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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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FENWAY'S FIRST TEAM May 3, 1912 ... The Boston Speed Boys looked like a bunch of Little Leaguers today before the mighty Walter Johnson at Nationals Park in Washington. Johnson had remarkable speed and no trouble in keeping the Red Sox hitters down to just one run, while Washington scored four runs on Buck O'Brien in seven innings and one run off Jack Bushelman in one inning. O'Brien could have limited the Washington team down to two runs and they should not have scored off Bushelman, if it were not for faults with the fielding game of the Red Sox. The Sox would have lost by a smaller margin, but they would've probably would have lost just the same. The weather was beautiful and 3500 fans saw the game. When it was known that manager Jake Stahl had decided to pitch O'Brien, the fans sat back for what they thought would be a great battle. However they had only a short time to see that the Red Sox would not be a match. Danny Moeller was the first Nats batter and smashed the ball for three bases, later scoring on Kid Foster's single. Then Larry Gardner fumbled a ground ball by Clyde Milan and he was moved up by a sacrifice. That put it was up to Jack Flynn, and he promptly smashed the ball past Gardner, to score and other two runs. By the time the dust had settled, Washington had a 3 to 0 lead, which was huge with Johnson on the mound. Tris Speaker and Gardner scattered four hits through as many innings, but no Red Sox baserunners reached third base until the eighth-inning. Olaf Henriksen was sent in to bat for O'Brien and drew a pass. With one down, he went to second when Harry Hooper was passed. Clyde Engle came up and had a chance to put Boston in the running, but Johnson struck him out. Speaker followed with a single to score Henriksen and at the least the Red Sox were saved from a shutout. Washington added two cheap runs later in the game. In the fourth inning Eddie Ainsmith scored on a sharp single that broke through Speaker and then was muffed by Hooper on Speaker's throw. The fifth run was another gift coming in the eighth-inning. The first man up was Flynn and he drew a pass from Bushelman. He moved all the way around and scored, on a wild pitch, a sacrifice and Bill Carrigan's wild throw over second base. Hugh Bradley, two times was in a position to make trouble with men on base, but he struck out each time on Johnson's fastball. Hooper also struck out twice but then drew two passes. The Boston batters as a rule, swung with everything they had, whereas Johnson's great speed called for a little more control of their bats. O'Brien looked good at times but lacked control and could not be counted on to pitch as well as Johnson. In every game the season so far, Kid Foster has come across with a timely drive that gave his team a chance to score. The young man has shown remarkable poise and all around playing up-to-date. |
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