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THOMAS D. RICHTKB, ASSISTANT EDITOE
FEANCIS C. EICHTEB, EDITOR
VOLUME 6O
AT THE CAPITAL
BASE BALL AFFAIRS ARE
EAGERLY DISCUSSED
American League's Spring Meeting,
the Washington Club's Schedule
Assignments, and Gossip of the
Players the Topics of a Week*
BY PAUL W. EATON.
Washington, D. C., February 17.—
Editor "Sporting Life."—As was expect
ed, the American League meeting last
Tuesday
was
another
sprint.
President Minor
and Manager Griffith were
able to leave for home on
the afternoon of the day
on which the conclave was
called
together.
They
made a slight effort to
bring about a change in
the Washington's schedule,
but without success. The
program as adopted gives
Paul W. Eaton them three series, consist
ing of 10 games at home
during the first seven weeks of the season.
A bad start, due to lack of morning prac
tice when it is most needed, at the offset
of the race, is the dope deduced by some
of the prophets. ( But why so? With
good weather the players will get plenty
of early practice during the exhibition
series, and Manager Griffith can doubtless
secure facilities for forenoon activity in
some, if not all, of the cities he will visit,
if he should think it necessary. He claims
his team is
BETTEE ON THE ROAD
than at home, and it won more games on
foreign fields than on its own in 1912,
which supports his contention.
The
chances are, therefore, that Grif is not
worrying over a situation that is not
devoid of good points, though it might
have been better. The team will be away
from Washington nearly all of July and
most of August, when the weather is try
ing to some of the players. A long home
stand in September and October, when it
will do the -most good, ought to help.
The opening here with New York, the
participation in Frank Chance's debut
on the Polo Grounds, and Memorial Day
in this city with the World's Champions
are the plums. Changes in the rules
were not even mentioned in the League
meeting, which shows that it would have
been a waste of space to refer to thorn
during the Winter. The rule suggestions
of the off-srason have been entirely negli
gible. The announcement that Jack War
ner, the former New York and Washing
ton backstop, is after a coacher's job
•with the New Yorks was of interest here.
With Frank Chauce, Arthur Irwin and
Jack Warner, the Broadway outfit could
never lack for base ball brains and ex
perience. Warner was exceedingly pop
ular with his fellow players in Wash
ington. The New Yorks will beat out at
least two teams this year.
JOHN HENRY'S KNEE,
which was the subject of a sensational
publication here last week, will probably
go away back as a base ball issue from
this time on. Henry says his knee is all
righf> and it is believed that he has some
straight information on the subject. The
fears that there might be infection, which
were mentioned last week, were not enter
tained by the star catcher and his medical
advisers^ as will be seen from the follow
ing statement of Dr. Larkin, the club's
physician:
NUMBER 25
PHILADELPHIA, FEBRUARY 22, 1913
knee joint.
The cartilage was removed, and
since that time there has been no evidence of
infection or rise in temperature.
After the
operation Mr. Henry developed a traumatic synovitis, or what is commonly known as water on
the knee, a condition which usually follows such
operations and for which he has been treated
daily. It is true that Mr. Henry left the hos
pital 10 days ago and afterward returned.
This he did of his own volition, thinking that
subsequent treatment could best be administered
there. His progress so far has been satisfactory
to me, and from present indications it appears
to me that he will be able to resume his duties
when the season opens."
Henry will go home to Amherst, Mass.,
for a two or three weeks' visit, if he has
not already done so. He expected to
leave at about this time. He has only
been at home four days since last March.
He has no doubt
THAT HE CAN WORK
when the race begins, and says that his
knee is better than it has been in six
months. It was originally hurt seven
years ago in a high-school foot ball match
and probably will soon be better than it
ever has been since that mishap. Mana
ger Griffith added another semi-pro to his
string during the week. He is Zach Erhard, an outfielder six feet tall and 21
said that pitcher Harry Keenan, the
twirler bought by Washington from Hel
ena, is a Californian whose real name is
Charley Sullivan. Joe Stanley, the Wash
ington boy who played the outfield for
the locals and one or two other big league
teams, has been secured from Louisville
by the Springfield Club, of the Central
League, and will be used as player-man
ager, according to advices just received
here.
TIGER DISTINCTION
The Detroit Club Has the Only "French
Battery" in Major Leagues.
Now that the Parisians are clamoring
for base ball, and, incidentally, flirting
with Jean Dubuc, the clever young twirl
er of the Detroit Tigers, Hughey Jennings proudly boasts that he has the only
real French battery in captivity. Hughey
figures that he will have no trouble with
Dubuc, and will pair him off frequently
this season with Rondeau, the backstop,
who worked.Jn the International League
Latest News By Telegraph Briefly Told
SPECIAL TO "SPORTING LIFE"
First baseman Jack Miller, of the Pittsburgh
team, has written President Dreyfuss that he
would retire rather than play next season for
$3000, and in conclusion has asked for his un
conditional release.
President Dreyfuss states
that Arthur Ilofman will play first base if
Miller retires: also that he will be glad to trade
Miller to Brooklyn for Daubert.
President Locke, of the Phillies. has signed
Percy Smallwood, the noted English professional
distance runner, to accompany the Phillies on
their Spring training trip to teach them how to
run.
Jack Deal, first haseman of the Wilkes-Barre
(New York State League) team, has signed to
coach the Franklin and Marshall base ball team
this Spring.
President Ebbets, of the Brooklyn Club,, an
nounces that his entire team is under contract
with the exception of catcher Miller, pitcher
Knetzer, outfielder Stengel, outflelder Callaghan,
outfielder Mcyers and pitcher W. Wagner.
Infielder Dolan, drafted from Rochester, sent
his signed contract to Manager Dooiu, of the
Phillies, last week.
Players on the reserve list of the Boston Na
tional League" Club who have not signed contracts
for the coining season will not be asked to go
to the Athens, Ga., training camp by Manager
Stallings. A statement to this effect was issued
on February 17 by Secretary Nickerson, of the
Boston Club.
Manager Stallings, of the Boston National
Club, states that there is absolutely no chance of
Tyler, Perdue or Sweeney being traded by him.
The Montreal Club has purchased third baseman Lennox from the Kansas City Club, of the
An'erican Association; and has sold southpaw
pitcher Al Mattern to the Chicago National Club.
The body of William C. Green, aged 29, former
second baseman of the Toledo team, aBd who
served in the army in the Philippines, was found
in Lake Winnebago, near Fond du Lac, Wlai,
on February 15. Green is believed to have be
come lost on the lake and to have fallen into a
hole made by icecutters. He was recently order
ed by a police court judge to leave town.
Hereafter all of the meetings of the Inter
national League will be held in the Hotel Im
perial, in New York.
Manager Frank Chance and Business Manager
Arthur Irwin, of the New Yorks. started for
Beimuda on Saturday. February 15. Same day
Manager Dahlen left Brooklyn for Augusta, Ga.,
in advance of his team.
Same day 20 Cubs
under Manager Evers' wing started for Tampa.
Fla.
On February 16 Manager McGraw and
coach Robinson, of the Giants, started for Marlin, Texas.
According to a dispatch from Hickman, Ky.,
Rube Waddell is in very serious condition, owing
to an attack of pneumonia, and his chances of re
covery are said to be slight.
President Ban Johnson, of the American
League, announced his intention on February 35
of investigating a device of a Medford, Mass.,
man, who says that by its use umpires can make
no mistakes on their decisions on balls and
strikes.
A letter was received by President
Johnson giving a few ideas of the invention
which is said to be patterned after the telescope,
and he says that if it is all that is claimed for
it there is a likelihood it would be a valuable
addition to the base ball fleld.
Manager Ramsey, of the Troy (New York
State League) Club, has engaged the grounds of
the Oritana Field Club, of Hackensack, N. J.,
for a training place and has ordered his players
to report there on or before April 7.
year's old, who weighs 170 pounds and is
Very fast. He is a natural hitter of
great promise. Arthur Irwin discovered
him, and he trained with the New Yorks
at Atlanta last Spring and made a big hit
with the scribes who accompanied the
team. He obtained his release rather
than be farmed at a distance from New
York, practiced with the Giants last
year and was offered a contract by Man
ager McGraw. but decided to take a
chance with Washington. Jacinto Calvo
batted .392 in Cuba this Winter, up to
the 10th inst. As was pointed out months
ago, Calvo and Bill Alien, the compara
tively unknown youngsters, are quite as
likely
during the past-two seasons.
ey the other clay :
TO BECOME STARS
as any of the better advertised outfield
recruits of the Washington team, al
though some of the latter are uncom
monly good prospects. In fact, Manager
Griffith has a promising lot of new gard
eners, though he will not admit that he
is banking on them much. It will take
a real wonder to break in, except as a
substitute, especially as no doubt is left
"About five weeks ago Mr. Henry was operated that both Moeller and Shanks will be
It is now
•D for the removal of a floating cartilage in the even better than last year.
Said Hugh-
"Yes, there have been all sorts of batteries
during my base ball days, but I have the genu
ine article in Dubuc and Rondeau. Years ago
Sadie McMahon and Robbie were the Dumpling
battery, and they won some fame. Then there
was the Sauerkraut battery—Theodore Breitensteiu and Heine Peitz; and the Pretzel battery
—Getzien and Ganzel; the Pony battery—Pond
and Bowerman; the Irish battery—Ed Walsh
and Billy Sullivan: the Shadow battery—Gilmore and Mack; and perhaps a Swedish, an
Italian and a few more classy combinations
which made base ball history, but now it is up
to iny French battery."
New Rival For Player-Writers
Notice is hereby served on C. Mathewson, R. Marquard and other good base
ball writers appearing with the Giants
that E. K. Ferryman, one of the new
pitchers, is literary editor of a college
paper down in Georgia. It is called the
"Emory Campus," an 'organ for sharpen
ing young meu's wits, we presume. Even
if Ferryman doesn't make good as a pitch
er he ought to be a whale at covering the
World's Series for his paper.—New York
"Globe."
TOUR OF WORLD
IS DISCUSSED SERIOUSLY BY
THE "OLD ROMAN"
President Comiskey, of the White
Sox, Says the Tour Is Assured
and That the Teams Will Sail on
November 4 from San Francisco*
SPECIAL TO "SPOBTTNQ LIFE."
Chicago, Ills., February 1Z.— That
President Comiskey, of the Chicago
American Club is sincere in his scheme to
take the White Sox around
the world next Winter was
emphasized Saturday when
he conferred for an hour
with an agent of a com
pany promoting tours to all
parts of the globe. "I've
wanted to make a trip like
that ever since 1888," said
the Old Roman, "and I
want to make it with my
ball club. The only thing
that can stop me this time Chuk Comiakey
is the possibility of our not
getting back here in time to prepare fop
the next season. Th« financial end of it
will not stop me. In figuring up the ex
pense it was found to be about $1500 per
man and 15 on each team are to be taken.
While in New York I talked it over with
McGraw and I'm sure the scheme can. be
carried out. The way it looka now we
will sail from the Pacific Coast on No
vember 4. Before that time we will play
in Kansas City, Denver, Ogden, Salt take
City, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los
Angeles. This should give us a little fi
nancial start. A game can be played at
Honolulu, for the boat stops there for
six hours. I understand there are five
cities in Japan to be visited, one or two in
China, and then we'll go to the Philip
pines before we go on to Australia. We
ought to do well in Australia and on the
rest of the way around there will not be
much playing unless Secretary Grabiner
books a series for us in Jerusalem. We
will come back to Panama for a few
games, then play a couple in Havana and
come home. I think we can do this and
get home early in February."
AID DISCIPLINE
The Players' Fraternity Makes Another
Bid for Public Attention.
Special to "Sporting Life."
New York, February 17.—Co-operation
with the powers of base ball in maintain
ing discipline among major league play
ers is offered by the Base Ball Players'
Fraternity.
This was made known
through a letter sent by David L. Fultz,
president of the fraternity, to 'each of the
16 major league managers and made pub
lic Saturday as follows:
"Dear Sir: One of the purposes for which onr
fraternity is organized is to instil into the
players a higher conception of their profes
sion and a more serious regard for their con
tracts. To this end we shall use our influence
to induce our members to keep themselves in the
best physical condition possible and at all times
to give their employers the best service of which
they are capable. We therefore wish to bespeak
your co-operation and request, in case there
should be any breaches of discipline among our
members on your team, that you, forward us
the information in as detailed form as practical.
It may be that we can approach the player from
an angle unavailable to any other influence and
that we can co-operate with you to our mutual
benefit.
Of course, we can give no absolute
guarantee as to our results, but we can assure
you of the sincerity of our purpose and our
earneat desire to accomplish our aims."