Evening star., 1925-09-07
MATS BEAT AS, Fl,
JOHNSON TW|RL|NG
IN BRILLIANT FORM
Defeat Is Eleventh in Row for
PhiladeI phia-Joe Harris
Hits for Circuit.
PECK'S STELLAR PLAY
CUTS OFF MACK RUNS
Champs Are Greeted With Cat
Calls and Jeers-Lead Now
Is Eight Games.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

SHIBE PARK, Philadelphia, Pa.
september Pitching superbly. Wal
ter johnson held the Athletics in
check this morning, while the Ma
tionals got TO the southpaw slants of
Robert Moses Groves to earn a 2-to-1
victory in the opening game Of this
hectic series, thereby increasing their
league lead to eight full games over
their competitors
Walter. who was booed by the rabid
Mack supporters when he first appear
ed on the field. had the same fans
cheering him before play was far
under way. He allowed the enemy
nine hits, but three of them were not
until the ninth round when Comics
tribe averted a shut-out by clustering
three clouts
Peck Makes Great Play.
The only other time Walter was in
any real danger was in the third
round, when Groves singled with one
out, and after Max Bishop flied to
Sam Rice, Mickey Cochrane whipped
two-bagger to left to put the Mack
pitcher at third base Bill Lamar
then cracked a low liner toward left
center, but Roger Peckinpaugh threw
himself in the path of the ball. speared
it with his gloved hand, and, although
falling, clung to the sphere.
1t was one Of the greatest fielding
plays of the year and undoubtedly
killed off two Athletic tallies.
The Champs got to Groves for their
first marker in the fifth frame. With
Muddy Ruel out of the way, Johnson
a <in 81 RI II MoN
skied to Simmons, but Bucky Harris
drew a base on balls and Sam Rice's
one-baser to right sent Walter to the
plate.
The second tally was made by Moon
Harris. without the aid of any one
else, in the eighth inning. Moon got
hold of Groves second pitch in that
frame and shot the ball into the
upper left field stand for a round
tripper.
Macks Escape Shuf-Out.
But one Mack reached third base
before the ninth session. and it
seemed that Johnson would score a
shut-out win when Comics crowd
escaped that. Al Simmons opened
the round by singing to left, only to
be forced out by Red Holt. new first
sacker of the AS. Sammy Hale
famed to give Johnson his only
strike-out of the game, but Bing Mill
er poled a one-baser TO left to move
Holt to the middle station.
Jimmy Pool, deposed initial sack
guardian, was sent up to bat for
Chick Galloway. Pool promptly wal
loped the ball to Goose Goslin's ter
ritory for twoi bases, easily scoring
Holt. Miller, eager to get in with the
tying run, turned third, but Goslin's
VotI of he ho1 fn
was accomplished with such speed
that Bing was forced to turn back
and he ran into Bluege for the final
out of the battle.
Today's defeat was the eleventh in
row for the Athletics
Champs Are Jeered.
Bucky Harms and his athletes were
accorded a greeting unprecedented in
American League history when they
took the field for batting practice, the
thousands of fans in the stands boo
ing them soundly several minutes.
Then come the other display of poor
craftsmanship by the Athletic fans
when Johnson stepped out of the Ma
tionals' dugout to warm up for the
fray. Both Walter and Bennie Tate.
his catcher, were booed by the crowd
in the stands back of first base
Evidently the widespread publicity
given the advance sale of tickets kept
many people from the park. When
play began there were many vacant
chairs in the inclosure. About 25. 600
fans were at hand.
A heavy rainfall last night left the
field somewhat soft, but in good con
dition for play.
FIRST INNING.
WASHINGTON = Galloway tossed
out McNeely. Boos and catcalls greet
ed S. Harris when he went to bat. He
flied to Miller. Rice grounded to Gal
loway. No runs.
PHILADELPHIA lofted to
McNeely. McNeely made a good run
ming catch of Cochrane's fly to short
center. Lamar got a single to center
when his liner fell short of McNeely,
running in. Simmons flied to Rice.
No runs.
SECOND INNING.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. was out,
Groves to Bishop to Holt. Bishop
went back to short center for j. Har-
ris' high one. Bluege got the first hit
off Groves. a single to left. Peck flied
to Lamar near the left-field stands No
runs.
PHILADELPHIA lofted to
Rice in deep right Hale bunted and
was thrown out by Bluege. Miller
flied to Goslin. No runs.
THIRD INNING.
Washington-Ruel walked. When
Johnson came to bat for the first
time the fans were kinder to him
than during his early warm-up. They
gave him good hand. Hale took
Johnson's bounder off Groves glove
and threw to Bishop. forcing Ruel
at second. McNeely flied to Simmons
| in short center. S. Harris walked.
Bishop threw out Rice. No runs.
iladelphia-Bluege threw out
| Galloway. Groves got a single to
left. Bishop flied to Rice. Coch
rane doubled down the left field foul
line. sending Groves to third. Peck
/ threw himself at Lamar's liner and
| fell to the ground but clung to The
| ball. No runs.
FOURTH INNING.
! Washington-Goslin hunted past
| Groves and got to first ahead of
| Bishops throw. j. Harris forced
Goslin, Hale TO Bishop. Bluege flied
| to Miller in deep right. Lamar back
| ed against the left field Stands for
Pkck's fly. No runs.
Philadelphia-Bluege threw Sut