BOISE, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…July 25, 1913, 110 years ago today:
Washington’s Walter Johnson, who six years earlier had gone directly from Weiser to the majors, strikes out St. Louis Browns pitcher Carl Weilman six consecutive times. Johnson struck out 16 batters that day in 11 1/3 innings…of relief. The “Big Train” went on to win 36 games that season, and he would win 417 games during a 21-year career in the majors. Johnson amassed 3,508 strikeouts, a modern big-league record until Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton and Gaylord Perry all surpassed it early in the 1983 season.
No better person to tell the Idaho part of the story than late historian and Idaho Statesman columnist Arthur Hart: “In the spring of 1906 Johnson came to Weiser, where he worked for the telephone company and pitched for Weiser in the newly formed Southern Idaho League. This was a semi-professional league, with only a few of the top players getting paid. The Idaho State League was made up of a colorful and highly competitive group of teams, representing most of the towns in southwestern Idaho.
“And what wonderful names they had: Boise Senators, Caldwell Champions, Emmett Prune Pickers, Mountain Home Dudes, Nampa Beet Diggers, Payette Melon Eaters, Weiser Kids and one Oregon team, the Huntington Railroaders.” Johnson tore up every team he faced. Boise fans said they saw their team “go down before the mighty Johnson like grass before a reaper.” He had a streak of 66 scoreless innings going when he received his contract offer from the Senators in 1907.
Johnson was called “Big Train,” a nickname coined in 1911 by legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice. His fastball was once clocked at 91 miles per hour — before anyone thought a pitcher could do that. In addition to the 417 wins, second in big-league history, Johnson recorded a record 110 shutouts. Think about that. In 1936, Johnson was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, joining Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner. That’s how revered the “Big Train” was. Johnson was also widely recognized as a kind person.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
Watch more Sports:
See KTVB sports coverage in our YouTube playlist:
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET NEWS FROM KTVB:
Download the KTVB News Mobile App
Apple iOS: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Watch news reports for FREE on YouTube: KTVB YouTube channel
Stream Live for FREE on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching 'KTVB'.
Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
