Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-27
More Elusive than Veterans Other Fast Delivery
Catcher Believes-Beat AS I'm 1926 Opener
Heroic Figure in Loss to Pirates.
CATCHING A SPEED KING
By HEROLD (MUDDY1 RUEL
star Catcher of the Nationals.

! Dig league as g. mighty promising lett
handed pitcher, he and Walter hooked
UP in a contest in st. Louis which
witnessed with considerable amuse-
ment, owing to a certain circum-
stance which took place.
The Fun Begins.
| Midway through the game a young
catcher was called into service by the
Washington club to catch Barney.
A pinch,hitter had been sent up to
bat for the regular receiver. auteraati.
caliy forcing the catcher out of the
| game. The seeondstring maskman
was laid up with injuries, therefore
the rookie receiver entered the game,
and the fun commenced
Walter cut one through at a. mile-a
minute clip or thereabouts, but the
kid catcher failed to catch the pitch
and il sailed to the grandstand.
Il guess he crossed you up, didn't
he9" asked the umpire, a kindly vet.
efan of the diamond, stepping up to
the youngster.
oh, noi' returned the rookie. "He
didn't cross me up"
You knew what he was going to
threw" continued the arbiter.
Yes" declared the boy.
Without another word, his umps
| stepped behind the catcher and
awaited the next throw,
1t came, straight as a string, but
fairly sizzling as it shot through the
air. As on the former occasion, the
batter allowed the ball to pass, and
again 1t went Iwhistiing past the ears
of the eatehersand the umpire.
The arbiter stepped forward once
more and addressed the young re-
eeiver.
johnson must have crossed you up
that time. didn't he?n inquired the
umpire.
"oh. ne" replied the yeungster. 81
knew what he was going to threw"
Maybe Saved Life.
The umpire said no more. Turning
to the playing field, he called in stem
terian Zones:
Game called on account of dark
ness!'
1t was only 4:S0 o'clock when the
game was thus terminated, and the
sun was shining overhead. but there
was no objection from either contend,
ing team. Every one realized the
move was justified by the eireum-
stances, as, had the game continued,
there is no telling what might have
happened to the courageous young
rookie who was vainly striving to re-
ceive the shoots of the speed king.
There was a game pitched by Wal
ter Johnson, q very important contest
for the Washington club, which ended
| in darkness and gloom, both as
| regards the feelings Of the Nationals
and the condition of the weather.
| Walter Was the Goat.
This was the seventh game of the
| 1895 world series, when the Pittsburgh
| Pirates wrested from cur grasp the
proud title of world champions. ]
| have never forgotten that contest, 1t
still rankles in my breast because of
the manner in which events transpired
to make Walter the goat rather than
the hero of the battle.
Big Barney had twice humbled the
Smoky City crew, beating them Al at
Pittsburgh en- the opening day OF the
series and shutting them out 40 In
the fourth contest, played In Wash
| ington. We lest the next two games,
Coveleskie and Alex Ferguson being
charged with the defeats, and with
the series tied at three games-ail Wal
ter was the logical selection to twirl
the final game.
1t had rained the day previous to
the final game, necessitating lay-on
by the two teams, and the playing sur
face at Forbes Field was still in poor
condition RIO make matters worse,
rain fell Continuously from the start
of the third innings to the finish OF
| the contest. 1T was a gloomy, sunless
day, growing gl0emier and darker al
each succeeding inning, until at the
close of the game the autfielders were
! ractieally invisible from the stands
have had many arguments about
that game since that time with per-
sons who feel that Walter Johnson
should have been removed before the
close. Rucky Harris. our manager.
has been charged with unnecessary
| sentimentality In allowing Walter TO
remain. / contend that Bucky was
, right in his judgment. We had conf
denee in Barney and 7 feel that IL any
National pitcher could have come
through with victory Johnson was
/ the man.
Pitched Great Game.
! He pitched a truly remarkable game,
| in spite of the wet and slippery cendi-
! ton of the ball and the unstable foot
| ing. and but for some unusual and dis
heartening breaks he certainly would
| have wen He wasn't hit as hard or as
| frequently as one might suppose from
reading the newspaper accounts or the
game or from listening over the radio.
| Two flies to left field, one ques-
| tionabIe hit in the opinions of many
| of the players, the other a lift winch
an outfielder might have caught could
| he have seen it in the semi-darkness;
| a palpahe muff by generally depend
able plaVer, and a failure to make an
attemnted play at second hase-these
and Hazen Cuyier's double to dive ~
! the winning run after some of us felt
/ he had been struck out contributed
10 the tonpling Of the king from his
! throne, and the bringing Of bitter de-
! feat TO the Washington cause.
1t is not my intention here tn be-
; little the playing ability of the Pitts
burgh Pirates or the splendid hght
which they made To win the world
championship in the Fall OF lS2a.
They Waged game, uphill hght IN
coming from behind to win the last
three games of the series, and they
deserve all the glory they got.
His Showing MARRIED.
And yet, In fairness to Walter
Johnson, / must call attention to a
few of the incidents, some OF them
anparently trivial in themselves,
which served to mar his showing In
that hectic last game.
Single off Jehnson--double of
Johnson--tFlpie off Johnsan''-we find
these or similar statements inter
spersed through the story of that
final game. hut If the defense had
been alright at all times or ifVthe
breaks hadn't gene as they did diff
ferent tale might have been written
" For example, in the eighth inning
after Earl Smith had doubled, Carson
B;gbee. pinch hitting for Kremer. hi
an ordinary fly Ia the outfield. which
was missed, owing to the near dark
ness. and the hit went for double
, scoring Yde, who ran for Smith
There were two men cut and we were