LOG OF OLINDA GAMES AND OTHER FULLERTON ITEMS AS REPORTED IN FULLERTON TRIBUNE AND OTHER PAPERS SEE HISCHOOL.LOG FOR NEWS OF FUHS AND OTHER HS GAMES! In a book called California State Historical Landmarks, published in 1981, Olinda is listed as landmark #918 at 4442 Carbon Canyon Road. The description mentions the 1897 oil discovery, Olinda's boom town days, and Walter Perry Johnson. Unlike other landmarks, it doesn't have a marker, according to this compilation. However, I have photographed a marker at the site. It doesn't mention Walter Johnson. 1899 There is much news of "gushers" and activity in the oil fields of the Santa Fe and several other companies. 6/23 "Walter Ford [Anna Perry's future husband?] will arrive here in a few days from Kansas and accept a position with his brother J. E. Ford." [James E. Ford is mentioned occasionally as proprietor of the "Fullerton News Depot".] 7/28 "Walter Ford went with his brother's family to Long Beach Wednesday, this being his first trip to an ocean." =============================================================================== All issues missing from 8/18/1899 through 9/7/1901, then: 1901 7/ 2 LAT -- "A game of baseball has been arranged to take place in Anaheim on the Fourth between the Olinda and Tustin teams." 9/28 "Jake and Herman Stern and Maurice Ray went to Los Angeles to spend the Jewish holidays." 10/26 "The trustees of Olinda school district have secured for $1 a 50-year lease on an acre of land from Graham & Loftus for the new school building." 10/26 "Edward L. Doheny has purchased a $125,000 residence in Los Angeles. He is now a very rich man, but when he began operations in the Fullerton oil field he was only worth a few hundred dollars." 11/19 LAT -- "The game of baseball yesterday between the Tustin and El Toro clubs resulted in a tie, 15 to 15. The game between Santa Ana and Olinda announced for Santa Ana was not played." 12/14 The Olinda Oil Wells were mentioned as winning a game at Olinda last Sunday [12/8] against an unnamed opponent. Next Sunday they will play El Toro at Santa Ana; "El Toro and the Olindas are now tied for first place." This was the earliest reference I could find to the Olinda Oil Wells, although there may have been others in the missing issues. =============================================================================== 1902 The Olinda column appears only intermittently in 1902 and 1903; often the news from Olinda is mixed in with Fullerton news in general. 1/29 "The Fullerton Oil Well baseball team defeated the Anaheim nine in a game at Anaheim Sunday [1/25] afternoon." There is occasional news of the Oil Wells team throughout the next two years. I will only give a few items... "Born, to Mr. & Mrs. Frank Perry of Santa Fe wells, Jan. 27, a daughter." 4/24 The Trilbys walked out of a game at Santa Ana in displeasure over an ump's fair or foul call. 5/ 1 "Mr. & Mrs. Frank Perry left this week for the East where Mr. Perry will drill a number of oil wells." "A colored baseball team from Los Angeles [which one?] crossed bats Sunday [4/28] on the local diamond with the Olinda Oil Well team. A large crowd was in attendance and great enthusiasm prevailed. The game resulted in a victory for the Los Angeles team, the score standing 8 to 5." 5/ 8 "There are 93 children of school age in Olinda district and 61 under age." 5/15 "A Warm Game "Sunday's ball game [5/11] was witnessed by fully 200 people. The contestants, the Olinda and Norwalk nines, the two crackajack teams of Southern California, both put up a hard fight for the honors, but the game resulted in a tie, as follows:" [Complete box and line scores, a 5-to-5 tie, with the Norwalk team including "Anderson, LF, and Broadbendt, P & SS", both later Rivera players, and the Olinda lineup including Burke C, Cripps P, Tuffree SS, Fuqua 1B, Wagner LF.] There were frequent mentions all year of the Fullerton High School team, capped by the 6/14 victory over Redlands for the "Southern California Interscholastic" title. 7/ 3 Olinda was awarded a voting precinct for the coming elections. 7/24 "Walter Ford and family have moved back from the oil wells, occupying the Henderson cottage south of depot." 9/11 "Opening of Olinda school has been postponed until Monday, the 15th, when the schoolhouse has been completed." 11/20 "Oil well nine defeated Fullerton high school team in a ball game here Saturday afternoon [11/15]. The locals played a good game but were unable to hold the oil lads down at the bat. Score, 7 to 6." 11/27 "A new ball team has been organized in Olinda compused of Fuqua and Workman, battery; first base, Russell Annin; second base, Frank Cook; third base, John Tuffree; right field, D. Hetebrink; center field, Coons; left field, Max Schumacher; shortstop, Joe Burk [sic]. A practice game was played Sunday and a match game will be played Saturday with the Anaheim team. The boys want a game with the Fullerton nine and expect to help toward fixing up the diamond that was used last year. This team is very heavy, all the men being big, well- built fellows, almost large enough for a football team." =============================================================================== 1903 2/15 Stern & Goodman 14, Tustin 12. 13 inns. Joe Wagner played for S&G. 2/22 Stern & Goodman 3, @ Whittier 10. 4/26 Olinda 24, San Bernardino 3, @ the oil wells. Crips P. 5/14 "Mrs. Frank Perry is entertaining her sister and a friend here from the east for a visit." The Olinda Oil Wells are to visit San Bernardino next Sunday to play that town's team. The winner will then play the "Hoegee Clowns". A special train is being chartered to take several hundred Oil Wells fans from Fullerton and Anaheim to the game. "Handsome new uniforms will be worn for the first time on this trip." 5/21 Brea Canyon defeated the "Puente oil wells", 31-17 last Sunday! "Mrs. J. L. Perry is recovering from a severe illness." "The Olinda team returned from San Bernardino Sunday night [5/17] at 10 o'clock on its special train..." 200 fans made the trip to watch them defeat the "boilermakers" 10-3, then lose to the Clowns of L.A., 6-2. "Krips gave out" in the 3rd inning of the 2nd game and was replaced by Wagner. 6/11 "W. M. Ford finished a cottage at the Brea canyon oil wells yesterday." 7/16 "J. L. Perry and family of the Santa Fe wells are at Newport for a few days' outing." 7/26 AG -- "Santa Fe Wells" 5, Apex of L.A. 6, 10 inn. Crips. 8/ 2 Olinda 2, Trilbys 0. Crips & Brown the battery for Olinda. From here on, the Oil Wells seem to be playing all their home games in Anaheim. 8/ 9 Olinda 22, Hamburgers 4. Crips & Perris. 8/23 Olinda 6, Americans of L.A. 2. Crips & Perris. Box score. On the same day, the "Oil Well boys" beat the "Puente station nine" by a score of 16-10. Could these "boys" have been Walter's team ????? 9/ 6 Olinda 6, Apex of L.A. 14. Crips & Perris. Box score; Easterly played 2B for Apex. 9/13 "Olindas Again Defeated" Burnett "deserted" to Glendale because Olinda wouldn't pay him. Crips & Walters [Watters?] battery. Lost 4-5 @ Anaheim. Scorer was listed as "M. Ray" in this box score and in several others. 9/27 The Olinda vs Trilbys game was prevented by rain. 10/14 LAT -- "Championship Baseball. The baseball championship of Orange county is to be decided in a series of three games arranged between the Santa Ana nine and the Olinda team, the crack aggregation from the norhtern part of the county. The first game is in Santa Ana the next Sunday, the second at Anaheim the next week, while the place of the third game should it be necessary, has not yet been fixed upon. Both teams are confident of victory, and between them represent the best baseball talent of the county, assuring good names. Followin will be the line-up:" [lots of familiar names, including Crips P and Burke 2B] 10/25 "The Oil Boys" won a game against a "picked team" from Santa Ana by a score of 11-4. On 10/18 they had lost 14-4, or maybe 12-4. [LAT says 12-4, with a crowd of 1,200 on hand.] Next Sunday they will play "for the championship of Orange County". 11/ 1 The Olinda team was to play the Trilbys, a colored team from LA, at Anaheim. Maurice Ray is mentioned as the storekeeper at the Stern & Goodman store at the oil wells. [Their downtown Fullerton location is always referred to in advertisements as the "Mammoth Stern & Goodman Department Store"!] 11/12 Under Anaheim news, "a lease was signed which will give Anaheim the finest baseball park in Orange County... The grand stand will seat over 500 persons." The Olinda team was to play Green's Nebraska Indian team there soon. The ball park was to be just south of the Southern Pacific uptown depot. A diamond in Olinda was also mentioned, where teams such as Santa Fe-Barber, Columbia and Graham-Loftus [oil company teams] played. 11/15 AG -- Young Americas of Anaheim 4, L.A. Heralds 15. Complete box, listing G. Meats 1B, W. Meats CF, and Lewis 2B. 11/19 "A party of Olinda sports" was going to the automobile races in LA to see Barney Oldfield. 11/22 AG -- Olinda was to play Downey. 11/26 AG -- Young Americas 23, Walkover club 5, on Thanksgiving Day. The YA lineup was given and included both Meats, with "F. Lewis" as 2B and manager. 11/29 AG -- Olinda 25, Glendale 1. 12/ 3 Under "Brea Canyon Wells": "Mrs. J. L. Perry, Mrs. Frank Perry, and Mrs. Frank Johnston [sic] and children of Santa Fe wells spent Thanksgiving with Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ford." 12/20 Olinda 20, picked team 5. The entire story: "An interesting baseball game between the Olinda nine and a picked team was played on the Olinda diamond Sunday, with an unequipoised score of 20 to 5 in favor of the Olinda team. Omitting a few errors by the picked team the score would have been very near equal and this must not be overlooked for reason that most all the players of the picked team had little or no practice, and the Olinda team was very much disappointed for the reason that they did not shut them out entirely. For the first few innings Mr. Crips officiated for the Olinda team in the box. Then came Hemus to the box who reminded one that he was giving an exhibition of physical-culture, and then as the sun was about to set, a large rube, a brilliant sattelite from 'spinach-town', wandered into the box with a red and blue underpinning, and what a sight; he pitched ball like the score was 30 to nothing in favor of the picked team and more runs coming. Poor lad, he will get used to playing the game they call baseball in a few moons and then cabbage-village will not have to worry about his recklessness, and he wont wonder what is going to come out in the papers; he will have it pat then and will rest easy. Then to put the outside coat on, the wonderful home run hitter, Mr. Burnett, went to bat at least a dozen times, and off of the pitchers of the picked team side he managed to swat out a single occasionally, and when he wasn't doing that he would run two men on a base for a double. The only star playing that was done on either side was by Clever, the left fielder of the picked team." 12/13 Olinda 6, Hamburger 10 @ Olinda. "The pitching by both Crips and Crandall was easy meat for the Hamburgers to dish up..." 12/27 Olinda 8, Apex 11. No mention of pitchers. =============================================================================== 1904 There were regular stories on the Olinda team's games. The pitcher was usually Crips or Crandall. 1/ 3 AG -- Olinda 11, San Bernardino 0 @ Athletic park. SB team is referred to as "the Mormons". 1/14 AG -- "Sunday afternoon at Athletic park Olinda will contest for supremacy against the Hamburger nine of Los Angeles. The two nines are ancient antagonists, and a rattling good game is promised." 1/17 AG -- Olinda 10, Hamburgers 4. Complete box and line score. 1/31 AG -- Olinda 9, Alles Typographers of LA 4. "Next Sunday afternoon Tuft-Lyons of Los Angeles will contest with Olinda at Athletic park. The oil men have vanquished everything in sight, but a quiet tip has gone forth that the foreigners will skin them at Sunday's game." 2/ 7 AG -- Olinda 6, T-L 5. 2/11 "George Perry [Minnie's brother?] left Monday for the East." 2/24 LAT -- In the San Bernardino column, "The locals will play the Olinda team next Sunday here." 2/28 AG -- Olinda 22, Covina 1. Crips pitched against pro Dolly Gray. 3/ 6 AG -- Olinda 6, Apex 3. No box or line but good story: "Schoolmaster Crips and his band of foothill farmers put curves around the Apex ball-tossers from darkest Los Angeles at Athletic park on Sunday afternoon, the sum total standing 6 to 3. The farmers have not been beaten for so long it is proposed to bring Jim Morley and his tribe down this way to show them how it smoked during a game of ball hereabout. Morley has been in Anaheim before. He wore a uniform, but put up such an inferior article of ball that was warned never to come to town again. But since he has a pennant to the good and another in sight, censorship against him will be relaxed and efforts will be made to bring him and his Indians here to see what real baseball is like. After Morley the Chicago white stockings may be brought down for a bit of warming up. "Apex played five professionals, including Courtney at second base [TB lists Ernie Courtney as an infielder 1902-08 with a .245 lifetime BA] and Bersino at third. Simons and Mangerino were in the points [battery] and the team was probably the strongest the oil men have played against this season. "Crips and Perris performed battery work for the oil men and acquitted themselves creditably. "A tin cup of kopecks changed hands on the result and there was much wrangling during the game... "Owing to the absence of scorer Ray no official score of the game is available. Fifteen hundred people witnessed the game." 3/13 AG -- Olinda 3, Apex 9. "Jasper" Crandall and Easterly were the Oil Wells' battery. Oscar Jones, a "notable of the game", pitched for Apex. [TB lists an Oscar Jones who pitched for Brooklyn 03-04-05, with 44-54 total W-L. Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball lists Oscar Jones as winning 37 games for L.A. in the Cal League in 02.] 3/18 LAT -- "The Olinda baseball nine will play the Covina team at Covina next Sunday." 3/20 AG -- Olinda 4, @ Corona 5. [Could AG have the opponent wrong, in view of the LAT items?] 3/22 LAT -- Olinda 4, @ COVINA 5. "The Olinda baseball team of Anaheim met defeat from the Covina team on the home grounds yesterday afternoon, the score standing 5 to 4. The Olinda team is the finest aggregation of amateurs in Southern California and the Covina boys feel correspondingly jubilant." 3/27 AG -- Olinda 6, Apex 2 @ "Busher park". Crandall and Easterly. Apex was "without its bunch of professionals". Maybe they had all departed for the places where they were playing professionally? 4/ 3 AG -- Olinda 19, Heralds 2. "Olinda toyed with the 'Heralds of Los' at Athletic park on Sunday afternoon by a score of 19 to 2. It was, according to one of the bleacherites, 'the wonderfulest' game of ball on the local grounds... "Anaheim schoolboys defeated Fullerton Kids on the Lemon street grounds on Saturday afternoon, 15 to 9. "Olinda will play a series of games at Athletic park with Los Angeles nines, beginning on Sunday afternoon with Hamburgers..." 4/10 AG -- Olinda 9, Hamburgers 3. 4/17 Olinda 4, Modern Woodmen 14. Crips & Crandall pitched. The article mentioned that several Olinda players were ailing or missing. 4/24 AG -- Olinda 14, Owl Drug Store of LA 6. "There will be no game on Sunday afternoon next. The oil men will have their annual pilgrimage over the blistering sands to the sea. They go down in tallyho, tandems and other up-to-date rigs. It is expected there will be several high tides before the outlaws return..." 5/14 LAT -- "The Young Americans of Anaheim will play baseball on the local ground with the Pacific City team Sunday afternoon. The C. Leonardt nine of Los Angeles will also play the Fullerton Oil well nine at Olinda Sunday afternoon." 5/29 AG -- Olinda 10, Woodmen 0. Crandall pitched. This was Olinda's 3rd win out of 4 games with LA teams. 6/ 4 LAT -- The Santa Ana column mentions the coming wedding, in Fullerton, of 24-yr-old Joe E. Wagner who "is one of the star members of the Olinda baseball team". 6/ 5 AG -- Olinda 11, Tufts-Lyon 4. Complete box & line. Crandall & Perris were the battery. 6/19 AG -- Olinda 14, @ Pomona 2. Rube Crandall had 15 K's. 6/26 AG -- Olinda 6, Rivera 2 @ Los Nietos. Crandall & Perris. 7/ 4 AG -- Olinda 5, San Pedro 0 @ Fullerton. Complete box & line. Crandall & Perris again. 7/10 Olinda 5, Long Beach 2. "The Olinda team has now defeated every team in Southern California with the exception of the Ventura ball tossers, with whom they are trying to get a game. If they can defeat that team they will be the undisputed champions." 7/24 Olinda 21, Eureka 6. "The Olinda ball team easily defeated the Eureka nine of Los Angeles Sunday at Anaheim by a score of 21 to 6. The battery was Crinton and Lehy for the visitors and Crandall and Perris, Johnson and Collins for the local team. Crinton struck out 2, Crandall 6, and Johnson, the crack pitcher of the Olinda 'kid' team, fanned six men in the three innings which he pitched. [It doesn't say which pitcher allowed how many runs. There was no mention of this game in AG or SAB.] "Next Sunday the oil well boys will cross bats with the San Bernardino team at Oceanside." Although there are regular reports during most of 1904, some including box scores or lineups, of the Olinda team, there are no other mentions of Walter Johnson during 1904. Also, there isn't any mention of the "Olinda kid team". 8/ 7 AG -- Olinda 8, Hamburgers 12. To play Owls on 8/14. 9/18 AG -- Olinda 0, Woodmen 1 @ Chutes, 11 inn. [In its article before this game, LAT referred to Olinda as "the oil-well team from the Santa Ana country that has skinned almost every city team that has gone against it."] Meats listed in RF for next Sunday's game by AG. 9/25 AG -- Olinda 5, Woodmen 0. Crandall & Easterly. 10/ 8 LAT -- An item in the Ocean Park column states -- "The Olinda baseball team from Fullerton will play the Santa Monica boys on the Rose-avenue diamond Sunday." Rose Avenue is on the northern edge of Venice. 10/16 AG -- Olinda 5, Owls 6 @ Chutes. Crandall & Easterly. Meats in RF. "Oscar Jones, the national leaguer, played second for the Owls." This is the last mention I can find of an Olinda loss. LAT had lengthy report and box of this game. Burnett played SS and batted cleanup for Olinda. 10/30 AG -- Olinda 12, Long Beach "Sanddabs" 2. Crips & Easterly. 11/ 6 "Olindas defeated the Hambergers Sunday in one of the best ball games ever played at Anaheim, by a score of 7 to 4." [AG says 7-3!] Batteries were Crandall and Easterly vs. Downey and Roberts. 11/13 "Tom Young, business manager of the Olinda ball team, is endeavoring to enlist the interest of local business men in a scheme for an inclosed ball park. In view of the large interest taken here in the national game, and the fine quality of ball put up by the Olindas, there is little doubt such a scheme would pay well. Mr. Young has received substantial encouragement, and it is highly probable that the scheme will be put through successfully.--Anaheim Plaindealer." The Olindas defeated the Woodmen of L.A., 19-3, with the latter team committing 14 errors! Batteries were Crips (a 2-hitter) and Easterly vs. Garcia, Connor and Lumley. "The feature of the game was the fine base running of Mott, the new left fielder of Olinda." 11/20 Olinda 7, Tufts-Lyons 5. Crandall & Meats. "The Santa Ana Stars yesterday defeated the Texas Sluggers by a score of 9 to 7." Batteries were Oscar Smith and Charles Berry vs. Stovall and Mead. 11/25 LAT "A baseball game between Olinda and Rivera will be played at Los Nietos grounds tomorrow." 11/26 LAT Two articles side-by-side mentioning Orange county baseball: "Newsies Lose Out. The Olives of Orange defeated the Los Angeles Newsies by the score of 7 to 6, yesterday afternoon, at Orange, in a ten-inning contest. R. Smith and Mechler formed the battery for the newsies, while Morrison and Graves served in that capacity for the Olives. "Pacifics Are Beaten. The Olinda baseball team defeated the Los Angeles Pacifics on the Anaheim diamond yesterday afternoon, by the score of 5 to 4. The Pacifics secured fourteen hits off the Olinda pitcher, but could not win." 11/27 Olinda 3, Owls 1. Crips and Easterly vs. Champion and LeBrandt. 12/ 4 Olinda 9, San Pedro 0. 12/22 In Santa Ana, an Elks team was being organized which would include such players as Clifford Cravath and Sam Dungan. There were at least two more Orange County papers mentioned which I hadn't heard of -- the Anaheim Plain Dealer and the Orange Post. =============================================================================== 1905 1/ 1 Olinda 6, Tufts-Lyon 4. Crips & Meats the battery. This game and all others of the Olindas were at Anaheim unless stated otherwise. (There is never any mention of the exact location of the Anaheim ball park. This seems to be common knowledge.) In Santa Ana, "Clifford Cravath" played 3rd base for the Santa Ana Elks in a 25-5 win over the Riverside Elks; he had 4 doubles. In AG: "Jasper Crandall, the oil men's change pitcher, has gone to San Pedro and will henceforth wear a seaside uniform. Crandall is a good one, and fans hereabouts are sorry to note his departure. Jack Burnett is said to be slated for a promotion into the big league. He is probably the best non-professional player in California, and his services are said to be in demand by several league clubs..." 1/ 8 Olinda 5, @ Pomona 4. Crips & Meats. 1/15 Olinda 6, Owls 3. Crips & Meats. There were complaints about the paucity of the "collection". 1/22 The Olinda school team beat a "picked team 8-5 on the local diamond... The professional Olinda team is expected to play the once famous O. O. W. team that has an unprecedented record, on the local diamond Sunday. This game will depend on whether the players of the latter nine can be gotten together, and if so a warm game is promised. For particulars consult Tom Young or Joe Burke." 1/27 SAB -- "During the past two years some of the best ball teams in Southern California have been playing on the local diamond, under the management of the Olinda team. The grounds have never been fenced and the home boys take up a collection at each game to defray the expenses but the contributions have been so light the past three months that the Olindas have had to meet a good sized deficiency and they say unless Anaheim incloses the park or comes to the front with a larger purse they will call the games off and play elsewhere." 1/29 Olinda 5, @ Rivera 4. No details. Elsewhere: "Walter Johnson and Grover Collins have been added to the list of professional players for the famous Olinda team." AG gave score as 6-5, also no details. (See RIVERA.LOG for the most complete story of what was probably Walter's first start for the Oil Wells.) 2/ 5 No news. AG says there was more than 4" of rain during the week. 2/12 AG -- The Olinda-Hoegees game was called off due to dust storm caused by Santa Ana winds, in spite of the presence of a large crowd. 2/16 In Olinda news, "Roy Perry and his wife, who were married last week, have returned from an extensive tour of Southern California and will make their residence at the wells. Mr. Perry is an employee of the Iowa Oil Co." [Walter's uncle Leroy?] 2/18 [The Norwalk HS game.] 2/19 No mention of the Olindas, but "baseball at Anaheim next Sunday, Olinda vs Downey. Battery for Downey, Lane and Easterly." 2/23 AG -- "After two ineffectual attempts [2/12 & 2/19?] to have a ball game at Athletic park, a contest is scheduled for Sunday afternoon [2/26] between Olinda and Downey." Lineups are given, with Crips P & "Johnston" RF. 2/26 Olinda 7, Downey 5. Crips & Meats vs Phillips & Easterly. Next Sunday it will be the Hoegee Flags and Olindas at Anaheim. Battery for Olinda will be Theo. Easterly and Walter Johnson. (Sometimes the catcher is mentioned first.) The Oil Wells were originally going to play at Pomona (there were ads in Pomona papers the week before) but there was apparently a last minute change of plans. Pomona ended up losing to Hoegees 4-2. 3/ 5 Olinda 4, Hoegees 5. The story, under "BASEBALL NEWS": "The ball game Sunday was one of the best ever witnessed in the county. Although the Olindas went down to defeat by a score of 5 to 4, the Hoegees had the battle of their lives. A big enthusiastic crowd was present. Batteries: For Olinda, Johnson and Meats; for Hoegees, Simons and Ireland. Olinda: hits 13, runs 4, errors 5. Hoegees: hits 4, runs 5, errors 3." No box or line score, but Johnson is credited with 5 SO & 1 BB. AG had complete box & lines, and gave WJ: 4 1 0 1 4 0 + 2 steals! 3/12 There were heavy rains so apparently no baseball activity this weekend. "The Olindas and Hoegee Flags will play a return ball game at Anaheim Sunday. Batteries for Olinda: Crips and Meats." 3/19 Again, there was much rain and no mention of baseball. One gossip column note, "J. H. Wilhite has moved his family to the oil wells." [Uncle Jesse and Aunt Fannie?] 3/26 Any game may have been rained out. The 3/30 AG reports 1.90" rain the past week, including .15" on Sunday. 4/ 9 There is a complete box score of the Olinda vs Owls game at Anaheim... OWLS 5 9 2 OLINDA 2 7 3 Johnson,p (9th) 4 0 1 0 2 0 11K & 2BB 4/15 [the famous scoreless tie] 4/16 Complete box and line score of Olinda vs Tufts-Lyon at Anaheim, won by the Oil Wells, 7-6... Johnson,rf-cf (9th) 4 1 1 0 1 0 [Morrison pitched] A crowd of 500 was on hand; there will be no game next Sunday. AG -- "The Oil Wells do not play next Sunday." 4/23 No news. 4/30 No news. The 5/4 AG reports a game between Young Americas and Orange, but doesn't say where played. It has "Burnett" umpiring. 5/ 7 Olinda 5, Owls of LA 14. Game was called after 7 innings due to rain. No info on whether or not WJ participated. In the social notes of the Tribune, one Glen Johnson, of Ohio, who worked in the oil wells, married Miss Viola Kelley of Mt. Victory, OH, at the home of P. F. Johnson, on Amerige. [Probably no relations?] 5/14 Olinda 7, Tufts-Lyon of LA 9. Complete box and line score. Johnson,1b (7th) 4 0 1 10 0 0 [Crips pitched] WJ took part in 2 DP's. Also on this date, the SA Stars defeated Orange, 14-4. 5/21 No mention of Olinda game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/28 A long article on the Oil Wells' game under "BASEBALL NEWS"... "At the ball game in Anaheim Sunday the Hoegee Flags defeated the Olindas by a score of 4 to 2. The feature of the game was the pitching of Kid Johnson for the home team. He should have won his game hands down but for an error and a lucky two-bagger following it which netted 3 runs for the Flags, when the side should have been retired with no score in that inning. The oil boys played in hard luck, hitting the ball either in the air or right into some waiting fielder's hands. The team, considering how it is all changed about, is playing good ball and will continue to get better as the boys get used to their new positions, which will not take long. "The collection was very poor, and they were forced to go around the second time, which netted enough to just barely come out even for the game. The team is still several dollars in debt, but hopes for collections to pick up and be able to get on its feet again, for the nine deserves as good support as other suburban towns give their teams. The oil well team is as gentlemanly lot of boys as you will find together and they are always out to win, and have been giving the people of Anaheim as good an exhibition of the national game as any team in Southern California, which their record of games won and lost will show, and some of the games they have played on the Anaheim diamond hve been a good deal better than you would see were you to attend the average league games in Los Angeles. "The score was as follows:" [complete box and line score] HOEGEE FLAGS 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- 4 6 1 OIL WELLS 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 -- 2 4 2 Johnson,p (9th) 3 0 0 0 5 0 WJ struck out 12, walked 2, and hit 3. Hoegees had 4 SB. Meats played 2B, Waters C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/ 4 Olinda 6, Hamburgers 6, 8 inn. Once again, there is a complete box and line score and extensive description of this game under "BASEBALL NEWS". Among other information, "Harris, one of the Hamburger players, umpired the game and it was mainly his bum decisions at critical points that lost it for Olinda... The Oil Wells will play the Hoegee Flags next Sunday and Kid Johnson will have another crack at them..." Johnson, 1b (9th) 3 0 0 8 0 2 [Crips, P] Elsewhere in the 6/8 Tribune, there is a mention of a committee in Olinda, which includes a Mr. Perry [WJ's grandpa?], which is striving "to erect an undenominational church ... on a lot to be donated by the Santa Fe." Church services have been held Sunday afternoons or evenings at the school, usually conducted by the ME pastor. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/11 Another complete box & line score of the game; the story: "At the ball game in Anaheim Sunday the Olinda nine defeated the Hoegee Flags of Los Angeles by a score of 9 to 4. Johnson pitched his usual fine game, allowing the Hoegees only 5 hits. Meats carried off the honors at second base, accepting several hard chances, and also hitting the ball when hits meant runs. On Sunday, June 25 [no game on 6/18?], the locals will play the Tufts-Lyon team of Los Angeles at Anaheim..." HOEGEE FLAGS 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 -- 4 5 5 OIL WELLS 1 3 1 0 2 1 0 1 x -- 9 9 2 Johnson, p (9th) 4 1 1 0 2 0 He struck out 7 and walked 2. Elsewhere in the 6/15 Tribune... "Joe Burke has quit foolishness [earlier gossip columns dwelt on his romantic escapades] and entered upon his era of baseball enthusiasm again. His showing made Sunday was good, considering circumstances... "David Perry [WJ's uncle?] has assumed the position of George Johnson at the Olinda store. George is going to take in the Portland fair..." 6/18 No baseball news in FT, but: AG "The ball game on Sunday between the Young Americas of this city and a team from Olive was a top-heavy affair; the score being 12 to 7 in favor of the former. The game was an easy one for the locals, Teddy Dickel's curves proving too mysterious for the Oliveites. [I came across a Dickel pitching for Anaheim HS in 1907; the Dickels owned the grocery store in "downtown" Anaheim.] Billy Fischer did the receiving and his brother Chilly [see Bob Guild's 1939 article] was there with his foxy base running. All the other local lads put up a pretty good game. Guy Meats did the twirling for the visitors. The Olive boys were outclassed and were handed a beautiful bunch of horsecollars. Manager Tousch of the Y.A.'s is thinking of challenging a Los Angeles team and would like to take a fall out of Tom Young's ball tossers one of these days. Eh, Tom?" The article went on to give lineups for next Sunday's Oil Wells-Tufts Lyon game at Anaheim, including Johnson 1B and Crips P. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/25 "Thomas Young has resigned his position as manager of the Olinda ball nine and the duties have devolved upon Walter Woodruff, the well known and enthusiastic scorer. Mr. Young resigns after several years of efficient management and loyalty that is commendable by the ball playing public. "The Oil Well team is scheduled to play the Downey team at Anaheim Sunday and Rube Crandall is slated to pitch for the latter team. "At the game in Anaheim last Sunday the Olinda Reds [first mention of this nickname; perhaps from their scarlet uniforms, as mentioned in Rivera article?] lost to the Tufts-Lyon team of Los Angeles by a score of 9 to 11 [sic]..." TUFTS-LYON 4 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 -- 13 19 6 OIL WELLS 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 1 -- 9 8 8 Johnson, p-1b (9th) 5 0 0 2 3 0 [Crips, 1b-p] Hits: Crips 8, Johnson 11. Strikeouts: Crips 2, Johnson 6. Bases on Balls: not given. Who started and who relieved? There were 8 hits in the first 2 innings. Crips had 8 PO and 2 A. The box score lists WJ as "p-1b" and Crips as "1b-p", but the pitching summary lists Crips first. The story doesn't give a clue. It is likely Crips played 1b most of the game in view of his PO total. AG "For the Oils Johnson was put in the box in the fourth and Crips played first. The line up made a strong one as the result of the game will show." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/ 2 Olinda 8, Rivera 8. The missing 2nd game mentioned in the later WN article!? Morrison pitched for Olinda. "He will be used regularly in the box for the Oil Wells." WJ not in lineup. Meats C and Crips 1B. "The Oil Well team goes to Ventura next Sunday to play the Ventura team for the championship of So. Calif." The 7/6 Tribune also contained extensive coverage of Orange County Business College's 9th anniversary celebrations in Santa Ana. In the Olinda columns, "Frank Johnson, accompanied by his wife and two [which two?] children, left Saturday for Kansas, where he will visit his former home." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/ 9 Another well-reported game: "BASEBALL NEWS Olinda Wins Thirteen Inning Game From Ventura Sunday By A Score of 2 To 1 "In the ball game between Olinda and Ventura Sunday at the latter place the oil well boys won by a score of 2 to 1 in a hotly contested game lasting 13 innings. "The features of the game were the fine pitching of Walter Johnson and the all round good playing of the boys behind him. Meats caught a splendid game, nipping every runner that tried to steal on him. Lewis put up a fast game at short, accepting several hard chances and his throwing being perfect. Jack Burnett made one of the prettiest catches seen on any diamond, getting the ball in his bare hand after a long run to the foul line. Harris on second and Ross on third both played good ball, in fact the team work of the Olinda infield was something pretty to see, their practice before the game being snappy and clean, and earned well merited applause from the large crowd present. The Venturas should have had only three hits off Johnson, three of their six being of the kind classed as 'lucky' hits. The boys received fine treatment from the Ventura management, and the umpiring was expecially good. Rivera had several hard decisions to make and he made them all impartially, so there was no kicking on either side. "The oil well team will play the Hoegees Flags at Anaheim next Sunday. Morrison will be in the box and Elwell will probably again be seen at shortstop. The score was as follows..." Complete box and line score, showing all runs scoring in the final, 13th, inning. See CAL-1924.LOG for Faye Lewis' story of this game. VR -- "One of the most sensational games that ever graced a diamond in this part of the state was fought out for thirteen innings between the crack Olindas of Fullerton and the Ventura lads... Andrade played well, striking out 11 men as against 13 for Johnson... This kind of ball should be well patronized by Ventura. It is league ball at home. The return of the Olindas will be looked for with great interest..." AG also had some coverage of the game, including complete box score but no hint as to how or when runs were scored. Burnett & Harris scored the Oil Wells' runs; G. Johnson scored Ventura's. Both boxes list him with a 1B, 2B & 3B, with nobody after GJ having any hits; either he came around on a throwing error or on an error or out on a succeeding batter. "Ventura has a good pitcher in Andrade." The Ventura pitcher may be the same Andrade who pitched for Tufts-Lyon in 1906 and possibly the same as "Frank (Lefty) Andrada" who pitched in the California League in 1913-14. According to Lewis, Andrade was a Cuban lefthander. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/16 Olinda 12, LA Christophers 2. Morrison pitched. 7/23 Olinda 5, @ Rivera 10. No details other than the following... "The Olinda ball team went to Rivera last Sunday and was defeated by that team by a score of 10 to 5, Johnson the oil well pitcher getting touched up for a number of safe hits. The team will now disband for at least several months." An advertisement which appeared in the same newspaper: Day and Night Baseball A N A H E I M Sunday, July 30 TWO GAMES 3 and 8 O'Clock P.M. Sioux Indians ---- of South Dakota ---- vs. Olinda Team 50 -- Arc Lamps will Il- luminate the Grounds for the Evening Game -- 50 A GUARANTEED ATTRACTION The Indians have been se- cured for these two games under a heavy guarantee. They travel in their own private cars, use their can- vas fence for enclosure and erect their own portable grand stand, which is pro- tected by a mammoth can- vas covering and netting to protect spectators from foul balls. -------- NOTE THE SPECIAL PRICES Admission to Grounds 25c Grand Stand 25c Extra ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/30 The story of this well-advertised game... "The Olinda ball team defeated the Indian nine at Anaheim Sunday by a score of 10 to 6 [sic]. The night ball game was almost a white frost, the Indians getting 14 runs the first inning before the Olindas could get them subdued. The total attendance was about 1,000. "The oil well team has disbanded. Johnson, Meats and Isbell will be seen in Rivera uniforms. "The score of the afternoon game was as follows: [complete box and line score] SIOUX 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 -- 5 9 8 OIL WELLS 1 5 0 0 1 1 0 1 x -- 9 14 5 Johnson, p (9th) 3 0 0 0 2 0 10 Ks. No info on BBs. WJ hit one batter and was hit once. The Indians stole 3 bases. The Sioux' battery was Deparade & Buckhart. No score is printed of the night game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From here on, with the Oil Wells having disbanded, there is little or no news of baseball. There were a few other items of interest, which I'll list under the date they appeared in the Tribune... 8/10 "Thos. Young, manager of the one time famous Olinda ball team is endeavoring to get a game for his team with one of the fast amateur teams of Los Angeles or Santa Barbara. The local team has dissolved for several months until several of the star players return from the eastern ball fields." 8/17 There was much coverage of last Saturday's all-day excursion by several hundred oil well residents to Oceanside, for which they chartered a train. Among the winners of some of the games and contests... 75 yd fat men's race -- Bill Johnson, consolation [no relation or ?] 75 yd dash, young women -- Miss Effie Johnson, 3rd [WJ's sister?] 50 yd dash, boys 10 to 16 -- Earl Johnson, 1st [WJ's brother?] Ugliest man, 18-22 years -- Joe Burke! 9/ 7 Regular ads for the Santa Ana Business College have been appearing, and in this issue the following item... "Robert Isbell and Walter Johnson are playing ball with the Rivera team. Mott and Head, the one time amateur ball players in the Olinda team, are expected from the East next month and the Olinda team will probably blossom once more into fame." 9/28 "The Anaheim people are overly anxious for the oil well ball team to appear again but Manager Young says 'nothing doing' unless the team has a more satisfactory guarantee of expenses than at previous engagements. Amateur ball is generally played for pleasure, and enjoyed by pleasure seekers, but heretofore the contributions have been so shy and small that it has practically been relieved of its enjoyable features." 10/ 5 Leslie Johnson [WJ's brother?] received a "diploma of graduation from this school last week." The Olinda "undenominational church" was dedicated on Sunday and regular news items begin appearing about its Sunday evening worship services and other activities. It is just south of the barber shop. 10/12 "The Olinda ball team will probably be seen on the diamond again before long as Manager Young has secured more favorable concessions this year than last, and meeting the expenses seems assure. "Frank Perry [WJ's uncle?] has moved into one of the houses on Santa Fe Avenue [the main drag in Olinda] and is nearer his work." 10/19 "The oil well team has been reorganized and played its first game last Sunday [10/15] with the Hoegees of Los Angeles, the home team defeating the cityites by a score of 4 to 3. The Olinda's make-up is as follows: Meats, c; Johnson and Crips, p; ... Manager Young will make some of these crack amateur teams look like 30 cents when he gets his bunch of players together and gives them some team work." [No clue who pitched this one!] Even though the Olindas are back in action, the coverage of their games in the Tribune from here on into the Spring is spotty at best. There are no more box or line scores and very few details of the games they do mention And there are several missing or mutilated issues... 11/ 2 FN -- "Born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Perry, a girl, Tuesday [10/31]." 11/ 9 "Owing to the big rain Sunday [11/5] the ball game between the Olindas and Hamburgers of Los Angeles was postponed until some more favorable day. The Olinda team so far this season has won two-thirds of the games played. Head will soon return from the south and when he steps in, somebody's going to get skinned playing ball." 11/16 "The Olindas defeated the Tufts-Lyon team at Anaheim Sunday [11/12] by a score of 1 to 0. Johnson, the Olinda pitcher, fanned out 16 of the visitors. Head has returned from the southern states and played left field but will go into the infield next Sunday. These same teams will play in Santa Ana on November 22." 11/30 There was much news of Santa Ana's celebration of the opening of electric railroad service (Pacific Electric Railway) with Los Angeles on Wednesday, 11/22. It was known as "El Dia De Los Carros" and there was a parade with floats, a barbeque, etc., but no news of any baseball game. The 11/23 SAB stated "In yesterday afternoon's baseball game between the Olindas and the Tufts-Lyons of Los Angeles, the former won by a score of six to one." 12/21 "The Olindas defeated the Hoegee Flags Sunday [12/17] by a score of 6 to 2. It was a good game; Johnson and LeBrandt acting as battery for the local team and Gamble and Ireland for the foreigners. This is the last game of the year and the boys have made a record they are proud of, having won 9 out of 10 games." =============================================================================== 1906 1/ 7 "The locals were defeated in a ball game at Pomona by a score of 4 to 1. It was a good game but the Olindas were up against a warm bunch of professionals and will ask for another round up soon." 1/27 LAT -- Under the heading "MINOR BASEBALL -- DOUBLE-HEADER SUNDAY.", "A double-header ball game will be played at the Chutes grounds Sunday, the first game being between the Olinda Oil Wells team and Examiners and the second between the Christophers and the Riveras, all four teams being high in the amateur ranks. The first game will be called at 1:30 o'clock and the second at 3:30, or as soon as the first is finished. The line-up of the teams will be as follows..." WJ is listed as starting pitcher for the Olinda team with Lebrandt catching and Meats playing first base. Apparently the Newsies were no-shows, or the news item was in error, since the following is what actually happened: 1/28 AG -- Olinda 14, Tufts-Lyon 4. No stats, but good story: "Manager Young of the Oil Wells ball team is in a quandary. He does not know where to look for a team to pit against his stars. That is, a team to take a game once in a while to make it interesting. But the foreigners would have to go some. On Sunday the Oil Wells defeated the Tufts-Lyon team by a score of 14 to 4, eight of the runs coming through in the first inning. Ford, the little southpaw, said to be the best out of the angelic burg, pitched for the visitors. Kid Johnson was there with the goods as usual and Elwell, Lewis and Mott covered the sacks superbly. Burnett had little to do in left garden, except making the one-hand catch of a long drive to his territory. The game was so woefully one-sided that some of the fans had to hike about to keep awake. "Hamburgers next Sunday. "The following Sunday the clever Rivera team is coming. They say this team are [sic] no easy picking and a lively game is looked for." 2/ 4 AG -- Olinda 4, Hamburgers 5. Johnson not listed in lineup. 2/11 AG -- Olinda 5, Rivera 4. Johnson & Lebrandt. 11K, 1BB, 10H. Johnson,p (9th) 3 0 0 0 2 0 2/22 "Born, Mr. & Mrs. L. Perry of the Santa Fe, a son." 2/25 AG -- Olinda 6, @ Rivera 0. Complete box. Johnson, p (9th) 4 0 2 0 0 0 10K, 2BB, 4H "The Olindas have played 19 games this season, winning 16 and losing 3. When it is known that their opponents were for the most part from semi-professional ranks, their record is a notable one. One of the games was lost to a nine composed almost exclusively of professionals from Los Angeles. The nine is probably the strongest amateur nine in the state." This was a winter that was slightly above average in rainfall: 1/14 1.20" 1/19-20 1.28 2/11-12 .29 2/15 .78 3/4 .74 3/12-13 2.18 3/16-17 1.28 3/23-26 2.90 3/ 4 AG -- Olinda 3, Rivera 5. Story but no stats. Rube Ellis drove in the go-ahead runs with a triple. "Johnson had an off day, that was all..." Opposing battery was Morrison and Snodgrass. Next Sunday vs. Hamburger. The article mentioned that Russ Hall and Oscar Jones were at the game and that it was Hall's second visit. 3/11 FT & AG didn't have any news of a game with Hamburgers. 3/15 In the Olinda column, "J. J. Burnett left Sunday for the north to join the Seattle ball team." 3/18 AG -- Olinda 8, Tufts-Lyon 6. Complete box. "...two of their best men are away playing with the leaguers..." 3/22 "Mr. Johnson, of the Santa Fe, lost a valuable horse Monday, having a buggy shaft run into its side in a runaway." 4/ 1 AG -- Olinda 7, Hamburger 0. Complete box. "Jack Burnett and Ed Mott are making good with the [Seattle] Siwashes, who are practicing at Santa Barbara preparatory to opening their season in Los Angeles the latter part of the month..." 4/ 8 AG -- Olinda 2, Tufts-Lyon 3 in 10 innings. Complete box. "The Oil Wells will not play again until the 29th of April... The team will be reorganized." 4/19 "Walter Johnson, the crack young pitcher of the Olinda ball team, has received an offer to pitch for the Tacoma league team this season. Johnson has not decided yet whether he will enter the league this year or wait until next season." Yesterday's San Francisco quake makes the front page with a very terse story due to the lack of communications. 4/15 was Easter. The 4/26 issue was missing. By this time, WJ was in the Northwest. I stopped scanning FT. A scan of AG through end of May revealed no news on WJ or the Oil Wells. An "Anaheim" team was organized, managed by Frank Tausch, and including Morrison pitching, but few details. ***** FT was scanned from Aug thru Nov, including Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana news, for any mention of WJ or the Olive team without anything being found. 8/ 2 AG -- "Walter Johnson who pitched ball up in the northwest league this season has returned to his home in Olinda." AG was scanned Jul-Nov for any news of an Orange or Olive team. See OLIVE.LOG for one insignificant quote on Olive's 8/5 game. SAB also scanned Aug-Sep with negative results. 9/27 "Clifford Perry of Carpinteria is visiting with his parents on the Santa Fe." 11/15 "Mrs. Frank Johnson of the Santa Fe wells underwent an operation for appendicitis Monday." Under news about the recent elections, Maurice Ray is referred to as "a leading Republican of Olinda". The AG mentions Joe Burke as another "Republican leader" there; it seems there was some question whether all the ballots cast in the Olinda precinct were legal! 11/22 FN -- "The Olinda nine will play the L.A. Pacific at Anaheim Sunday, at 2:30 p.m. The Olinda will have the same line up as the past season, with the exception of Mr. Bernett." [I scanned the FN microfilms from Aug 06 thru Dec 06 and this was the only baseball item I could find. Only other sports coverage was of FUHS boys basketball.] 11/22 AG -- "The winter season of baseball will begin at Athletic park on Sunday, the initial game being between Olinda and the Los Angeles Pacifics. Johnson and Meats will be in the points for Olinda and the lineup will include all of last year's favorites except Burnett. The visiting team is said to be the strongest city team outside of the Southern California league. "The Olinda team will on Monday make an application for admission into this league and will probably be successful. In that event games with the best amateur nines in Southern California will be played on the local grounds during the winter. "Game called for 2 o'clock. Seats for ladies and their escorts in the grand stand." 11/25 AG -- Olinda 5, LA Pacific 4. The story and box score were in the middle of the front page. Elsewhere, it is mentioned that there will be a baseball game at Santa Ana's Athletic park in connection with the 2nd annual Parade of Products on 12/5 "between teams of well known league players, under the management of the popular veteran, Sam Dungan." 12/ 5 AG -- There is a mention that the Parade of Products game took place, but no info. [See SANTAANA.LOG] 12/ 6 On the front page is a long letter from Tom Young in Rhyolite, Nevada, describing conditions there. 12/ 9 LAR -- Any game today may have been rained out. An article mentions a rainout of a San Jose vs Stockton (Cal League) game at Chutes Park. 12/20 AG -- Joe Burke will assume the position of Orange County deputy clerk at the beginning of the new year. 12/23 LAR -- Dyas-Cline lost to "Anaheim" at Anaheim, 5 to 1. No details. AG -- "Olinda defeated the Dyas-Cline aggregation of Los Angeles ball tossers by a score of 10 to 1 at Athletic park on Sunday afternoon. Crips was in the box for the oil men, and Meats caught him superbly. The other members of the team acquitted themselves creditably, touching up the Los Angeles pitcher with neatness and dispatch. The foreigners were outplayed at every point." There was no box score or other details. 12/25 SAR -- "OIL WELL BOYS WIN BY A 4 TO 1 "Mott Gets Three-Bagger and Brings In Two Olinda Runs "In one of the best games of the season and before a good crowd, the Santa Ana Stars yesterday met defeat from the Olinda Oil Wells team, the score in favor of the visitors being 4 to 1. The game was played on Hawley's park grounds. "The Santa Ana team was defeated through the superior batting power of the Olinda boys. In the fourth inning Mott struck a three-bagger and brought in two runs. Santa Ana's sole score was made by Chaney in the eighth inning. Elwell was the only base stealer the oil wells had. He got only two stolen bases, both in one inning. "Olinda has two men of league make. Head will play in the Utah league, and Elwell has been accepted by Los Angeles for a trial..." Lineups, but no box. Johnson and "Metz" vs. Hinrichs and Obarr. Santa Ana had another "Metz" in RF, Coleman in LF. [See SANTAANA.LOG for info on the Stars, including WJ playing days.] 12/27 AG -- "Joe Burke has resigned as manager of the Olinda ball team, owing to his removal to Santa Ana, where he takes up a position as deputy in the clerk's office. He has been succeeded by Edward Stewart of this city, who promises to present the public with a series of interesting games during the winter." =============================================================================== 1907 1/ 3 AG -- It rained 3" Thursday night (12/27). There is a complete box and line score of the 12/30 Olinda 12, Alhambra 2 game, and a brief mention of the 12/31 Olinda 4, L.A. Pacifics 0 game in Santa Ana. WJ struck out 15 in the former game and 21 in the latter. "Thirty-six strikeouts in two games is a record of which Johnson should feel proud." NOTE -- the box score of the 12/30 game says 14 K's, but the accompanying story twice says 15, and adds it to the 21 K's in the 12/31 game to get 36. Guy Meats was credited with 15 PO's. "Olinda will play the Thistles of Los Angeles on the local grounds on Sunday afternoon [1/6]." Lineups are given, including WJ P for Olinda and [Charles?] Hansen P and [Phil?] Knell RF for the Thistles. 1/10 AG -- "Anaheim was on Monday evening admitted to membership in the Southern California baseball league...The game scheduled for last Sunday with the Thistles of Los Angeles was called off on account of rain..." Olinda was scheduled to play the Morans on 1/13, with WJ scheduled to pitch. 1/17 AG -- No mention of the 1/13 game; rainfall during the past week was mentioned but not how much. "Olinda and the Morans of Los Angeles will play Sunday [1/20]..." 1/20 AG -- Olinda 3, Morans 2. The Oil Wells "were handicapped by the absence of Johnson and Fuqua, both of whom were ill..." Crips P vs Rieger. Guy Meats C and Warren Meats RF. WJ to pitch 1/27 vs Hamburger. 1/27 AG -- Anaheim 0, Hamburger 2. Crips P vs Hartman. "Johnson will be back in the box, after his recent illness" against Tufts-Lyon next week. 3/ 3 AG -- Oil Wells 0, @ Pasadena 1. Only run came in on passed balls by Guy Meats. WJ allowed 4H. "Johnson pitched a fine game." But the much more detailed PDN article tells a different story... "LOCALS SCORE THE ONLY RUN "Win From Anaheim in Fast and Snappy Game of Baseball "CONTEST BETWEEN SEASONED PITCHERS "Faithful Fans Are Rewarded With the Best Game of the Season "It was a case of 'too much Johnson' with Anaheim yesterday. After performing brilliantly up to almost time for the gong to ring the lanky twirler who is to be given a tryout by 'Mugsy' McGraw, lost his head and advanced Hart to the plate by two wild pitches, giving Pasadena the only run of the game and a most exultant victory. "Of the three hits allowed by Johnson, Hart's was a two-bagger which set the crowd wild. It was made in the last half of the ninth with two down. This rattled Johnson and the next ball he pitched went over the catcher's head and Hart pulled up on third. After passing Sharkey, Johnson sent in another high shoot which struck the grandstand and the game was over. Johnson was so surprised that he turned deathly pale and did not leave the box until the crowd began to swarm out of the grounds. "The Pasadena management made a ten strike in securing Gilroy for the box. He used the far-famed 'spit' ball with telling effect and twice he pitched himself out of tight places. Gilroy was to Pasadena what Johnson was to Anaheim. Both pitchers were the whole works. The only spectacular play of the game was a running catch by W. Meats, who robbed Sharkey of at least a two-bagger..." Complete box and line score with: Johnson, P (9th) 3 0 1 0 0 0 3H, 10K, 2BB, 2WP "The Anaheims are the fastest bunch seen here for some time. "Gilroy had perfect control of his spit ball, yet he kept Easterly guessing as to where the next one would land. "In the sixth Johnson retired Pasadena on three pitched balls. The first was a grounder to the first baseman, the next was a grounder to second and the third was a grounder to short. "Gilroy 'fanned' each time he went to bat, but Johnson in his three trips up soaked the ball each time, but only one was good for a hit..." 3/20 Brief note in Olinda news mentions Head going to Pueblo, "Mott and Johnson will go to Butte, Montana, and will get into the game of Northwestern league. Meats and Elwell... are to play in the Idaho state league." 6/19 A dispatch from Weiser has Walter pitching 57 straight shutout innings to eclipse a former world record of 54. On 5/27 he struck out 19 in a game at Weiser against Boise. In a 6/10 game he struck out 18. The article mentions his Olinda origins. 7/10 A story datelined Spokane claims WJ has already signed a Washington contract. Now he is said to have pitched 75 innings without allowing a hit, and to have struck out 166 batters in 99 innings. Also 7 straight shutouts! 7/31 "The latest automobile enthusiast is W. M. Ford, who has disposed of his ponies and is now driving a new auto." There is an illegible report of the SA Stars losing @ Santa Monica. 8/ 8 FN -- "Roy Perry has quit the Fullerton and accepted a position with Graham & Loftus." 8/ 8 FN -- "The Southern California winter baseball league has recently been organized, says the Plain Dealer, and the places where the national game will be played are Anaheim, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Barbara, San Diego and San Bernardino. The plan is to open the season August 31, but the regular schedule will not be put into effect until early in November. Anaheim is slated for both Saturday and Sunday ball, and some of the players who will be secured for the local team, if possible, are Johnson, Burnett, Head, Elwell, Mott, Meats and perhaps Isbell. With this lineup some fast games should be seen here." 8/14 "J. BURNETT MAKES GOOD" -- A long article describing Jack's success with St. Louis (National). 8/15 FN -- Its own front page article on Burnett; FT often accused FN of stealing its articles! And a similar article in AG the same day. 8/22 FN -- An article mentioning "Homer Cravath" going up to St. Louis from Los Angeles, also on the front page. 8/28 A long front page article: "BALL PLAYER MAKING A HIT" "Young Johnson, of Fullerton, is Liked by the Eastern Fans, Crowds Cheer Him -- He Has Been Offered $350 a Month "Walter Johnson of Fullerton, the wonderful pitcher, is more than making good with the Washington team of the American League, and eastern papers are heralding him as the greatest find in many years and filling the sporting columns with as nice things about him as have ever been said about any ball player. "He has not signed up to remain with the Washington team, as has been reported, although he has been offered $350 a month. He writes that he will sign up if they will pay him $450 per month. In about a month he will return to Fullerton and visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Johnson, at Olinda. "In Washington the other day Johnson was almost mobbed by a lot of fans eager to get to him to shake his hand. The fans of the national capitol may continue to do such things if they do not hurt the great Fullerton youth, for it will not bother him. He is not of the kind that swell up and get chesty and he will not be carried away by the many compliments he is receiving. "The Cleveland Press of August 12th published three short stories about Johnson, in which it said: 'Johnson has much to learn. He can scarcely field bunts at all, but pitch, oh my! He looks like the greatest find that has come down the pike since Denton T. Young, and that's no dream. The demoralized Naps continued to play demoralized ball yesterday, and Walter Johnson, the California wonder, recently picked up by Cantillon, made them look like a lot of those traveling targets in a shooting gallery, the way he toppled them over. Johnson seems to be a coming wonder; he has a big, full-arm swing like Cy Young, and seems to possess all the curves and things that have been invented. He held Detroit to six safe ones in eight innings last week, and the total of the mighty Napoleons yesterday was four, Johnson fanning six.' "Chilly Fisher, who is doing New York and other eastern show places, sends a clipping from a Washington paper giving an account of Walter Johnson's work in the box against the St. Louis Browns in the latter city on August 14, St. Louis winning the game by 1 to 0. Johnson outpitched the veteran Barney Pelty, allowing only six hits, while the Senators amassed nine. Johnson struck out five, Pelty none, Johnson's one error losing the game. "We quote from the Washington paper as follows regarding the same: "'Walter Johnson loses his own game -- Idaho wonder outpitches Barney Pelty ... Walter Johsnon, Cantillon's Idaho recruit, was the one who opposed Pelty, and the youngster was a long way from being outclassed by his veteran rival. He allowed the Browns but five hits, but four of these were clean ones to the outfield. Pelty was caught for nine hits, but seven of the nine were slashed through the infielders or bunted where the latter could not get hold of them. Johnson showed a lot of gameness and the youngster did not seem to be worried when things were breaking wrong. Johnson made the error himself which gave St. Louis the chance to score its only run, and he was given fine support in the field by his team-mates. Johnson was once at bat and had two assists. Four bases on balls were taken from him, while Pelty allowed two.'" 9/ 4 A long front page article: "OLD FAVORITE WILL RETURN Winter Schedule of Baseball Games to Begin Early in October "Lovers of baseball will have an opportunity of witnessing a winter schedule of games in Anaheim beginning early in October. J. E. Stewart has been granted a franchise and is now negotiating for new grounds [elsewhere it mentions that he wants to build a horse race track with a baseball diamond in the infield!]. The league will include the Los Angeles nines, as well as nines in Pasadena, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and other live towns in Southern California. "Walter Johnson will pitch for the locals. He will return from Washington next month, after the close of the season. Johnson is probably the most celebrated ball player in the east. He has been pitching great ball. He is with a tail end club, and although Johnson has pitched gilt edged ball, his team clings to the hindmost place. "Meats has returned and will catch Johnson. "All the other favorites are looked for, viz: Mott, Head, Isbell, Elwell, Crips, Fuqua, and possibly Jack Burnett. "Stewart will himself appear at all games, and his foghorn voice, 'He missed it! He missed it!' will be a feature of the games. "Seats reserved in grand stand for ladies. Peanuts and red lemonade. All are invited." 9/11 Another front page article: "JOHNSON'S PITCHING "Walter Johnson, the Fullerton baseball pitcher, has made good with Washington. In a criticism of his work, a Washington paper prints: "'The fans were perfectly satisfied with Johnson's work, and his name was on the lips of all as the big crowd filed out after the game. One of the regulars passed Blankenship and called: 'That was a good find you made out in California.' The tall scout smiled a happy response and the other added: 'Better go out there in the woods again and pick up another like that. We'd win the pennant if you did.' "'Johnson outdid himself with men on bases, demonstrating that he is there with nerve as well as speed. Johnson's work in fielding the ground balls showed a great improvement, while at the bat he was a revelation, as on his first appearance here he pulled away from the plate like the rawest amateur. Washington could not have dropped into a better school than that run by Cantillon, and beyond doubt he will be the finished article next season.'" 9/18 "Clifford Perry visited Sunday with his parents." 9/25 On the front page again... "HE IS A WONDER "Walter Johnson, the Fullerton baseball pitcher now with the Washington team of the American League, is rising to fame at a rapid pace. The Washington correspondent of the Los Angeles Times to last Sunday's issue says: 'Johnson made good from the outset and he has shown improvement with every game. He is the only youngster that has ever broke into fast company who has absolute control of the ball. Not one of the others were reliable in this respect and control is the most essential requirement of a pitcher. The securing of Johnson was the luckiest strike Washington ever made. He is the club's chief asset; if he was placed on the market today he would bring not less than $10,000. Johnson is a member of the Washington team to stay. Cantillon will build his pitching staff around the California wonder.' In a week or two the league season will close when young Johnson will visit his parents at Olinda." 10/ 2 "Roy Perry has accepted a position as a driller on the Santa Fe lease." 10/ 3 FN -- Joe Burke is mentioned as the "deputy county clerk". 10/24 FN -- "Walter Johnson, the crack pitcher of the Washington Senators of the American League, returned to his home in Placentia [sic] last week. He has made good in the big league and has the reputation of being one of the coming pitchers of the season of 1908. He will play with the Washington, D. C. team next season at a salary of $450 per month. Johnson will probably do a little pitching during the winter base ball season for his old team." 10/30 Under Brea Canyon news -- "Walter Ford has moved his family here." [FN was only scanned from Aug thru Nov 07] =============================================================================== 1908 3/ 4 "JOHNSON, CRACK PITCHER, ILL AT THE HOSPITAL "Walter Johnson, the phenom twirler of the Washington team, who has been wintering at his home in Olinda, was operated upon in the hospital at Fullerton for acute mastoiditis Thursday [2/27], and it is said he will not be out for some days. A piece of bone was removed from an abcess back of Johnson's right ear and to perform the operation it was necessary to put him under the influence of anesthetics, from which he did not awaken till near noon Friday. He is much better now. "Johnson kept to his bed for nearly two weeks before the operation and his condition grew steadily worse until the surgeons decided that the abcess had to be removed, and with it came a piece of the skull bone. The injury is practically the same from which Thomas A. Edison, the inventor, is suffering. "It is believed the operation will be a success. "Johnson has been pitching semi-professional ball all winter, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays, and it is believed these games did him no good, as has been feeling badly most of the time, say his friends. "The nature of the injury makes it necessary that Johnson remain in bed for some time and at best he will only be able to sit up or go about with great caution. It is believed that this will so weaken him that it will take weeks for him to get into pitching form even after he is able to be out." 4/22 "George Coleman, Guy Meats and Henry Hinrichs leave tonight for Weiser, Idaho, where they will play ball the coming season." In the Olinda section: "Walter Johnson, last year's pitching sensation in the American League for the Washington club, will not be able to rejoin his team for two months at least. He said the other night that he hopes to do some work by that time, but it is doubtful if he will be good and fit before the middle of the season. Johnson is improving steadily, but the wound behind the ear, where he was operated on for an abcess, needs time to heal. He goes to the hospital at Fullerton twice a week to have the wound dressed. Johnson, in the best condition weighs 185 pounds, he now weighs ten pounds below that figure. He is up and about his home at Olinda every day, taking light exercise and tosses the ball in light practice with the schoolboys in his neighborhood. But he is cautioned by his physician and family not to overdo himself. The operation cut a large cavity in Johnson's head, and this hold is being filled slowly with new flesh and bone." [Photocopied for Hank] 4/30 AG Mentions that Fayette Lewis broke up the Cal-Stanford game last Saturday with a hit in the 11th to give Berkeley a 2-1 win. 5/13 "The Olinda boys are grading for a baseball ground near the butcher shop. As soon as they get the grounds fixed up they expect to organize a baseball team." 5/27 "Walter Johnson, the well-known baseball pitcher, leaves shortly to join the Washington team at St. Louis. Five teams in the American association have offered $10,000 for his release, but the Washington club refuses to part with him. He recently underwent an operation for an affection behind the ear, and has recovered sufficiently to join his club. His record last year was phenomenal, and his many friends hereabout look for him to continue his good account of himself the present season. Mr. Johnson, Sr., takes great pride in his son, who is a gentlemanly and well-behaved ball player. He has another son, four years old, who throws a ball like Walt, and may blaze his way into big league company one of these days." In the Placentia section, "Charles Hansen will return soon from Golden, Colo., where he is attending college." In the Olinda section, the 5/24 baseball game between the Oil Wells and the "Pick Up's" is described: "Score, 4 to 5 in favor of Oil Wells. Pitcher Bussard struck out Walter Johnson, who is with the Washington league, three times in succession. On next time up Johnson squared himself by making a home run." Lineups are given, but no box score. Johnson pitched for the Pick-Up's. "C. Bussard" is listed at 3rd base for the Oil Wells, "R. Perry" (Uncle Ray?) at SS, and "J. Craig" in LF. Another Perry caught for the Pick-Up's. An earlier article on a FUHS baseball game mentioned "Claude Buzzard, the dwarf player", who may be the same man as appeared for the Oil Wells in this game. [Photocopied for Hank.] This game was also reported in the 5/28 AG. 6/ 3 "Walter Johnson left yesterday [6/2] for Chicago to join the baseball team he signed up with this year. He has recovered from the effects of the operation he underwent at the hospital about two months ago but will not pitch for a week or two after he joins the team, although he will remain with the nine and practice several days before he enters upon hard work." In the Olinda section, a box score of the 5/31 game between the Oil Wells and Buena Park appears. Olinda won 10-9. WJ played RF for Olinda and batted leadoff. His stats: AB R H PO A E 3 1 1 1 1 0 1HR! Ray Perry played 3B and had a double and single in 4 trips. "Buzzard" and "A. Brown" pitched. The Oil Wells lineup included "Tongeress" (Tongier?) at SS, Isbell at 1B, and J. Craig CF. Roy Perry umpired. Box score also appears in 6/4 AG, which says WJ left on Monday [6/1] for Chi. [Photocopied for Hank.] Subsequent issues reported Olinda Oil Wells games against Garden Grove, Placentia, Olive (with both Meats brothers in lineup on 8/16), Rivera, Buena Park, etc. Lineup varied from game to game, including at times Ray Perry (4 for 5 vs Placentia on 6/21), Craig, Isbell, Collins, Hansen, McFadden, C. Tongier (a relative of Effie's husband?). Roy Perry umped several games. 6/10 "Miss Effie Johnson entertained the Glibb club in honor of her birthday Sunday. Ice cream and cake were served." 6/24 "Mr. and Mrs. Perry have taken a trip east to visit friends and relatives in Ohio." This sort of clinches 1908 as the year of the Carey/Perry family reunion, although I'll check Queen Alexandra's birthdate to tie in the article on the back of the Urbana clipping with that year. 7/ 1 "The Columbia ladies gave a linen shower to Miss Effie Johnson of the Santa Fe lease Thursday afternoon." 7/ 8 "HOW LOCAL BOYS ARE DOING ON OTHER DIAMONDS" quotes a SAR article re Coleman, Hinrichs, Meats, Elwell and Head at Weiser. "George Coleman has been unable to pitch so far this season, but will be given a chance on Friday and Sunday of this week." Also mentions Cravath with Red Sox and WJ with Senators. In the Brea column, "Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ford spent the Fourth at Newport Beach." 10/ 7 "Walter Johnson, the well-known Fullerton baseball player, who is playing with the Washington city team, shipped to his father at this place, the valuable loving cup awarded to him in a voting contest as being the most popular professional baseball player in the east. The cup, which is valued at $750, was presented to Walter by the Washington Post. Mr. Johnson received 141,200 votes, which was by far the largest vote received by any ball player. The cup is 18 inches high and is one of the finest presents ever received in this section. F. E. Johnson, father of Walter Johnson, has placed the cup on exhibition at the department store of Stern and Goodman in this city." 11/18 An obituary of F. H. Meats of Olive, who died at 57 years of age. He had come to Olive in 1880 from Kansas. Warren and one sister had been born in Kansas; Guy and another sister were born in Olive. The sisters were married to Frank Maag (F. Maag was in 8/12/6 Olive lineup) and Harry Bortz. =============================================================================== 1909 Nothing could be found one way or the other on the possiblity of WJ returning to Olinda between the end of the A.L. season and his appearance with the All- Nats in Seattle on 10/27. FT was missing for most of 1909. FN had very poor coverage of local news of any kind, apart from a brief item in 10/20 issue about WJ joining the All-Nats soon in Seattle which left unresolved the question of what he had been doing since 10/2. =============================================================================== 1913 11/13 AG -- A story of a game WJ pitched for the Humboldt Grays against the team from Iola, KS. It was a 10-inning scoreless tie. The opposing pitcher was Ad Brennan, also a Kansan, who had pitched for Philadelphia (NL) that year. Walter struck out 24 and Brennan 17. Walter missed the train from Coffeyville, so the railroad sent a special train for him. Article is mostly quotes from Humboldt Union. =============================================================================== 1924 See CAL-1924.LOG for news items from the period surrounding Walter Johnson's visit to California in that year. =============================================================================== THE NEWS SOURCE FOR ALL INFORMATION, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED: The Fullerton Tribune, published every Thursday. (Changed to Wednesday in 1907. Called itself the "Orange County Tribune" for awhile starting in 1908.) Baseball items were either scattered among the social/gossip columns, or under an "OLINDA" head, or under "BASEBALL NEWS". Items flagged with "FN" are from the Fullerton News, which also published on Thursday. It started publishing in 1900 but the earliest issue available seems to be 11/2/1905, "Vol 4 No 44". The first few issues are barely legible. FN items will only be shown if they differ from FT reports. "AB" is Anaheim Bulletin. "AG" is Anaheim Gazette, yet another weekly, also published every Thursday. This was Hank's source for most of the Oil Wells' games. "LAR" is Los Angeles Record, published Monday through Saturday. "LAT" is the world-renowned Los Angeles Times! Many of the LAT items were added in 2004. "PDN" is Pasadena Daily News. "SAB" Santa Ana Daily Evening Blade. "SAR" is Santa Ana Daily Register. "VR" is Ventura Republican, a weekly.