun
shine of April upon his heart at sew
,nty. But not in the grind and rush
Of competition.
For seven innings Johnson gave
big Jack Bentley, the fast left-hand-
pr, almost an even battle. Through
the first half of the eighth the score