Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-27
By HEROI.D tMUDDY) RIEI4.
Star Catcher OF the Nationals.
CHAPTER 6.

competitive sport lies in tn
matching of star against star
In base ball this occurs no
once but several times durins
a season. Babe" Ruth and Walter
Johnson, therefore, each a headlines
In his art. have faced each other OF
many occasions since both climbed t.
places of eminence in the diamond
game. In this article have sought t.
tell, of some of these meetings. and o.
my impressions of the King of Swai
in Action. gained through playing with
and against him,
Babes Coming a Challenge.
In an earlier chapter / mentioned
the challenge of class, the invitation
to stirring battle which every staI
batter, probably unconsciously, flashes
to Walter Johnson and which is in
turn accepted by the Speed King.
Babe" Ruth. naturally, is in this
class In fact. the great hitter of the
Yankees undoubtedly arouses this com
bative instinct in Barney" more fire
uuently and to a greater extent than
any other club wielder in the American
League.
Other headliners may find ball te
their liking at times OF hit safely one
which isn't so attractive, still the game
may roll along without any crashing
of teeth on the part of the Senators
or dread for the ultimate outcome.
It's different in the case of the Home
Run King. however. IL he catches
Z hold of a ball he isn't as a rule con
tent with driving it safely for single
or a double. When he meets one
fairly 1t often means sprinting race
for some eager youngster outside the
mark, a soaring home run swat, and,
frequently-goodby ball game.
When Babe" faces Walter there 8
a real duel of wits as well as of nat
urai ability. out there on the diamond.
Each appreciates the merit of his OPP
ponent and is aroused to the highest
pitch by the impending clash.
1t N difficult to state which star can
cTaira1 the greatest measure of success
4 from these meetings. | have seen
!. Ruth come through with one of his
prodigious snashes when the game de-
pended upon II and / have also seen
the Kansas Thunderbolt" send the
Babe" hack To the bench without a
safe blow when the outcome was
equally as important. Twelve years
the pair have faced each other in big
show base ball, seven years since
Ruth began his recordmaking home
run era, and | think that. II ques-
for the period.
During my major league term OF
service / have been fortunate enough
10 play on a club with each OF these
superplayers. and ! have been thrilled
at the deeds of each at times. ] was
catching for the Yankees in 1920,
when Ruth placed his major league
record of circuit wallops far beyond
his nearest competitors, by smashing
out 81 homers ] saw every one of
those mighty swats. The next two
years spent in Boston, with the Red
Sox. hut in the Spring of 1923 / was
traded to the Senators and since that
time / have been receiving the light
ming shoots of Walter Johnson.
Saw Record Drive.
One of my most vivid remembrance
OF my Yankee days is that of Ruth {
0ver.the-fence drive in September
1919, when he surpassed the then-ex'
isting homer mark of Ed Williamson
by clouting out his 2sth home run.
/ worked against Babe in that game
catching Bob Shawkey, while Ruth
was playing for the Boston Red Sox
The teams were playing a double
header at the Polo Grounds and New
! York was then fighting to retain its
precarious hold on third place.
Babe" went hitless in the first
game. which was won by Boston, with
Sam Jones holding us to five hits. The
big sIugger was naturally just dyins
to get hold Of one when the second
game started, but as inning after in
ming rolled by, it began to look az
though he wouldn't be able to satisfy
his longing for a homer.
WaIly Pipp had robbed him Of a pos
sibie hit by marvellous catch at FIRST
base on Ruth's first time at bat In
the second contest. He was passed
by Shawkey on his second trip to the
plate When next he appeared at the
plate he walloped what looked like q
triple To the centerfield fence, but III
neglected 10 touch second and was de
elared out.
Then came the ninth-and fire
works. We were leading, 10, and the
game appeared as good as won.
don't remember what the count wat
on Babe when the big explosion DC
Cured Shawkey served him a low
ball, inside, then considered particu
larly effective against Ruth. There
was a crash, as the Babe" swunf
his S2-ounce bat, upward in an arc
such as golfer might employ, ant
the ball started on It's flight. Up. up
IT scared, over the top OF the double
decked stand in riehtaeld and out o
sight. II cleared the roof by feet ant
shot over the street, being later picked
Up by small boy in Manhattan Field
across the street from the ball park
Seldom have / seen such a demon
stration az that which followed tn
feat. Ruth was a. visiting player
hut that made no difference witt
the crowd. He had come through
even as the Frank Merriwelis of nc
ton do: he had established new
big league record and he had Turn
ished The spectators with one OF tn
most terrific swats even seen. w
eventually won the game. In the 1871
inning. when Waiiy Pipp beited
long triple to right field and scores
on a sacrifice fly by Del Pratt. bu
I'll venture to state very few of thos
present could today tell the outcom
OF the game. They haven't forgotte
that home run. though.
The End Of the Lane
"Ba be" hit one against Waite
johnson the next season which wa
fully as spectacular. In 1919. whe
Ruth made his first home run mar
Of % he was unable to belt one o
1ohnson's fact halls for the Circuit
and il was not until the aist Of Ma
that he got one against Walter i
1920.
ys1aI arrive. however, HdHe VII ~
his enforced delay. II occurred in tn
afternoon game of that day. playe
between the Yankees and Senator's q
the Polo Grounds. More than $500
fans were packed in the stands fo
the contest.
Walter had been fooling Ruth, mil
ing them up" on him, but in the eight
inning Babe" got his revenge. Wit
one out and the score tied, Roge
Peckinpaugh. then playing with Ne
York. tripled to l3t center field an
Bob Meusel followed with three.bai