The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-17
BIG BARNEY.
WOULD
PITCH
Johnson Hopes to Get Into
One of the Coming Games
With Cleveland
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.
DETROIT, July f7-Walter
johnson, American, League pitch
ing ace, believes he should be
strong enough to pitch one of the
coming games against the Indians
in Cleveland, probably the final
next Monday. Barney feels keenly
the necessity for his return to
action and is working out daily In
the hope of getting into condition:
He lacks strength, the result OF
his brief lay-off with tonsilitls.
mike Martin says to get my
strength back before / try to
PITCH says johnson" and Mike
knows more about those things
than I do. He says that going in
TOO soon may set me back and |
don't want that. We've got to
win another pennant and l want
to help"
johnson is working out each day,
chasing flies in the outfield, TAX
ing his turn at the bat in the
batting practice and closing by
warming up with, a catcher before
the grand stand. Intensely pop
ulart here, the big fellow was cheer.
ed by the Detroit fans yesterday
as he closed his workout with q
fine burst of speed, There was
some disappointment among the
fans when he disappeared in the
dugout as it was thought he might
pitch. Detroit will have to wait
till next month to see the king or
American League hurlers in action.
Taking a quick peek at the bat
ting figures of Sam Rice, Goose
Goslin and Ossie Bluege since COM
ing west gives some light on the
question of why the world cham
pions are in second. place today,
Durfug that rush to the top in
June. Rice and Goslin, aided by
Bluege, Harris and Judge, were
ever prominent with the willow.
The Griffmen went into their
fiye-garne series i'm Boston lead.
ing the league. During those five
games. Goslin hit for 400, while
Rice punished the onion to the
tune of .476. Goslin went to
bat Twenty-Five times, hitting
safely ten times for eleven bases.
Rice di6 better than that, going
20 bat twenty-One times and get
ting ten hits for q total OF four /
teen bases.
Once in Chicago, the slump be-
gan for those two valient httters.
In the four games in Chicago, Cos
In got five hits in nineteen times
at bat. Rice got six hits in eigh-
teen chances against th4 White
NSo,-;,a RI sizzling st. Louis,
Goslin went to bat sixteen times
and hit safely but four times, one
of his bingles being a home RIM.
Rice also went to bat sixteen times
against the Browns hurlers, but
he got but one hit, a single in the
final game.
Where Rice hit for .476 against
the Red Sox pitchers, he hit for a
ueasly ESQ in the first two series
out here. Goslin dropped down
from a 400 average in Boston to
.257 against the Chicago and st.
Louis pitchers. when it is seen
these two men are depended upon
most TO drive in runs, their failure
to hit safely has been most costly.
Ossie Bluege. occupying posi-
ton at the head Of the second -diVl-
sion in the batting order, hit for
rlowly .25S during the first two
series in the West. Indeed, his
york was so poor that Bucky Har-
ris changed places with him one
day. Harris hit for 1903 in those
same two series and thought he
might prove valuable lower down on
the batting order. However, he
hoped right back into second place
after seeing Bluege make mess
of following McNeely.
Counting all ten games played
I'm the West on this trip Rice is
hitting for .235, showing a. gain OF
eighty points since tackling DE.
trOit pitchers. Goslin liit~fOr .257
In the first eight games and he
has dropped back one point since
coming here. Bluege hit for .258
In Chicago and st. Louis and his
two hits here has brought his
mark up to 1858 for the ten
games.
Bucky Harris hit for 1903 in the
first eight combats, but Rip Col.
Inns and Earl WhitehiIl dragged
him back to .261, only one hit com
ing of the pair in nine trips TO
the plate. Until Rice and Gosiin
resume their hitting featuring the
upward rush of the world cham
pions in June, the brunt of tie
work falls upon the pitchers and
until Walter Johnson can take his
place in the box, the team is boun4
to be weaker than 1t was in JunE.
The return Of Joe Judge has al
ready Helped the infield. He start
ed and finished double play
yesterday in snappy fashion, some
thing well nigh impossible for tile
righthanded Joe Harris. He also
finished three other double kill
ings, taking throws wide and Low
in his usual brilliant style.
AS soon as Roger PecKinpaugh
gets back into the lineup the
Washington infield will be it's old
self, the best IN the league, If not
in both majors. The veteran is
working out each day, batting ard
fielding and throwing. His sore