Evening Star Newspaper, December 12, 1923, Page 30

ALL BIDS FOR STAR SPURNED BY CHANCE Balks at Demand for Harris and Rice—Walter John- on and Clarence Rowland Now Being Men- tioned as Possible Team Pilot. Special Dispatch to The Star. C HICAGO, De ond ba of the Washington club went Frank Chance, the Chicago pilot, ai tempted to reach an agree: infielder. tionals, veterar Gri obtainable by the trade route. when Chance finall, to stagger around, and when he re could be accomplished Just what players Chance asked in return for his «tar isu't known, nei- ther he nor Griff b g willing to di- vulge any details. It is presumed, however, that Chance asked for ley Har to fill Collins’ shoe ond, and for Sam Rice, as good meas- ure. Griff, no doubt, would have been willing to go along with one of lhl_me two men ttle cash, but the already coin than is ne Sary for Weren't interest- ed in that featur Whether any further efforts will be Collins loose from the estion is just alizing that it is & publicity Lether assume U the affair, 1 him a lot of desirable Is reason to doubt would be willing playing contract, which has one more vear to run at $15.000. and on top of this pay whatever Collins would most certainly demand for the managerial burden There seems to be impr that Grifft eventually will around to Walter Johnson as choice. It may be that he has I mind set on this point and is keeping quiet for the reason mentioned above. Johnson would surely be a popular Selection and none will question his base ball sense, but whether he has the needed aggressiveness is doubt- an 1 There around at Griff had vland, wh 1d chamy manage Americ Welcome the mana COAST LEAGUE FIGHT WON BY WILLIAMS CHICAGO. December Willia )0 L was confirmed president of the T on of t the National sociation ssfonal Base Ball Clubs up- the action of league represen- William MeCar- ident entered into the another talked on a story Wi pennant s White ow and Sox is an return’ to Angeles y. the former pi Williams _at once business of the base ball convention with the statement that he intended to work for the interest of 1 members of the Pacific Cc League, effacing all factional differen | The national held that a repre club was entitled presidenc: uence Wil- liams received the 7 five of the eight Paciflc Coast League clubs for presid It censured William Wade Killefer and | ckhart for “indiscreet | conduct’ in_effecting the Seattle club ITALY HOPES bitration ( e Seattle ntative of t the league o vote fo THIRD IN OLYMPIC MEET ted Prese December By tie R OME, Olympic games," tics, to the Associated Press. 12 “We have got the spirit and the determination, stimulated .by. the|. enthusiasm of Premier Mussolini for Finzi continued. . for the preparation of our athletes, ember 12—Whatever chance Eddie Collins, star sec- man of the White Sox. may approached Chance with a query as to whether Collins was Chance replied that he w body on his ball club provided he could better his team. this point, the two started to juggle names of Washington players, but decided on which men he would-take Griffith began ut would | [ Mays and intimations came from the { stormy petrel, WHITE SOX have had to become manager | into eclipse yesterday evening when 1d Clark Griffith, owner of the Na- ment looking to the transfer of the uld trade any- Satisfied as to covered his speech he said nothing ELBERFELD IS BETTING GIANTS OBTAIN HORNSBY €HICAGO, December 12—There wan much wagging of tongues here today when Kid Elberfeld, the Little Rock manager, went around the lobby of the Congress Hotel offering to bet large sums that the Rogers Hornaby deal waw all settled between the St. Cards and the New York Gi erfeld - anserted . that Juckson, one of the three players thut Johu McGraw anid he would not trade, was Included in the deal. Elberfeld was the man who discovered Jackson in the Little Rock club. CARL MAYS IS SOLD TO REDS BY YANKS CHICAGO, December 1:—Sale of Pitcher Carl Mays of the Yankees to the Cincinnati Reds for & sum report- ed to be $10,000 was one of the out- standing' happenings in the base ball market yesterday. Two vears ago, Mays would have brought about $40,000 his own leagure. But now Huggins was able |t get waivers on Carl from the seven other clubs in the American League and six clubs in the National. Philadelphia and Cincinnati claimed Giants that they were interested him, too. Huggins favored Cinc natl. so he recalled the request waivers in the National League ie a straight sale. The sale of May ing from the in marks the pass- American League of a who fnvolved the Yan- ees in a fight with Ban Johnson and e other clubs. The famous Ma case in 1919 led to legal entangle- ments and a break in the American League, with New York, Boston and Chicago opposing the other clubs. Mays left the Boston club in Chi- cago in the summer of 1819 and suspended. Later he was sold to the Yankees for $40,000 in cash and Pitch- ers Russell and McGraw. Johnson re fused to permit the suspended hurler to play for the Yankees and- then came the big fight. Col. Huston, who led the battle against Johnson, and Harry Frazee, then owner of the Red Sox, both have sold out and now Mavs goes from the American League, too. TIP FOR FISHERMEN. HARPERS FERRY, W. Va.. Decem- ber 12—The Potomac river was muddy and the Shenandoah was clear this morning. ‘TO FINISH { —*“Italy expects to’ take ‘third place in'the next said Aldo Finzi, vice commi sioner of aeronau- Italy’s success in the games who are working hard to win third place. Naturally we do not expect to beat America, but we are ready for any others. “We have a fine athletic spirit 1hroughout the country and in the army, We expect to discover some fine material among the soldiers, who are now under skilled athletic in- structors who are scouting for good Olympic material. “We intend to be in front in swim- ming and in the track events, boxing, fencing and foot ball. Throughout Italy there is keen com- petition among the athletes to win ihe trophy offered by Richard Wask- burn Child, the American ambassador, 10 the athletes of the city making the most points In the preliminary Olym- plc events. Austria to Be Represented. By the Assoclated Press. PARIS, December 12.—Austria will be represented in the 1924 Olymple zames, her official entries for the Winter sports at Chamonix having been received by the French Olymplc committee along with those of Lat- via and Hungary. Austria will send a hockey team to compete in the conests, and also will have entries in the figure skating, consisting of both women and men. The Austrfan Olympic_ committee, while refraining from officlal partici pation, owing to lack of funds, is authorizing the sending of competi- tors thrpugh private Inftiative. . : " Signor The Italian government has voted almost a million lire INTERNATIONAL TURF SERIES IN PROSPECT NEW YORK, December 12.—Before Pierre Werthheimer, French sports- man, departs for home he hopes to have arranged definite plans with August Belmont, chairman of the Jockey Club, for a series of races next year between his three-year-old champion, Epinard, and Zev, Ameri- can three-year-old king. M. Werthheimer, Belmont and Har- ry Sinclair, owner of Zev, conferred yesterday and, upon leaving for Den- ver, Sinclair authorized the Jockey Club head to act for him. Whether the races would: ‘be’ held in this country or Franoe.depends on the comparative demands of the two na- tional publics. The ~Frenchman owner said he wolild agree to enlarging the inter- natlonal fleld _with the entries of tional cup; In Memoriam, which de- Latvia will compete in the speed skating contests at all distances and the fifty-kilometer ski competition. Hungary has entered the ski events from twelve to elghteen kilometers and also the jumps. The entries bring the total repre- sentation at Chamonix to seven coun- tries—the United States, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Hungary, Latvla and Austria. The French Olympic committee ex- pects by Saturday, the date on which the entries close, to have eleven or twelve nations participating in_the winter events, including England. A_bill providing for a speclal issue of Olympic postage stamps has been introduced in the French chamber by Deputy Nibelle. It is expected the bill will be adopted without discus- sion. America Loses Star. NEW YORK, December 12.—Amer- jea’s hopes of winning the Olympic fancy skating champlonship at Cha- monix next month have been dimmed, as Sherwin Badger of Boston, who for three years has won the national fancy skating title, has withdrawn from the American team for business reasons. Badger represented the United States in the 1920 Olympic games, and was a high scorer in the men's singles. Belgians Seek Fund BRUSSELS, December 12.—The Bel- glan Olympic committee has decided to open a national subscription for funds to organize the Belgian Olym- ple_team and maintain it in Paris during the next years' games, as the sovernment appropriation is deemed ediogetber inadequate, feated both Zev and My Own at Lou- isville. My Own is the property of Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson. The serics may be at different dis- tances and the International cup may be offered to the winner. Must Constder In Memoriam. HOT SPRINGS, Ark., December 12. —Declaring that he would be “only too glad” to match In Memoriam agalnst either Zev, the Rancocas Stables colt, or Epinard, champion of the French turf, at a mile and a half or any distance between one and two miles, Carl Weidman Newport, Ky., reiterated his belist that his three-year-old wi the champion of the turf. t doesn't seem reasonable,” Weld- man said, “that a champlonship could be determined as to which is the su- perior horse of the year without em= bracing In Memoriam, at least in the process of elimination.” —_— BROOKLYN POLO PLAYERS’ SPRING TOURNEY UPSET CLEVELAND, Ohio, December 12.— Brooklyn Riding and Driving Club sprang a surprise in the midwest- ern indoor polo championship tourna- ment by defeating the famous Riding Club of New York, 12% to 5%, in the semi-final round of play. The Brooklyn team meets the Troop A Reds of Cleveland in the final tonight, the locals having de- feated the Cincinnati Polo Club, 11 to 9, in the first extra chukker match n tournament history, Papyrus, the English Derby winner, which Zev defeated for the interna- THE EVENING STAR," 'WASHINGTON; T've Never Quit the Game. BY HANS WAGNER. H 1 first talked with the publisher about this series of base ball ar- ticles—my autobiography, he called it—I was much in doubt, and still am, as to what people might want to know about me. “Why,” he said, “in the first place, thousands of fans would like to know what you are doing now.” Then he stopped. “And,” he went on again, “they certainly would like to know what made you a great ball player and so on. “A thing that has always puz- zled me,” he added, “is why you had to quit playing—why you dropped out of the game.” “But I haven't quit the game,” I told him. *“I play ball two or three times a week right now"— this was in September—"and 1 make a pretty good living out of 1t “Well, start right there,” he suggested. “By the way, Honus, how old are you? And, another thing. A lot of folks think you talk with a German accent. Were you born in this country? I'll answer all that at one time. 1 am forty-nine years old. I was born in Mansfield, Pa, which is now called Carnegie. Of course, 1 never had a German dialect. Moreover, my name is John Peter —not Hans or Honus. Those were given me as nicknames. [ went to school just the same as the other boys, and I don’t even speak German well. My ifather, though, was born in the old country. He same here when a voung man and went to work as a coal miner in the hard-coal fields. Still Plays Regular. Though I am forty-nine years old 1 play base ball regularly, and 1 don't mind telling you 1 play a pretty good game yet. 1 don't feel a year older than I did when I was leading the National League as a batter with the Pitts- burgh club. 1 play with a semi- pro team in summer and often get in as many as four games a week. In addition to that I have a sporting goods business which I help my partners attend to be- tween times. 1 play ball simply bécause: T like to. I have never got tired of the game. As a rule, ball players who like to quit the game and. forget. about .it" never were really great players. To be suc- cessful in base ball a man has got to feel it. The game must be in his bones. He must love it. It’s just the same as any other business. I don't believe a man ever made a great success of any business that he didn't really love. . You may be surprised when I tell you that I never thought of quitting base ball as a game, and, what's more, that never inh my life did-F pay much attention to the money end of it. Any man who succeeds in mak- ing. himgelf the best in, his trade has earned a place in life and his name will be remembered. To say that base ball is a use- less profession would be as much as saying that the 60,000 people who went out to see a game during the last world series were all fools. A man who can do something to entertain and hold the interest of 60,000 people at one place, and 1,000,000 more scat- tered over the country, has made a successful mark in life—make no mistake about that. Never Tires of Base Ball. 1 did not drop out of major league base bal because I was all through. I was not released. There was a contract on the table for me to sign at increased salary. As I say, I never paid much attention to the money end. T wanted to stay at home for a while. I had traveled around from city to city for twenty- eight years and was weary of it— the traveling, I mean. I was never tired of base ball. “No,” 1 finally said to Mr. Dreyfuss, “I think I'll quit. - I yl/al:t to be at home with my fam- ily. He knew that I meant it. He also knew that I was not after more money. He knew that on TORY D. - ¢, WEDNESDAY, - DECEMBER 12, 1923. Oopyright, 1923, in United Stater and Grost Britain, Gubs, th Americs, b Han's Wagner's name ap- pears on every all-American all-star base ball team for all time, and what the old-time star doesn’t know about base ball doesn't amount to much. In this, the story of his career told by himself, he tells you what he knows—the skill of men and teams and plays, the development of the American national game, all the ins and outs that the base ball fan of today wants to know about. He gives pointers to the youngster and the college player, and he tells the old hand where he can look for new delights by watching for fine points that most of us overlook. Hans Wagner's story is more than this, how- ever; to it he has brought his sound philosophy and knowl- edge of men, so that the diamond, as he talks of it, be- comes as broad as the whole world. And with a simplicity that makes absorbing reading he has accomplished what many skilled writers fail to achieve; he has given a liv- ing, full length portrait of a man—himself. two or three occasions 1 had voluntarily cut my own salary. Though 1 am jumping into the middle of my story right at the start some ians may be intereste to know that I lost £2500 out of my own pocket, and maybe more, by declining to jump to the American League during the big base ball war twenty years ago. 1 also knew exactly what I was doing, and I have never regret- ted it There has been much talk ar misunderstanding about that in cident, so. beforeegoing back to my start, [ will explain the whole thing in detail. CHAPTER 2—\Why [ Asked for a Smaller Salary. HE big turning point base ball, the way I loc at it, was the war with the American League back in 1900, which lasted for two or three years and then wound up in the present national agreement That war was to base ball much like the civil war was to the states. It had to come to a head some time. It worked a lot of hardships one way and another, but I think it was necessdry: Base ball would not have been what it is today if we hadn't had that war. We uldn’t have had any world series for one thing. Can you imagine what base ball would be today if we didn’t bave a world series as a sort of big climax to the end of the season? In the old days a team won the pennant and the players were paid off and given a banquet. That's all there was to it. 1 didn't even go to the public ban- quets. There was nothing to talk about during the winter. Often fans forgot who had won the pennant the year beiore. It didn’t make any difference. That thing of having a big classic event to end the season, a climax, gave base ball its big jump. Every fall and winter the series is talked about all over the world now. Fans in little towns know all about each player and what he did. In the old days they wouldn’t even know who won the pennant, and wouldn't care. You know how it Well, it was during that war that I came into prominence in money matters—base ball money, 1 mean. I was among those play- ers who refused to jump. I may have lost a lot of money by it, but I feel much happier and satis- fied for having stayed in Pitts- burgh. My friends, good ball players, all over the country were going to the American League for the big money. Naturally, a lot of agents, most of them {riend were after me. I was leading the National League as' a hitter, and, if 1 do-say it myseli, was sup- posed to be a good drawing card. I loved my team and associa- ciations. They meant much more to me than money. Players Take a Stand. One day the players had a meeting to talk about the offers they had had and to decide what they should do. After a lot of talk we agreed to meet again the next day at 3 o'clock and not to sign_a contract until after that meeting. Mr. Dreyfuss and Harry Pul- liam, who was then with the Pittsburgh club, but later presi- dent of the National League, got wind of this in some way. They knew, of course, that American League agents were in town. They tried to get hold oi me, but I avoided them. mitte exp On the day before the meeting my iriend, Jim Orris, a lifelong pal, came out to see me and final- Iy got me to meet Dreyiuss and Pulliam in the off Jim didn"t say so, but I knew they had got him to try t me in tow. The upshot of it was that I final- Iy agreed to do what Jim asked We met Dreyfuss and Pulliam at the time and place. They per- suaded Orris to sit in at the con- ference. They had prepared two or three contracts and tried their best to get me to sign onc. I couldn’t do that because I was under promise, and I didu’t want to know this. 1 shifted 1d evaded questions— did everything I could to keep from giving a direct answer. In short, I refused to sign any form of contract Barn Dreyfuss is a square fellow—always treated me right. He was puzzled at my attitude Finally turned to his desk and pulled a blank contract out of the drawer. For some time he looked me squarely in the eve, “Here, Honus,” he said, “is a blank contract. Take that pen there and write in your own fig- ures.” To prove that he m ney signed the paper blank and passed it over to me. Now that's what I call a square propo- sition. Still, I hesitated. Refuses Higher Salary. “No,” 1 finally told them all, “TI'll not sign a contract tonight, no matter how it’s made out. I simply can't, that’s all” It was about midnight by this time. Dreyfuss and Pulliam went out and left me with Orris, leay- ing it to him to do what he could with me. “Honus,” said Orris, “what did the American League offer you?” “They offered me a two-year contract at $7.500, and put the money the bank in ad- vance 1 had also been offered $2,000 for each star player I could in- duce to go along with me. “All right,” he said, encour- aged. “We'll tell Barney about that in the morning and I know he’ll do the same.” No,” I told him, “I'm not worth that much money now. I think, though, Barney ought to pay me $5.000. TI'm getting $4,000 now.” “That's fine. He'll gladly do that. Come on and sign it to- night, “No, Jim; to teil you the truth, the fellows had a meeting and all agreed not to sign anything until we_mect again tomorrow.” Orris went in to see Dreyfuss again. He came back with con- tracts showing that several of the fellows already had signed. ant it Bar- WAGNER’S BATTING AND FIELDING RECORDS, 1895-1914 150 130 us 14 1 bR B R T [ H TOTALS TOTALS N. L. 20 267110180 1821 3448 €34 268 122 778 214 .3W 6726 6611 819 17 2433 9199 1612 3080 567 231 99 672 200 .336 e Tt ol Langre in Batting. . XX—Led National Lesgue in Batting. . Only once tn watyten years &4 Himg Wagner's butting-a verago-drop below 1300, His fieldingrecord aleo fy amazing. FIELDINC RECORD P.O. A ¥ T.C. A NWNOANOANGANUAPE=NWBGN BERBREDSDARAEERRRNEAT (" SEERReveaRiBRIERENRY 31 12 143 210 397 108 17 165 185 L 197 17 H 4 3 H gk H SRBSESES28EER 0 REETERL § 4 4156 €134 5887 729 12072 S WAGNER, all.round ball player of all Even so.” T told them, “that’s no reasony why I should break my word. I won’t sign tonight.” That ended the meeting. The next day I signed the con- tract, and 1 signed it for less than $7500. 1 honestly didn't think I was worth that much. Later on I was the highest paid player in the league, getting $10,000. N I'm not trying to make myself a moral herq or anything like that, but I'mqlelling you honest- ly that it was worth that $2,500 to have had the feeling of keep- ing my word. There was a time. though, when I tried to hold a manager up for more money. That was man v vears ago. To tell it wi take me right back to my i ;:'ng as-a funny little awkward kid. | Tomorrow:" I Ask $40 a | Month—and Change My | Mind. |GRID PLAY ADVANCES, SAYS WALTER CAMP In reviewing the 1923 foot ball sea- son in “Colller's,” the national week- 1y, Walter Camp, the dean of gridiron experts, lays particular stress upon | the evolution that is golng on in the game. The salient features, in his estima- tion, are: 1—Loosening up of line pia 2—Hroadening of base in back- fleld from which attack radiates. S—Replacement of bulky line- men by more rangy type. 4—Distribution of weight tend< ing out to tackles and en G—More concealment tion In forward paseing. 6—Improvement of the defense 10 forward passing. 7—Recognition of “boomerang” effect of intercepted passes. aSlncrease of speed in back- eld. 9—Improvement in covering Kicks. 10—Greater reliance on field soals. 11—More mental sagueity and initiative in players. 12—Increased overorganization in coaching and scouting stafts 13—Increasing tendency to the use of more men in a game. 14—Greater dependence upon in- dividuals as specialists. 15—Better and wider placing of men on defense. SIX BIG GRID GAMES ON NOTRE DAME LIST SOUTH BEND, Ind.,, December 12.— Notre Dame's 1924 foot ball schedule will be completed today.when the contracts are signed for games with Wabash and Carnegle Tech. At a banquet in honor ofthe team, Coach Rockne announcéd that twenty-six men, ten of whom grad- uate in June, had been awarded the official Notre Dame monogram. The complete football schedul Octobér- 4, Lombar 3 18, Army at New York; October, 25, Princeton at Princeton; November 1, Georgla Tech: 8, Wisconsin at Wia- consin; 13, Nebraska; 22, Carnegie Tech at Pittsburgh. INDIANS TO PLAY GIANTS. CLEVELAND, December 12.—The Cleveland Indians and the New York Glants will play &n exhibition game here April 14, according to advices Teteived from’ Chicago. The Glants will stop off here on their way home from the training camp. MINTERS RE-ELECT HALLIGAN CHICAGO, December 12.—Thoma: F. Halligan of Flint, Mich. was re eloctod_president of the Michigan-On- tarfo League for a term of three years, at the annual league meeting here iast night. AUTO GLASS FOR WINDSHIELDS OR BODIES. . Tarsnto & Wasman 1017 NEW YORE AVE, N.W. inten- SPORTS. By the Associatsd Press. C HICAGO, December was given when the club o and loyal support and our appreciati well as unqualified approval of his While joint action wa failure to consult them in arranging t STRAND COSTS MACK CHICAGO, TIl., December 12.—Paul Strand, the champion batsman of e Pacific Coast League, belongs to the | Athletics. Connie Mack | last night that the deal had been com- pleted, which, he felt, would give his club the punch needed in the outfield Mack declined to atate the precise | terms of the deal ‘While the anti- draft rule is in for | agreed to pay a sum mate $75,000 for Strand. Later. If the draft is in force. as it | will b, the cash pald to i will amount to about $60,000. Several players, who have been agreed upon, will then be ned over with the cash. ORGANIZED BASE BALL | LIFTS BAN ON NORFOLK RICHMOND, Va., December 12.—The Norfolk club of the Virgi suspended from organized base ball just before the close of the for an attack v ite president upon | an umpire, has been reinsta the | national board of arbitrution 1in Chicago, according to a telegram | received here from President W Moye of the Virginia League The $1,000 fine assessed agal club by Secretary Farrell Minor Leagues Organization was re- duced to $500, the message added. POCKET BILLIARD TITLE announced League season PHILADELPHIA, Ralph Greenleaf, world pocket liard champion, and Frank Tabers former title holder, broke even in matches yesterday, giving the for: three wins in the four-contest title series. Greenleaf won 100 to 14. berski scored, 100 to 83 Greenleaf announced he was about to enter competition in the three- cushion billiard field and would make | an effort to win that title in addition to the one he now holds. December 1 THOMPSON CUE VICTOR. Contestants in the round-robin pocket billiard tournament at Grand | Central Academy will start play Mon- day night at 7:45 o'clock. Drew Thompson last night nosed out Wil- liam Parsons, 250 to 245. CUE STARS MATCHED. Joe Concannon, expert cueist, will meet Clive Richmond in an exhibi- tion pocket billiard match tomorrow | night at 8:30 o'clock in the Academy | parlors, 9th and H strests. Almost every man thinks El Producto the best cigar he has ever smoked—there s nogift so sure to please. 12—The National Leagues met here today for their joint ses K. M. Landis sefenely confident that their session wi with none of the clashes at first predicted. Assurance that the spirit of peace prev = SPIRIT OF PEACE PREVAILS FOR JOINT MEETING TODAY National League’s “Unqualified Approval” of - Landis’ Services Ends All Talk of Fight Being Waged Against the Commissioner. and Ame; Base Ball n, with Commissioner an be amica led among the major league v 1 ners of the National League adopted recs tions extending to Commissioner Landis foi e he co for his d official actions.” not taken by the An that the commissfoner would be embarrassed = pelled as soon as the National League st been afloat that President Heydler of the ) Ban Johnson of the American League he 1 UPWARD OF $75,000 ; ¥ RETAINED BY GREENLEAF | : n prope | base bail rules Radiators and Fenders 10 DIFFERENT MAKES RADIATORS A RING MADE 0% REFAIRED . ana ¥ CF. 6410. 1425 P, M. 7443, Hatch Your 0dd Coats With Our Special TROUSERS $4£ up Save the price of eatire new sult. All colors, sizes, patterns. EISEMAN’S 605-607 7th St. N.W. Good dealers offer E1 Producto by the box in sizes and shapes to fit both taste and pocketbook. G. H. P. CIGAR CO., Tncs Philadelphis, Pa. Distributor Daniel Loughran Co.,* inc., 14th St. & Pa. Ave, ‘Washingten, D. €.