How famous was Oldfield?
Walter Johnson would come to be known as "The Big Train," and was so named by Grantland Rice because of his peerless fastball. "Barney" was his other nickname, and that one originated with contemporary auto racer Barney Oldfield, who had reached speeds of 60 miles per hour. Johnson purchased a two-cylinder motor car, his first vehicle. He later told of being stopped for speeding immediately following the purchase, not two blocks from the dealership. Teammates Clyde Milan and Germany Schaefer were along for the ride, and the mischievous Schaefer told the police officer that Johnson was Barney Oldfield in the flesh. When Walter began showing a propensity for striking people out, the nickname "Barney" stuck. Within a year, the battle cry around the league was that when facing Johnson and you saw his arm go up, you swung! (The Washington Senators by Tom Deveaux.)
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