Evening star., 1927-08-03
DIFFERENCE in WALTER.
AND THE GAME is CITED
Ovation Yesterday Accorded Barney as Against Mere
''Hearty Reception of l9O7-Arplanes, Micro
phone and Clowns Are Other New Notes.

From there Secretary Kellogg in
short speech told of the occasion of
the demonstration of yesterday and
presented Johnson with a gold. dia-
mond studded medal, a gift of the
American League. A large silver
service presented by fans was next,
and then a check representing the re-
ceipts of the game yesterday.
Gen. Stephan thereupon took up
the presiding honorS and read a let
ter from President Coolidge praising
the wonderful character of the Wash
ington pitcher and the example he
has set for the youth of the country.
Presents galore. from his teammates,
personal friends and many admirers
followed in order. while several
wounded veterans from Walter Reed
Hospital gathered about the home
plate and presented him with a cop
per tray of their own making.
Yes, Barney Has Changed.
The Johnson l saw yesterday walk
ing froIA the Washington dugout to
the center of the diamond was not the
Johnson Of 20 years ago. He still has
the same slow walking sway and the
modest ENanner, but he is broader and
more matured.
In his first game here he appeared
a little nervous when he faced the De-
troit Tigers. who also We're his foes
yesterday. Yesterday, however. there
was not a sign of nervousness. He
was cool and collected, having gained
poise from weathering the storms of
many diamond battles.
With the pitching of his first ball
yesterday l was taken back to the
first game. There appeared to be the
~, l. 1,al
sailed over the plate, but the steam
behind it was not as great as the first
occasion.
For four innings yesterday Johnson
looked equally as good as the day of
his debut, except. as l said before,
there appeared not to be so much
steam. The Tigers, however. for the
time appeared to have inherited the
bad eyesight Of their predecessors of
former years, who complained they
could not hit something they could
not see, as four went down by the
strikeout route, four on pop fouls and
the others on outfleld flies.
Fading Stamina Factor.
That old stamina of 20 years hard
service began to fail, however, and in
the fifth inning the Tigers landed on
him for six hits and put over four
runs. The old johnson came back in
the sixth, seventh and eighth innings,
allowing but one hit. In the ninth,
however, after a hit was scored, fol-
lowed by force out, and a theft of
second base recorded, Johnson talked
the matter over with Harris and 1t was
decided the old soup bone had been
given enough punishment for the day.
AS Johnson walked from the diamond
he was given a rousing cheer of SYM
pathy from the spectators, similar to
the applause" of years ago when he
left the diamond. to be replaced by a
pinch hitter.
l almost forgot to tell about the
umpires. There were four on the field
when the game started yesterday, one
of them being Billy Evans, who was
the only other person present yester-
day on the field of play 20 years ago.
At that time he remained throughout
the game, but yesterday was forced
to retire after half an inning because
of an injury received several days
ago.
AS on August 2, 1907, Johnson yes.
terday was doomed to fail in his quest
of victory, but again he left the field
defeated, but not disgraced.