San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-08

: historic statement:
"You can't hit 'em when
you can't see EN-"
The Pittsburgh Pirates:
champions of the National League
learned the truth Of Ping Bodic' S
declaration in the first game of the
worlds series of 1925 yesterday after
noon when they met the old star Of
the Washington club for the first
time
The pitching sorcery that is in the
mighty right arm of johnson held them
spellbound, bcfuddled - aye. blinded,
until the game had passed into base
ball history as 4-to-1 victory for the
American Leaguers.
PASSED FROM VIEW.
They could see the ball as it left
the hand Of the big blonde fellow out
there on the mound. no doubt. 1t is
conceivable that they could see it again
for a fleeting instant as it nearcd
the plate, vague and shadowy.
But then it lost itself to their
startled vision, seeming to dissolve
into 4 disheartening thud as it struck
the fat glove of little Muddy" Ruel,
the Washington catcher, bouncing be-
hind them TO Johnson's speed like a
rubber ball. and they would hear the
sruff growl Of Paunchy Charley Rig
Ter, the umpire, saying "stre-vikc
No. you can't hit 'em when you can't
see 'em, and the Pittsburgh Pirates
couldn't see 'cm.
He is an old man, this johnson. as
baseball reckons age. but he brought
back from his departed youth Wednes-
day afternoon all the dazzling speed
of the days when he was regarded rs
a sort of human catapult.
CAREY FORTUNATE.
He allowed the Pirates five hits,
and struck out ten. He gave one base
on balls, and twice hit Max Carey with
pitched balls. Happily Max Carey
broke the force Of one with a rigid
arm, and the other merely brushed his
clothes, else there would Be 10 Max
Carey in the lineup Of the Pirates to-
day.
As inning after inning went past.
and the Jsyhawker Cyclones pitching
wizardy still held the Pirates in
strange batting thrall. the crowd of
10000 men and women, most of them
Pittsburgh enthusiasts. rose and swept
the field with a furious gust of ap
plause for the magnificent old fel-
low.
IL was a sudden and. unexpected.
and whole hearted tribute OF respect
and admiration from n hostile fandUm
to a mighty enemy. Standing at the
plate. waiting his turn at bat, John
son blushed beneath the tan of the
baseball summer, and lifted the long
oeaked cap that covers more pitching
brains than we shall see again ia
many a day.
In all the nineteen years of his
big league career. / doube that John
Jon has ever received demOnstrn-
ton Of greater admiration, not even
IN Washington. where be Is affection
ltely Big Barney 10 the whole
Town.
YOU AMT HUMAN"
The cheers poured ous Of the tower
ng stands in a vocal flood, and the
BID boy stood there shuffling his dusty
hoes in embarrassment until the game
vent on. After the game was over.
1ne Of the young Pirates approached
the big train" ran his eyes up and
Town Johnson's form. then seized his
hand and shook it firmly. saying:
Man you amt human,r
Behind JOhnson's pitching the feet I
looted Sam Rice, center fielder Of the .
Washington club, drove in two of the I.
Washington runs, giving the Ameri-
ian Leaguers the margin Of victory. I
Joe Harris got a home-run. and 50 4
lid Pie Traynor. an industriou, F.
routh Of the Pirates. who will be
beard from at length before this I
series is over, unless / miss my
guess.
And these events here all important 1
'nough, but seem almost insignificant I
Is against the work Of johnson.
In the beginning. be was a Rympa- /
-hetic figure, an old. old man in the I
eternal struggle against youth. You /
felt a little sorry for him as you |
him warming up before the |
game. very slowly. and very delibcr-
ately' as If he felt his years. and |
knew that he had to be very careful. |
SYMPATHY WASTED.
Your heart went out to him as he |
shambled back and forth from mound
TO bench in the early innings. He |
seemed very tired and even sad. Then |
az tie innings moved on and you saw
the young Pirates falling one after the |
other. like infantrymen facing machine |
gun fire, the figure Of johnson grew. |
ana grew before your eyes, until he |
seemed 10 take on the form Of an /
ogre deyouring helpless youth, and |
you commenced TO feel sorry for the |
youngsters.
johnson had 10 Be- in what the base
ball experts ell rare form" too, be- !