The Washington times., 1933-12-30
Unlike 1924 Days


lost. Truly, all was quiet along
the Potomac.
Unlike 1924 Days
It wasn't that way in 1924.
The dramatic climax Of that
series shattered a whole city's
nerves, drove it into an hysterical
frenzy, an emotional outburst that
knew no limitS-and inspired q
night of revelry such as probably
no American city had ever ex-
perienced. Those who witnessed
both said that not even the Arm
istice night celebration here had
been wilder.
Thousands Of people tramped
the streets. From the White
House to the Capitol, Pennsyl-
vania Avenue was a jam of
jostling, shouting humanity. The
clamor was terrific-horns, rat
tiers, pistols, all manner Of noise
making devices that can be
imagined, created a din that
shattered the ear drum.
The spark that touched it off,
this emotional riot. was a luck
laden single from the bat of
Earl McNeely, delivered in the
twelfth inning of the seventh
and deciding game of a drama
crowded serieS-but the explana-
ton goes deeper than that. It
wasn't just the victory, the
4-to-3 score, nor even the worlds
championship; what really stirred
the city's emotions and drove
1t beyond reserve was the fact
that Walter johnson had won.
Opportunity Knocks Late
Something fine and glorious
and altogether right had been
achieved with that victory. For
18 years the Big Train," the
greatest among the great pitch
ers, a loveable. gentle character,
had given unstintingly of his
strength and talents in a lost
cause. His was a martyrs role
there wasn't even the hope
that world series glory and &C
claim, conquerer's laurels, could
be won in Washington.
Then the miracle happened.
The young, eager. enthusiastic
''Bucky" Harris fired the team
with his own personality, drove
1t to an American League pen
nant. Johnson'S chance had
come at last. the day when he.
too, the most worthy of all those
who have done 1t, could achieve
q world series triumph.
But the Giants beat him. And
then q second time. The disap-
po1ntment was bitter, crushing.
But heavily as it weighed on
johnson, it burdened Washing
ton, his admirers, supporters.
worShippers. more. A great wrong
had been done.
Yet seemingly there was moth
ing to be done about it. The
series went into the seventh
game: Washington's hope of vic
tory rested with another pitcher.
II honor was to be won, some
one else must win it.
Fate BeckOnS johnson
But if man provides, fate de-
cides. It brought this vital,
climax struggle that compressed
into three hours the aims and
hopes Of a whole season. staked
In one game baseball's highest
prize, down to the ninth inning
with the deadlock unbroken. To
get 3-to-3 tie in the eighth,
Bucky Harris had to lift his
pitcher, Firpo Marberry, in favor
OF a pinch hitter.
Who was to carry on? The
crowd waited expectantly for
Harris decision. Bucky did not
hesitate. Sentiment outlawed any
other consideration. Yes, he'd win |
or lose with johnson. The Big
Train" was to get another chance.
The crowd rose as one man to |
greet him. A roar of sound met
him before he had taken a step
from the bull pen, an ovation
beyond description escorted him
to the pitchers box Here it was
that for the first time enthusiasm
became hysterical; one Sensed |
that nothing mattered to anyone
except that johnson must win.
In that moment johnson prob
ably wanted most Of all to cry.
What he did was to square his
shoulders. Suddenly 10 years
seemed to drop from them. One
caught 1t Immediately. This wasn't |
the johnson who had lost two
games, This was a YOUNGER. fit
ter man, the johnson who for
years had been invincible, unbeat-
able.
The ensuing action proved that