Washington DC Baseball

[GeoPoto]

The 12 innings Johnson had thrown in the first game of the Series had no doubt taken their toll. Having struck out 12 in that game, Johnson could come back with only three in game five. He was lucky to get out of the fourth inning without surrendering the lead, as Bill Terrt had tripled to deep right with only one out. However, in the fifth, after giving up a single to catcher Hank Gowdey, Jack Bentley, the "not-quite Babe Ruth," rocked Johnson for a towering home run into the right field seats. It was estimated that the ball landed about a foot fair and a foot inside the upper-deck railing down the short right field line.

Shortstop Bluege, whom Johnson would have loved to have seen at his familiar spot at third, was in cahoots with Bucky Harris to turn a gorgeous double play to get Walter out of the inning without further damage. In the seventh, the Nats turned another defensive gem. Lindstron and Youngs, who'd both singles, stood on the corners with two out. McGraw called for another double steal, and this time Ruel went immediately to second with his peg, stopping Youngs, the slower of the two baserunners, dead in his tracks. As Youngs retreated and a rundown involving Harris and Joe judge ensued, Lindstrom broke for the plate. Harris made the right decision, gunning the ball home to prevent Lindstrom from scoring before the last out was made. It was a close play, but Ruel held on to the ball and the seventh inning ended with the score unchanged.

It was not until the eighth that the Nats closed the gap. With one out and still trailing 3-1, Goose Goslin hit his third home run of the Series, this one up against the upper tier of the grandstand in right. The Goose was coming through in a major way -- his infield single in the second inning was his sixth hit in a row in the World Series, a record which would still be standing at century's end. This home run also tied Babe Ruth's then record of three home runs in a single World Series. Joe Judge promptly followed Goslin's blast with a single to right to chase Bentley. John McGraw called upon Hugh McQuillan, the starter and winner in game three. McQuillan did the job, inducing both Bluege and Ruel to ground out to the infield, which got the Giants out of the inning hanging on to their 3-2 lead.

This all became academic in the bottom of the eighth, when Kelly singled and Terry was walked by Johnson. This was only the second walk allowed by Johnson on the day, but before it was over he gave up 13 hits and also hit a batter. With men on first and second, no one out, and the Giants looking to pad their lead, Hack Wilson bunted. Johnson picked the ball up but fumbled, loading the bases. The game turned on that play and the Giants pushed three runs across on a flyout, a bloop single, and Lindstrom's fourth hit of the day, for a 6-2 final.

As things turned sour for the Nats and Walter Johnson, the Polo Grounds crowd, behind Walter all day, was stunned. Is this what could befall a hero? Past his prime, the once great pitcher had not once but twice failed to make good on a shot at glory. Pressed by reporters during the train ride back to Washington, Bucky Harris defended his decision not to pull Walter from the game despite the 13 hits and only three strikeouts. Harris blared that he wouldn't have made Walter Johnson take the long walk back to the clubhouse even if it had meant winning all of the games of the World Series.

When the Big Train made the trek at the end of the game, he looked particularly haggard and discouraged. In the clubhouse, Johnson lamented his second straight failure despite the fact that he would have willingly cut off his right arm to win that day. Muddy Ruel tried to boost his morale, reminding the great one that the Series was still far from over. What may have counted more was the firm advice proffered by Clark Griffith on the train ride back to Washington. Clutching Johnson's pitching arm, Griffith told him to forget about trying to help his friends find tickets for the next day's game. There may be another opportunity for him yet.

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