Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-25
BY NORMAN BEASLEY.

A year or two ago Joe Williams,
prominent New York sports writer,
called Walter johnson "the finest char
acter in base ball." and, looking back
over what he had written Joe went
| further and wrote this: THE finest
character in sports"
1t was wonderful tribute and a
true one. Year in and year out, for
many years, Walter johnson has re-
ceived letters and kilograms and mes
sages from all over the world from
persons he did not know in recognition
of his great worth to base ball and his
ideals as a man. Today he Is in the
difficult position of trying to manage
Washington team to a pennant,
whereas a few years back he pitched
it to one, and then another.
This Washington team, as 1T stands,
is not a pennant winner. johnson has
fine pitching and, as the months go on,
he may have great pitching. He has
an infield defense that ranks with the
oest in base ball. He has catching, and
ne has swift outfielders. Fifteen years
ago ne might have won pennant
with such team; certainly his would
have been a team to be reckoned in the
pay off. Today base ball is not pitch
ing and fielding; it is pitching and
batting, and looking over the Washing
ton team there is definite lack OF
hitting.
Must Seek Run at a Time.
It is q team that will have to play for
q run or two at time, piling them up
until they reach four or five runs in
that many innings and then deperG
upon its pitching to hold the lead. In
these days of slugging, smuggling such
| as is contained in the Philadelphia, New
York, Detroit or Cleveland line-ups, four
or five runs game isn't going to win
| q majority of ball games.
Washingtons punch is confined TO
! Goslin (when he reports, Judge, Rice,
Bluege, Barnes and Myer. So far as
Goslin is concerned he is an overrated
hitter A good hitter when a team is
| far behind or far ahead, but not de-
| pendable when one or two runs are
needed to tie, or win. washington
lacks the wallop. It hasn't a player
who is prone to ripping the cover of the
ball when men are on bases and runs
| are needed in the later innings OF a
| game. This year Barnes may furnish
that. In the same analysis, he may not.
| of Averill of Cleveland Washington
could be depended upon to give the
| Athletics fight through to the finish.
Among the pitchers washington has
I one who should win, but hasn't. The
| pitchers name is Hadley-Bump Had
! ley, as you know him. Walter johnson
| says this of him: He is the greatest
| natural pitcher / have ever seen. He
| has fine speed, wonderful curve, a
| good slow ball and control, but he hasn't
won many ball games"
| This year Hadley may clear of all the
| promises of his ability. In other years
| he has not been winning pitcher
! largely because of lack of confidence
| in himself and an unwillingness to pun
| ish himself to get into condition and
| stay that way. He is a fine boy, OF
clean habits and clean thinking, and
| this Spring, instead of encouragement
johnson has adopted the tactics OF
making him work.
The change In the managers attl-
| tude came last Summer and includes
q story; it was near the end of the
season and Philadelphia playing Wash
ington had defeated Hadley with bar
| rage of singles, doubles, triples AND
home runs. A few days or so later
while the pitcher was chasing flies IN
outfield practice johnson walked out
to him.
Shamed Bump Into Action.
Bump" he said, I'D be ashamed OF
| myself to take a beating such as you
took. / wouldn't laugh over 1t. I'd be
so ashamed of myself that I'd get even
| with somebody"
4 Hadley shut out Detroit with two hits
at him and then declared: I'm COINS
TO give YOU chance to- get even
You're pitching today"