The Washington times., 1925-03-14

Of the United States ever neaIu
President Taft set the style Tor
American Presidents to attend the
games at Washington and PFesioenI
Harding was the first President 10
go to a game in New YORK or any
other city. President Coolidge was
the first American President TO
witness q world series.
The first time / had the honor
of meeting President Taft was at
the ball park, but Mrs. johnson
was well acquainted with the Taft
family before our marriage. Her
father, z. e. Roberts, was Congress
man from Nevada during the Taft
administration.
People often ask: What Presi-
dent was the best baseball FAM?
That is a question that cannot be
answered easily because 1t may be
taken in many ways. Out OF any
one thousand fans, you might find
one thousand different types-all
mequally enthusiastic. But Of the
five presidents who have served
during my time at Washington, Mr..
Wilson and Mr.. Harding were per-
haps the most regular to attend the
games, although President Coolidge
came out many times before the
world series excitement captured
Washington.
The fact that President Wilson
, cOntiiued to attend the games
after he retired from office and
despite his illness, showed he had
q real enthusiasm for baseball.
But 1 believe President Harding
had been quite q player when he
III
stand at one time was interested
I'm q small professional club.
know for q fact, President Hard
Ing was q genuine baseball fan
long before he reached Washing
ton.
I'll never forget the first time
President Taft appeared at our
park in Washington, seventeen years
ago. It was late in the season OF
1903 and our players got 50 excited
that we just handed the game or
booted" as ball players say, to
the Red Sox. But Mr.. Taft must
/. have gotten the baseball fever right
there, because at the opening game
OF the 1910 season he was at the
park early and di1't leave until the
| last batter was out.
Even back in Weiser, Idaho, I
remember it had been the custom
to invite mayor or some leading
citizen to pitch the first official
ball at the opening game of the
season. But on April 13, 1910,
william Howard Taft was the first
President of the United States to
Fitch the first ball of the new base
49, oaf
honor of catching his delivery. /
still retain the historic souvenir,
bearing the personal autograph of
the present Chief Justice Taft.
Jimmy McAleer was Washington
manager then and we were playing
Connie Mack's famous Athletics.
McAleer kept insisting that / go
over toward the Presidents box
and catch the ball he would throw
out. But told him Mr.. Taft
had come out to see a ball game
and not to play catch with me.
Someone in his party overheard my
remark and I afterward learned the
President was amused.
As / remember, President Taft
wore a derby that was quite
1AcaAAOMA0DAO AT tAAO eAAAACs NJ W0C
. either brown or gray. He was
accompanied by Mrs. Taft, and in
an adjoining box sat Vice Presi-
y dent Sherman, real fan, II there
ever was one.
AS happened on so many other
important occasions in my baseball
life, Billy Evans was to umpire
that opening game. Before game
time, Billy made his way toward
the Presidents box, where he pre-
scented a brand new ball to Mr..
Taft. He asked him to pitch the
ball to a Washington player and
the President agreed, Immediately
removing his gloves. In the mean
time. Billy Evans passed the ball
TO Mrs. Taft, who eamined it care
fully and expressed surprise at its
weight.
AS the bell rang to start the
game, the President rose in the
grandstand and prepared to throw
''Gabby'' Street was standing at
homeplate, waiting for the throw,
but suddenly the President shifted
, his position and aimed at me-and
his aim was very good. l caught
the ball and stuck it right in my
/ pocket.
A newspaper-man sitting near the
Presidential box, told me later that
just as the President was going TO
throw the ball to Street, a member
of his party, who had overheard
my reply to McAleer, repeated it
to Mr.. Taft as follows: "Johnson
is a shy fellow. He told McAleer
there was no use being out there
and as you didn't come to play
catch with him. The President
must have been amused. because
] was told he laughed aloud and
asked where I was standing. I'm.
Tnediately afterwards, he threw the
ball and / caught it.
As j recall, we beat Eddie
!. Plank and the Athletics that day
by the score of I to 0 and the
WasitOrs only got to me for one
safe hit. The official attend
ance figures were given at
12.5OO-and it was then an
nounced as the largest crowd
that ever saw a ball game in
Washington, ID. c. Quite a diff.
ference from the $1,000 that
IIed into the park each day
uring the last world series.
Three years later i had the homo
pitching another opening gam'
The season in the presence Of al