The Washington times., 1935-05-29


land 1ndi-
Kirk Miller ans.
This silent, patient man
who for q decade stood alone
out there on the peak to COM
pile more pitching records
than has been the lot of any
hurler before or since his &C.
tive days on the field, is
being drawn and quartered
by the press of Cleveland,
which has put up a solid front
in what seems from this far
away as being entirely too Wig
orous a campaign to GUST him
from the leadership of the
Indians.
! d. g. Is Concerned
Washington dislikes to hear
Of this vicious attack. johnson
not only has left a meteoric play
ing career behind him compiled
while wearing aShing on
9lannels, but he is practically a
resident Of this city and not
just esteemed among men but
actually loved and revered.
So, anything that is vital to
Walter johnson is vital to Wash.
1ngton which deplores the treat
ment he is receiving at the
hands Of critics who have
steamed Cleveland into what
has been described as a seething
volcano of protest against Wal
ter'S handling of the team.
I regret to relate that q meme
sis of Walter JohnSon's is q
member of the writing trade
who not long ago was a candi-
date to succeed johnson as
pilot of the club.
Not Great Sins
The others, for reasons best
known to themselves, have seen
fit to join in the rain of verbal
Shrapnel against a manager
whose greatest sin is to have
failed to win a pennant a year
ago and who has been so bold
as to discipline two of his play.
erS very severely within the
week.
AS for the current season,
johnson has been far from a
failure. He has kept the Indians
with their heads well above the
waterline and for the most, part
his success this year has eclipSed
that OF more than half of his
fellow managers. Briefly, there
are five other teams in the
American league right now
which today would gladly trade
places with Walter Johnson's
! Indians.
| This, mark you, in a season
/ wherein the race is wide open
and wherein few teams chances
! of success can be condemned 50
soon, least Of all Cleveland's. I
say, under such conditions,
walter johnson doesn't rate the
! treatment he is receiving.
J Baseball is not q sufficiently
=, exact science for any group of
:! writers or fans to set a positive
J mark up to which a team MUST
play. Only the owners have that
right, and they know too much
:; to exercise it in so tickle a bust.
ness.
} Since Cleveland is still very
much in the running it is difficult
to see the logic of the attitude
which has been implanted in
the minds of its home town fans.
] don't call it sporty. just or even
decent-at least not this soon in
the race.
} Suggestions To Club
= Among the things I should
like to see the Washington club
do to add to the enjoyment Of
the turnstile passengers is for it's
announcer to give the complete
line-ups at the same time he is
announcing the batteries. In
the majority of games played
the score cards do not carry the
batting order correctly, a condi.
ton which probably cannot be
helped because of last-minute
changes unforeseen by either
management. and consequently
by my friend, Henry TAFT Ro-
der, the publisher of the cards.
! The inconvenience to which
the public is put by such con-
fusion as results from mac
curate score cards was quite
noticeable among that throng
which was at the park Sunday.
It isn't so tough on those who
are right up on their baseball
and know the playing position
of all regulars and substitutes.
lust as they know pitchers and
catchers which are amplified to
the crowds, but these are in the
minority.
It would add greatly to the
enjoyment of all if this sug-
Rested procedure could be fol-
lowed and would not cut down
the sale Of a scorecard which
doesn't happen to be a big item
with the club anyway.