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WALTER JOHNSON -- KING OF 1-0 HURLERS Print E-mail

By Al Kermisch

Vida Blue lost two consecutive 1-0 games in 1971 and fans wondered why those Oakland batters couldn't get this great pitcher some runs. Walter Johnson had this same problem a half century ago, but it wasn't for just two games, or two seasons, but for 20 years.

Johnson, in the course of his career, participated in no less than 64 1-0 games, winning 38 and losing 26 (including two in relief). He took part in twice as many minimum scoring contests as any other hurler. Not counted is his classic 12-inning 0-0 tie game with Jack Quinn of the Yankees on May 11, 1919. Quinn gave up 10 hits, including one to Johnson, and the Big Train gave up only two in 12 frames. He retired 28 men in a row (George Halas of later football fame going 0-5), but the Nats couldn't get him any runs.

The longest 1-0 game for Johnson was his 18-inning win over Claude Williams of the White Sox on May 15, 1918. He also had three that went 15 innings and five others that went overtime. Walter also had a half dozen 1-0 losses in extra time. In the 11-inning game of July 29, 1918 at Chicago, he pitched only the last 1 and 2/3 innings in relief of Harry Harper and was the loser.

Thirty-four different hurlers were Johnson victims, with Doc White, Addie Joss, John Wyckoff, and A. Rankin Johnson being double losers. Twenty-one pitchers defeated the Washington star, with Ed Walsh and Babe Ruth each winning three times, and Ray Collins twice. It is interesting to note that although George Sisler won only 5 games in his career, one was a 1-0 thriller over Johnson in 1916. Following is a complete listing of Johnson's 1-0 games.

Against
Home W.L.
Away
Totals
Boston
1-3
4-6
5-9
Chicago
6-2
2-4
8-6
Cleveland
4-1
0-1
4-2
Detroit
2-1
0-3
2-4
New York
4-1
2-0
6-1
Philadel.
7-0
1-2
8-2
St. Louis
3-0
2-2
5-2
 
27-8
11-18
38-26
 
 
1-0 GAMES WON (38)
Date of Game
Opposing Club & Hurler
IP
H
SO
BB
Sep.
7
1907
Bos.
Cy Morgan
9
7
7
1
Aug.
14
1908
Chi.
Doc White
9
2
10
4
Oct.
7
1908
N.Y.
Jack Warhop
11
5
8
0
June
11
1909
Det.
Ed Killian
7
4
7
1
Aug.
4
1909
C 1ev.
Addie Jose
9
4
8
2
Aug.
17
1909
Phil.
Chief Bender
12
4
5
6
May
14
1910
Clev.
Addie Jose
9
5
8
0
Aug.
4
1911
Chi.
Doc White
11
5
4
2
Apr.
15
1912
N.Y.
Jack Quinn
9
4
6
4
May
10
1913
Chi.
Joe Benz (L)
9
2
4
1
 
 
 
 
Frank Lange
 
 
 
 
June
6
1913
StL.
W. Leverenz (L)
9
5
8
1
 
 
 
 
Earl Hamilton
 
 
 
 
July
3
1913
Bos.
Ray Collins
15
15
5
1
Sep.
5
1913
N.Y.
Russ Ford
9
3
8
1
Sep.
29
1913
Phil.
John Wyckoff
9
5
9
1
May
29
1914
Bos.
A.R. Johnson (L)
9
2
3
2
 
 
 
 
Fritz Coumbe
 
 
 
 
July
6
1914
Bos.
A.R. Johnson (L)
9
5
6
1
 
 
 
 
Guy Cooper
 
 
 
 
Sep.
18
1914
StL.
Harry Hoch
9
5
7
1
Apr.
28
1915
Phi.
John Wyckoff
9
7
4
1
Sep.
8
1915
N.Y.
Bob Shawkey
9
6
10
2
June
7
1917
Chi.
Reb Russell
9
3
6
1
Aug.
6
1917
StL.
Eddie Plank
11
5
3
1
May
11
1918
Clev.
Jim Bagby, Sr.
9
5
5
4
May
15
1918
Chi.
Claude Williams
18
10
9
1
July
25
1918
StL.
Allen Sothoron
15
4
3
2
Aug.
10
1918
Phil.
John Watson
9
7
10
0
Apr.
23
1919
Phil.
Scott Perry
13
9
6
3
June
13
1919
Clev.
Guy Morton
9
4
2
3
June
29
1919
Phil.
Rollie Naylor
9
6
4
1
July
3
1919
N.Y.
Ernie Shore (L)
9
7
4
2
 
 
 
 
Pete Schneider
 
 
 
 
July
24
1919
Phil.
Walt Kinney
9
6
8
1
July
1
1920
Bos.
Harry Harper
9
0
10
0
Sep.
14
1921
StL.
Frank Davis
9
3
5
0
June
18
1922
Chi.
Urban Faber
9
4
1
4
June
28
1922
N.Y.
Waite Hoyt
9
7
9
0
Aug.
24
1922
Chi.
Ted Blankenship
9
5
5
0
July
30
1923
Det.
George Dauss
9
6
6
3
Sep.
26
1923
Chi.
Hollis Thurston
9
6
5
0
Apr.
13
1926
Phil.
Eddie Rommel
15
6
9
3
 
 
1-0 GAMES LOST (26)
Date of Game
Opposing Club & Hurler
IP
H
SO
BB
Aug.
14
1907
StL.
Barney Pelty
8
6
5
4
Aug.
24
1908
Det.
Bill Donovan
9
10
6
3
Sep.
18
1908
Chi.
Ed Walsh
8
3
5
1
May
7
1909
Phil.
Jack Coombs
8
5
9
2
May
10
1909
Chi.
Doc White
10
7
5
2
July
31
1909
Chi.
Bill Burns
9
3
5
1
Aug.
29
1909
Chi.
Ed Walsh
*5
5
1
1
July
17
1910
Det.
Ed Willett
8
4
7
0
Aug.
23
1910
Chi.
Ed Walsh
9
9
12
1
Sep.
6
1912
Bos.
Joe Wood
8
6
5
1
May
30
1913
Bos.
Ray Collins
9
8
9
0
Aug.
28
1913
Bos.
Ray Collins
11
3
10
0
June
1
1914
Bos.
A.R. Johnson
8
5
8
2
May
9
1915
Det.
Jean Dubuc
8
6
6
5
June
1
1916
Bos.
Babe Ruth
8
4
6
2
July
3
1916
N.Y.
Ray Caldwell
11
5
4
3
Aug.
15
1916
Bos.
Babe Ruth
13
7
5
5
Sep.
17
1916
StL.
George Sisler
8
4
8
2
May
7
1917
Bos.
Babe Ruth
94
 
7
1
May
4
1918
Phil.
Scott Perry
**6
5
0
1
June
2
1918
Clev.
Jim Bagby, Sr.
11
8
2
2
July
29
1918
Chi.
Joe Benz
**2
3
1
0
June
25
1919
Bos.
Sam Jones
8
9
2
2
July
21
1922
Clev.
Guy Morton
***8
5
2
2
Sep.
2
1922
Bos.
Bill Piercy
9
5
2
2
June
7
1926
Det.
Ed Wella
8
4
4
3
 
 
*Left game because of sore arm; replaced by C. Smith.
**Lost in relief; Harry Harper started game.
***Left for pinch hitter in 8th; Ray Francis pitched ninth inning in relief.
 

Ken Sanders of Milwaukee appeared in 83 games in 1971, which is no record, but he finished 77 of these games, and that is a major league mark. This pairs him off with oldtimer William White of the 1879 Cincinnati club who set the all-time mark with 74 starts. But who pitched the most games in a season neither starting or finishing? In 1965 Jim Dickson of Kansas City was “middleman” 48 times in 68 games, and Dan McGinn of Montreal equaled that mark in 1969 In 74 total gases.