WINNING IN LUXURY

BIG TRAIN JOHNSON, HIGH-SPEEDING NATS ROLL OVER TIGERS WITH FRIGHTENING EASE, 11-1

By C. Jedediah Butterworth
Base Ball Freescriber

August 1, 1924

What must it be like to be the best hurler in the league, your team juggernauting through the hinterlands, your deep offense able to mercilessly butcher the opposition on an average afternoon?

Mr. Walter Johnson is in a prime spot to tell me, and here I am in the Washington dugout, an hour before game time, enjoying a quiet moment with the even quieter 36-year-old Kansan.

"Cleveland knocked me around pretty well last time out," he confessed, "so I will take nothing for granted with these Tigers.' Aside from that recent League Park disaster, things have been rather rosy for the expert twirler, so much so he has brought his wife and mother along on this road trip. Yet his steely eyes and hard face have seen their share of tragedy in the last few years. Three years ago he lost both his father and eldest daughter, and after a spate of early glory seasons with the Senators, the team fell on a succession of rough campaigns until this one.

"Honestly? I am as stunned and delighted by our winning play as much as any reporter. Who was it that chose us to finish in the second division again? Was it you? Excuse me, Calvin, but I must go warm up now."

His easy motion and buggywhip of an arm can still jelly-leg any fearsome slugger, and the lineup of Tigers are tamed in short order today. Cobb packs it with as many portside swingers as are available, and with Blue out, the seldom-used Al Wingo even answers his call of duty. Lefty Bassler is placed third, and singles his first two times at the dish, but those are the only safeties allotted by Johnson in nearly the first four innings.

Because Joseph Judge has mounted the steps to his high chair. The slick-gloved first sacker doubles off Holloway with two gone in the 1st to spark a two-run rally. He grounds Harris over to be then singled in by Goslin in the 3rd. And in the 4th with two Nats aboard, he slices a ball over the left-center fence for three runs and Washington's second mighty clout in two days!

The Navin throng succumbs to a prolonged bout of funereal silence at this juncture, as Tiger after Tiger mopes to the plate, is hastily retired and mopes back to his dugout seat. Jones and Heilman manage to stroke doubles off the Master, but Cobb and Rigney go a combined naught-for-8 at the top of the lineup, making any sustained scoring drive a thing of fantasy.

We are left with watching the two unrivaled gems of the circuit, Goslin and the Train, perform their usual miracles. With two singles, a triple and his 21st game-deciding hit of the year, the Goose (along with 5-hit Judge) propel the winners' attack, while Walter suffocates any murmurs of protest. With the fate of the game decided in the opening moments, it is still like visiting the Louvre to relish in the workings of great craft. Johnson receives a rousing ovation from the crowd when he bats in the 8th inning—and naturally, strokes his second hit.

WAS 201 500 210 - 11 15 2
DET 000 100 000 - 1 5 0

OTHER AMERICAN LEAGUE CONTESTS ON THIS FINE AFTERNOON:

ATHLETICS 5-8-0, at INDIANS 3-7-2
The minor Cleveland win streak ends, as Burns bests Shaute, with Joe Hauser adding a double and homer to the winning fray.

RED SOX 10-13-3, at WHITE SOX 3-6-1
What begins as a Chicago street fair ends as an abrupt Boston tea party. Trailing 3-1 in the 8th, the Red Sox plate nine runs off Robertson, Cvengros , and Blankenship to shock the locals and bring on a rainstorm of catcalls and aisle trash.

at BROWNS 4-16-0, YANKEES 3-9-4 (10 innings)
Ruth swats homers no. 28 and 29 to bring New York back from an early 3-0 deficit, Beall escapes a pickle to get the game into extra frames, and the Yanks lose anyway because no one can catch the ball and Waite Hoyt can't pitch it. Sisler and Robertson singles begin the Brownie 10th, with Sisler being gunned out at third. No matter, says Baby Doll Jacobson, who promptly triples over Meusel's head to end the game.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Friday, August 1
Washington Senators	69	35	.663	—
Detroit Tigers	55	50	.524	14.5
Chicago White Sox	53	49	.520	15
New York Yankees	52	50	.510	16
St. Louis Browns	48	56	.462	21
Cleveland Indians	47	58	.448	22.5
Philadelphia Athletics	46	58	.442	23
Boston Red Sox	44	58	.431	24