Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-27


random out of the skies. 1t is tan
Every seasoned player has the chance to be
the great inspiration of his team. Every mana
ger has the opportunity to add impetus by find
ing the right combination of spirited players,
both young and old, who will carry on the drive
to the pennant.
These are in brief the opinions of one of the
greatest pitchers in base ball history, and man
whose team has been the surprise of the 1880
American League penIiant race-Walter john
son.
1t was real privilege to spend hour with
this man, whose name has gone down in the
records beside those of Cy Young, Christy Math-
ewson, Big Ed Walsh and. Grover Cleveland
Alexander.
AS waited in the hotel lobby for him I was
thinking not of the pennant race of $780, but
of the days of 1918 and 1914 when Washington,
then tail-end club, pinned its hopes almost
solely on the blond Highlander from Coffey-
vile, KanS. pictured certain day in Shibe
Park II years ago, when Johnson was targled
up in one of his many pitching battles with
Eddie Plank Amos Strunk was On first and
Frank Baker at bat. It the ninth inning
and the score was 90. Baker swung and con-
nected for long double to right-center. Strunk,
a fast hase-runner, rounded second, then third
and dashed for home. The relay from the out
field was perfect, and the ball beat Amos by
two steps. But Johnson's catcher dropped the
ball and Washington lost, To-
Walter Johnson losi many a Misunderstanding
battle ny one run in those days. His disapport-
ments as player have well fortified him for
the neartaches which come to every manager.
An interviewer frequently meets the opposite
Of what is expected. But not with Johnson.
He exactly what I expected; big,
courageous, afTable fellow with the kind of ap-
proach that has made him one of the deserved
idols of base ball.
All signs of his serious illness of two years
ago mad disappeared, He weighted slightly
more than 200 pounds; his complexion was
rudy and his eyes clear.
ssT'ELL me what has brought your ball club
from the second division in 1929 to PEN
nant contender in 1902" I asked 1.-The ex-
perts as a whole picked Washington for sixGl
or seventh this season. You have fooled them,
and you now look like 8 sure 1923 club. What
has been the Inspiration"
The big fellow bowed his head in thought for
q moment and then replied:
"a Tt takes more thar. one factor to develop
winning spirit.
First of all, there must be one or two veteran
players 20 set the example, and on our club
am going to mention Joe Judge and Sam Rice
as The men who did that for us.
"A lot of newspa permen and fans thought
Judge through as a regular major league
first baseman at the end of the 1929 season.
duction as Joe is SO years old, and in his
fifteenth season with our club.
"'But Joe didn't think he was through. He
worked out in gymnasium all Winter getting
into shape, and trained vigorously at South
ern camp in the Spring. Sam Rice our veteran
rightheIder, who is SO years old and has been
on the club as long as Judge did the same.
Their spirit was contagious, and the younger
men caught en- to it. Judge and Rice we're the
inspiration to all They got off to great start
and so did the club. We beat the Athletics, our
1929 iinx six cut of the first seven ball games,
and that made us feel good. So the winning
spirit grew"
johnson thus listed the item Example Set
making CT winning ball club out of loser
Next he discussed the second phase: Round
ing Out the Proper Combination"
Joe Cronin, peppery young shortstop,
whom we obtained from the Kansas City club
of the American Association, and Buddy Myer,
whom we obtained from the Red Sox by giving
up Ave of our players, have given us the win
ming combination around second base, without
which club get anywhere" continued
the Senator's pilot.
"Cronin is the type of player who brings joy
TO a manager. He doesn't think he knows it
ALL and is ever willing te take advice and act
on suggestions from an older head He loves
to play base ball II told him we were to
play Cleveland at O'Clock in the morning he'd
be out there ready to go. Cronin is just young
fellow, only % years old. Myer is only 26.
IN obtaining the proper combination TO win,