Evening star., 1931-05-01
FIFTH GAME IN ROW
CALLED OFF IN HUB
Johnson Agrees His Mound
Staff Is Best-No-Hit
FeatS Discussed.

ord books yesterday when
the opening game OF the
Red Sox-WaShington series was
called off because Of cold weather.
It was the fifth consecutive game
which had bowed to the whimsies
of the New England climate and
paved the way for Boston'S first
double header, which will be
staged at Fenway Park tomorrow
The facts, as far as the memory Of
the oldest base ball enthuSiastics goes.
are that never before in the history OF
big league base ball. have five games In
q row been called off because OF
weather One or two or even three
games have been postponed, and two
wears ago, the Giants left Boston with
out having lifted a bat in defense OF
their honor. But five games on con.
secutive days, have never been forced
into temporary retirement and there
was much shaking OF heads and
ponderous thought as the result
Otherwise things were more or less
quiet along the base ball paths, al
though both the Senators and Sox had
short workouts at the park in order
to loosen up and keep their hand ac-
customed to the feel of base 5at'.
The Washingtons have been busy all
week, but the hose needed the drill
since they have been without actual
combat since last Saturday when they
finished the series with a win over the
Yanks.
Manager Walter johnson of the
Senators put in busy day replying to
various questions among the subjects
Of discussion being the no-hit, no-run
game of Wes Ferrell. Two members
of the Senator's, johnson and Sad Sam
Jones have gained that han OF fame.
Must Have Luck.
"Ferrell must have had some stuff"
decided Johnson Usually a pitcher
needs an extraordinary amount OF luck
and a good deal Of inspired backing to
get through a no-hit game, but mostly
luck"
Eleven years have passed since John
son pitched his perfect game against
the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Since
then seven other pitchers have expert
enced the superlative delight which
marks the highest ambition Of every
professional pitcher.
IT recall" related johnson, that
had terribly sore arm before taking
the field that day, and was doubtful
whether I could work. 1t gave me
good deal of pain as l warmed up, but
I determined to try it for an inning.
kept at 1t, expecting each inning to be
my last, and finally went the entire
route. I think the records Will snow
that only one man reached base, Mike
Menssky, on an error by Stanley har-
Eis"
Didn't you have any outstanding
saves by your Support?" he was asked,
johnson being reticent where his own
feats are concerned.
well, the nearest thing to q hit
came on the last put out OF the game.
Harry Hooper hit o hard lick Just inside
the frst-base line that Judge managed
to stop because he was playing un-
usually deep. I got over to the bag In
time to cover"
A Bit Of Psychology.
zone thing that gets pitchers goat
above all else Is to 60 along smoothly
for four or five innings and then 10
have some teammate say, Well. you've
got a no-hit game so far Invariably
that pitcher will go back TO the mound
and be shelled to death, showing the
effect that one little idea will have in
diSsolving O mans self-control
johnson was asked whether he re-
Rarded his pitching stan as the best In
the American League, In view OF the
printed opinion Of dozens OF base ball
WTILSTS. he ABTeeQ t2Idt AC NA0s ASh'
ing Jones, Marberry, Crowder, Brown,
Fischer and Hadley as his rotarians.
| with Fischer, . youngster picked up
from Newark, as the one with the like
Hest future Of the lot. Fischer was
, scheduled to start yesterday against the
/ Sox. He looked just like another
ordinary pitcher down South" COM
mented johnson. Had lot OF raw
stun, but wasn't using his brains. We
tried to teach him TO keep his curve
low around the batter's knee, but he
could not seem to master 1t. 1t wasn't
until after the season opened that 1t
came to him of a sudden. Now he
works as heady a game as any man
We have"
johnson rejected the suggestion that
he. having been a great pitcher was
better able to improve the talents OF
his young moundSmen. NO" said he,
there isn't much that you can do. A
pitcher makes himself just as much as
o batter does"
It Is not certain whom johnson will
start against the Sox today, II the
weather Is lenient and permits the FIRST
game Of the week. Charley Fischer, the
Newark rookie, may receive the assign
ment, while there Is the probability that
General Alvin Crowder, who has not
been o rookie for many years, win do
the honorS.
As for the Sox, Jack Russell. the tall
Texan, Is still awaiting his pitching turn
and q chance TO score his second VIC
tory Of the season, against these same
Senators. although the whole stan Is
ready for action.