The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-09-05
WALKING
IT OVER
By JOE WILLIAMS
NEW YoRK. sent. 5.

NEW YORK, Sept. 5.
r WENT over to the hotel where
a the Washington team is stopping
TO have a baseball talk with Walter
johnson. In the main, that is what
It turned out to be. But here and
there the talk swerved around to
Johnson's children, and his little
farm down in Maryland, and a few
other intimate things.
n y n
don't know Just how TO put them dew
on paper. Maybe they don't belong here.
I'm not quite sure. Blu the longer you
ret TO know Johnson the closer you feel
TO him and the more his problems seem
10 be yours.
a few weeks ago his wife died. Theirs
romance. AS Hazel Roberts. daughter Of
a congressman. she had been one q me
Yiyacious. talented.
Johnson was a E~anKling farmer youth
from the Kansas wheat fields. as naive.
unsophisticated and humble a man as ever
came into the biz leagues seeking d%istinc-
tiOn and employment.
q n a
BASEBALL brought them together
ID and if their social lives were
different their characters were
identical. They married and Hazel
Roberts turned her back on the
g~littering splendors Of Washing
toms aristocracy to keep house for
the baseball star. who was famed
for his pitching speed.
She raised him a family of hvs fine
children, she ran the little farm, she
managed everything and when the base
ball star took sick and was near death
she nursed him back to life.
That's the kind Of girl Hazel Roberts
johnson was and; don't suppose one
realize What a tremendous blow her death
was. and what a shallow thing a possible
baseball championship must be to him right
now.
HIS oldest boy. Walter. Is IS. HIS second
oldest. Eddie. Is 10. Typical Of the man
in his grief and formed a new partner
ship. Walter Jr. has taken over, the little
farm: He's the manager. Eddie is his
assistant.
A COUPLE of days after the
"A mother died, Johnson and the
boys held a meeting at which it
was decided they would work things
out in their own way. Most impor-
tant of all it was decided that no.
body would be brought in to do the
things mother had done. Only a
johnson could do those things any
how.
n n q
And so the little farm down in Bethesda,
Md. is being run by Walter Jr.. ably and
enthusiastically assisted by Brother Eddie.
and each night after the ball game. dad
calls up on the long distance phone to
check with the oVerseers and find out how
the chickens are doing and If the lettuce
beds in the truck garden are coming along
all right.
This must. be something Of q sacrifice
being a right smart Young pitcher and as
such is in great demand by the neighbor-
ing teams. especially when there's a big
ship is at stake.
Junior was hit by an automobile in the
spring. hurled high Into the air and
both Of his legs were broken. He still
walks with a limp but pretty soon he will
be thoroughly sound again.
IL ball player. His mother, who
once danced at a Presidents ball,
always said he might be whatever
he wants to be, and his dad still
says he hopes he goes in for base
ball, because baseball has been very
good to me-"
But right now junior can't give much
attention to baseball He. has a lot of
big problems to OCCUPY his time. OF
oou-=e, Eddie can be counted on for some
mar-aI help but after all it is the boss
that carries the mental worries. So. for
the time being at least. baseball must
wait for the coming of a second Walter
johnson. a real second one.
q q q
races. johnson comedies that his team
has only the slimmest chance to over
take the Athletics.
Johnson saws mis- club begged down bad
" on the last western trip and that this
cost them the championship. He has no
great respect for the Athletics as they
are presently constituted and says any
club within striking distance at this stage
would beat them to the wire.
= =
No matter who wins in the
National League he thinks the AS
will be beaten. Grove is the only
pitcher they've got and outside of
Simmons and Cochrane they are
Just an ordinary ball club" says
johnson.