Evening Star Newspaper, March 14, 1929, Page 49

SHOWDOWN IS DUE TODAY FOR JONES McCullough Is Recovering. Nats Playing Cardinals Today and Tomorrow. BY JOHN B. KELLER. .- VON PARK, Fla, March 14— They are at it again, these New York trademakers. Having no game yesterday, many of the Nationals, after a short rest following the morning drill, motored to St. Petersburg to see the world cham- plon Yankees battle with the Braves. ‘The first thing the Washington crowd heard as it entered the ball park was the rumor 6f a deal that would send Benny Tate, catcher, to Miller Huggins' club and transfer to Walter Johnson's outfit some player, probably an in- fielder, now on the Yankee roster. Right now it should be said that President Clark Griffith immediately declared there was no foundation for the rumor. But then President Griffith always brands as untrue or without base any rumor of a deal involving his club that comes from any source other than Washington headquarters. And often after President Griffith has so branded & rumor it becomes fact. Griffith may know nothing of this proposed deal for Tate, but those around the Yankee camp seem to know much concerning it. From sources close to the New York club comes information that Huggins sounded the Washington ownership on the subject while the Na- tionals were playing in St. Petersburg Tuesday afternoon and later made a tentative offer for the catcher. The offer was spurned at the time, ‘tis| rumored, but so eager is Huggins to | acquire for the Yankees a catcher with the big league experience Tate has had that he is ready to raise the ante and is rather confident a trade can be effected. Yanks Need a Catcher. ‘The Yanks can stand the addition of & catcher with considerable experience in the majors. With Benny Bengough greatly weakened by illness, the New York Club has but one other receiver who has put in much time in the big show. He is John Grabowski and John is rated not so high as a catcher, at that. In addition to these, the catchers on the Yankee roster are Bill Dickey and Arndt Jorgens. Neither of these has been so impressive in trials thus far. But Griffith insists there's nothing to this rumor. “I might consider a deal that would give us a player like Lazzeri or Koenig for Tate, but I know Huggins would not dream of doing such a thing,” says Griffith. “Not a chance of a deal,” he adds. But they think differently around the Yankee camp. They say at St. Petersburg that Leo Durocher, pep- pery little infielder who can go well either at second base or short stop, may be offered. If Durocher is put up as a trade for Tate, it may safely be said the offer would be given serious considera- tion by the Washington club. 1t would have to be some exceptional offer to tempt President Clark Griffith, for the catching situationwon his club i8 not so good as it promised to be when the training camp at Tampa opened. Instead now having five receivers well along in conditioning work as expected, there are but three who have made progress in fitting themselves for the important business ahead. They are the veterans Muddy Ruel and Tate and the recruit Al Bool. Ed Kenna and Clff Bolton, the other members of the catching staff, will not be ready for heavy duty for some time. Kenna probably will have to idle along for two or u;tht.hm more before he can begin using the throwing hand that went out of commission when a foul %mm the thumb and dislocated the Bolton, who reporied yesterday, 17 days later than the time he was ordered to appear at camp, is in low physical condition following a seige of illness that delayed his arrival at Tampa, and ‘Trainer Mike Martin says the young receiver bought from High Point of the Piedmont League will have to train carefully several weeks before he can be into service. Jones Case Still Unsettled. ‘When the Nationals left Tampa this morning for this town, where they are playing the Cardinals today and tomor- row, the Jones case still was unsettled. After declaring Sad Sam had to accep! the terms offered for this year or suffer suspension yesterday, Griffith relented, and said the pitcher could “think it over” through today. Manager Johnson was mainly re- sponsible for the time extension granted. Yesterday morning, Jones at first refused to don a uniform and join practice, but after a talk with his pilot he dressed and went through a workout with the squad. He was to practice again today at Tampa, but Griffith an- nounced this morning that there would : no further extension of time for Sad m. “It's sign today or be suspended,” the Washington prexy said just before his club left for Avon Park, “and,” he added, “Jones knows I mean just that.” Paul McCullough, the pitcher who has been il at his home in Newcastle, Pa., some time now, is on the road to recovery and will report to the Na- tionals before long, according to word | received at Tampa late yesterday. ‘The message to President Griffith came from the doctor who is attending McCullough. The physician wrote that the pitcher has been suffering with bronchitis following a severe attack of | influenza, but now seems on the mend and should be able to leave home for the South within a few days. As expected, there now is an epidemic of sore arms raging among the Na- tionals. However, it has not hit any of the pitchers, and according to Trainer Martin no one has to worry about the others being so painfully affected. He maintains that the infielders and out- t | When the Pirate team arrives there next spoRTS; wone THE. EVENTNG STAR,” FAEHINGTON. 1.y0 THURSDAY. WARCH 14 16y By the Assoclated Press. SAN ANTONIO, Tex., March 14.— This is the year that will decide whether Larry Benton will rate a place with the pitching greats of all time, The No. 1 ranking pitcher of the National League last season, Ben- ton hurled his way into the heart of his boss, John McGraw. Before the season was half over the Giants’ manager was referring to Larry as the greatest he had seen since the days of Christy Mathew- son. Another brilliant showing like 1928 would make the former Brave eligible for high honors. Benton won 25 games and lost 9 in 1928. He worked in 42 contests and pitched 28 complete games, finish- ing the season with 310 innings of box work to his credit. He had an earned run average of 2.73. ‘The Giants’ star hung up the phe- nomenal record of finishing every game he started until along toward the closing weeks of the season, when his arm began to tire under the strain. It was Benton’s work that enabled the Giants to make a race of it right up until the closing series of the season. If he could have mus- tered more help earlier in the pen- nant fight, his club might have been out in front at the finish. Larry was one of those choice pick-ups from Boston for which the Giants have become famous. Com- ing here in a trade in June, 1927, By the Associated Press. LEARWATER, Fla., March 14— Determined Dazzy Vance and ‘Wrong Glenn Wright are caus- ing grief in the camp of the Brooklyn Robins. hysician mtn%r:lh:t lv';!‘mn:bl“ \‘A‘: le l;et. into action in a few weeks, but he opposed to the club officials’ stand on not giving Vance more than $22,500. ‘The rotund manager still thinks it is not worth while to haggle over the $2,500 difference when it may mean a severe blow in the region of the box office later in the year. PASO ROBLES, Calif., March 14(#).— The official ax has been swung again in the Pittsburgh Pirate camp, Homer Blankenship, Dallas, Tex., recruit pitch- er being cut loose. Much had been expected of the burly twirler, but his salary wing has been in bad shape since the latter part of last year and has refused to respond to treatment. He goes back to Dallas. Owner Barney Dreyfuss, while deny- he has had further word from the ‘Waner brothers, believes they might journey over to Texas for a conference week. SBAN ANTONIO, Tex., March 14 (). —John McGraw has seen enough of the training activities of the New York Giants to start dectding how they will bat during the regular season. Althnufih a large part of the batting order still is undecided, he has assigned Fred Leach, his new outfielder from the Phillies, to the sixth position, with Fred Lindstrom and Bill Terry just ahead of him. McGraw believes that Leach will hit around the .300 mark this season. AVALON, Catalina Island, Calif, March 14 (#).—Manager Joe McCarthy and his ambitious Cubs packed their war clubs and prepared to leave his magic isle today for their long exhibi- tion tour on the mainland. With the exception of Catcher Ieo Hartnett and Elwood English, youthful shortstop, all of the Cubs appeared in English are lame. WINTER HAVEN, Fla., March 14 (®). —Manager Shotton announced that he would bank on right-handed pitchers today when the Philadelphia Nationals journey to Fort Myers to meet the Ath- letics in the first of & two-game Flori- da series. ‘Willoughby, Roy and Brecht drew the pitching assignment against the Mack- men and Virgil Davis was named to do ‘n‘l’l thekclwh ng, as Lerian is too lame work. fielders soon will work out the kinks in their wings. So there's tion games for a short time. likely to be some wild peg- | ging by the Nationals in their exhibi-| () ! nothin, ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 14 )—Losing _exhibition games means according to the experts, but | STUDEBAKER ovietone ANN PEN QUIN NINGTON RYAN Noted Radio Announcer AB JE NKINS Famous Cross-Country Driver ROXY’S ORCHESTRA See and hear them FREE! good physical condition. Hartnett and |- he began to win consistently, where- as he had been a 50-50 pitcher with the Braves. Benton finished the 1927 season with 17 victories and 7 defeats. In his previous year with Boston he had von 14 and lost 14, not a bad showing for a Boston pitcher. Larry can have Jimmy Walker's Job if he repeats his 1928 pitching performance. Robbie Would Have Brooklyn Club Meet Demands of Vance the Braves would like to win one, just the same. For two days past they have been stormed at by the heavy artillery of the Nationals and Yankees, their defenses have crumbled and they have returned only a few ineffective shots. Will Benton Be Another Matty for Giants? KEARNS WILL TEST POWERS OF N.B. A Forcing of a $10,000 Forfeit Leads Him-to Determine to Take Legal Steps. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, March 14.—Jack Kearns plans to test the powers of the Na- tional Boxing Association to control boxing matches in 25 States by legal | action, The trouble between Kearns and the assocfation arose when the Illinois State Athletic Commission, a member of the N. B. A, demanded and re- ceived a $10,000 forfeit from: Kearns before it would sanction the Tommy Loughran-Mickey Walker light-heavy- weight match at the Chicago Sfadium March 28. Such a forfeit was asked to assure the N. B. A. that Walker, a charge of Kearns, would defend his middleweight crown before next September 30. “I am going into Federal Court at Chicago to seek an injunction restrain- ing the N. B. A. from furthér inter- rex;ang with me and my boxers,” Kearns said. “My attorneys tell me the associa- tion is a self-constituted organization and has no legal standing in the sense that it can regulate boxing. They also advise me no State commission can legally enforce any ruling of the N. B, A. unless the State commission is given explicit authority in the law creating the commission.” Death Claims Sherry Magee, Former Major League Star By the Associated Press. HILADELPHIA, March 14.—The death of Sherwood Magee, an umpire in the National League and for many years a big league player, marks the passing of one of base ball's most colorful figures. He was stricken with pneumonia at his home a week ago. Death occurred last night. He was 44 and is survived by Mrs. Magee and three children. The funeral will be held Saturday. Base ball fans of 20 years ago will re- call Sherry Magee, then an outfielder with the Phillies, as one of the greatest natural batsmen in the game. He led the National League in batting in 1910, with an average of .331. That season he went to bat 519 times, playing in every game on the schedule. Magee was a past master in judging fly balls, a fine base runner and full of so-called “inside base ball,” for which the big leagues were noted in that period. The season of 1910 was his big- gest batting year, but in 1911 he' fin- ished second in batting and 1914 was third. He led the circuit that year in driving runs across the plate with a total of 101 and also topped the league in extra base hits. Magee came to the Phillies in 1904 and was captain of the club in 1913. He became dissatisfied the next year when Pat Moran was named manager to succeed Charley Dooin, feeling that he was entitled to the post. ‘The next year both the New York Glants and the Baltimore Federals ‘Wonder What Mertz Will Say Today? Individuality —in Dress is only made possible | by having clothes made to meet | the individual requirements. \ OUR EASTER SPECIAL Suit or Topcoat Made to Measure *35 Regular $50 Value 'MERTZ & MERTZ 405 11th St. NW. H. J. Froslich, Suce sought his services, but at Magee's own request he was traded to the world champion Boston Braves for Dugey, Whitted and a cash consideration. He played two years with the Braves and after that was with Cincinnati for two years. He dropped out of the majors in 1919, playing later with Columbus, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Baltimore. During the season of 1927 Magee -um- pired in the New York-Pennsylvania League, where his work attracted the attention of President Heydler of the National, and a year ago he was ap- pointed an umpire in that league. He had forwarded' his signed contract to Heydler for the present season. Magee was born in Clarendon, Pa., in 1884, and his first real base ball experi- ence was with Allentown in 1903, where he played with a semi-professional team. NEW TIRES FOR YOUR OLD ONES DOWN THE LINE WITH W. 0. McGEEHAN. Ethics and Ivory. FTER half a century, more or less, in the national pestime, Mr. Wilbert Robinson is pained to learn that the business of ivory trading is not exactly ethical. Mr. Robinson traded Jess Petty, a left-handed pitcher who could pitch, but who would not pitch for the Dodgers, and Riconda, an infielder, to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Glenn Wright, a shortstop. Both of the players traded by Mr. Robinson were sound of wind and body, but now it develops that Wright has a crippled throwing arm, and a shortstop | with a bad throwing arm would be of no use whatever to the Dodgers or any other team. More in anger than in sorrow, Mr. Robinson is convinced that the | guilefu! Barney Dreyfuss, owner of the Pirates, knew that Wright was a com- parative cripple when the trade was made. Mr. Robinson has appealed to John Arnold Heydler, president of the Na- tional League, for justice, but there does not seem to be any precedent for Jjustice in the business of ivory trading—unless the magnates can get together and declare a new deal in the matter of bartering and exchange of base ball players. It always seems to have been understood that when you buy or trade for a base ball player you take him “as is.” This also was the legend of horse trading as set forth in “David Harum” until the celebrated Playfellow case. Playfellow, a brother of Man o’ War, was sold for an impressive sum. A few days after the sale the buyer discovered that Playfellow was a “cribber” and a “wind sucker.” The case went to court, the buyer was awarded a return of the purchase price and the seller was given back the horse. ‘This ruling upset the traditions of centuries of horse trading. But so far as I can recall, there never has been any similar ruling in the matter of ivory trading. There have been many raucous squawks by buyers of damaged ivory which was represented as being perfect. There was the case of the trading of Rollie Zeider, who was found by the buyer to be incapacitated for service by a bunion of remarkable proportions. ‘There was the case of Jack Scott, who was traded by George Washington Grant, former president of the Boston Braves, to the Cincinnati Reds. August Herrmann, the Burgomeister of Cincinnati, was very much distressed to find himself the victim of Mr. Grant's guile, but he could get no justice. Perhaps the matter may go before Commissioner Landis and eventually he might make some ruling that would introduce ethics into the business of ivory trading. But in-the meantime it looks as though managers will con- tinue to practice deceit when trading or selling athletes, I recall that when the owners of the New York Yankees paid the unheard-of sum of $150,000 to Harry Frazee of the Red Sox for Babe Ruth a number of their friends were sorry for them. They predicted that the Babe's legs were likely to go at any moment, and that he could not make the grade for long. That was 10 years ago, and the legs of the Babe, at last reports from Florida, were still holding out. But the Babe was quite intact when he was delivered to the Yanks. It seems, from all accounts, that Wright was not. If Mr. Barney Dreyfuss knew this it was very reprehensible, indeed, of him to take advantage of Mr. Robinson, and something ought to be done about it, but as yet there is no precedent for regu- lating the injustices of ivory dealing. That Student Protest. )ROBABLY nothing whatever will come of the student protest against alumni interference with college athletics as voiced through the Cornell Sun. This is the time of the year when there is the usual protest against the over- emphasis of intercollegiate athletics. It is usually led by the Association of American College Professors. But when undergraduates express a decided indifference as to the worth of foot ball prestige it may mean something later on. Of course, the old grads will insist that it is evidence of a lack of college spirit. In other universities where the foot ball teams are going well they will say that this indifference is due to the fact that Cornell has had some bad foot ball years. The student bodies at colleges where the foot ball teams have not been going well usually do become apathetic to the matter of foot ball. Take the case of New York University, which passed through a long period of what the boys might call minor league foot ball. During those lean years of foot ball it was hard to find much enthusiasm for the game at that institution. But since the success of Mr. Chick Meehan there has been developed considerable enthusiasm. for the game and the feeling at thlYui;rk University now is that the sport cannot possibly be overem- phasized. It may be true that the undergraduates of Cornell really have more regard for the academic standing of their university than they have for any prestige that might accrue to Cornell through prestige gained in athletics. If it is, then they seem to have a remarkably sane undergraduate body at Ithaca. They might have equally sane undergraduate bodies at other universities. I wonder. Further expressions of opinion on this subject by undergraduates would be interesting. Making Sports Easier. NNOUNCEMENT comes from the golf show at Chicago that anti-shock iron clubs have been invented for golf. There are two advantages, the announce- ment reads. One is that it will give the dub from 40 to 50 yards more distance on chip shots. The other is that it will prevent a golfer from getting calluses on his hands. The next invention will be a base ball bat that will give the hitters from 40 to 50 yards more on their hits and at the same time prevent them from blistering their palms while swinging. Or a new kind of base ball that will develop speed and a curve automatically without causing the pitcher to use too much effort and wear out his soupbone prematurely. For the indoor sport of billiards somebody should invent & cue that would put the english on the ball automatically. And while they are at work in the sporting laboratory in the laudable effort to make the games less arduous they might invent. a foot ball that could not be fumbled and a pair of gloves for the receivers of forward passes so that they could not ground. There are many other appliances that would be welcome to the followers of the various sports. Write your own suggestion and send it to the laboratory. By Way of Warning. 'HEY say that Mr. Jack Kearns is planning to promote a fight in some mys- terious mining clmgeln the open spaces of Nevada. The inmates of that camp should remember the experience of Shelby, Mont. Mr. Kearns once directed a prize fight in that place and Shelby is still punch- drunk from the experience. All the banks in the vicinity exploded simultaneously as Mr. Kearns departed. (Copyright, 1929.) NEW YORK, March 14.—France | ing smile at the prospect. “We feel Lacoste and Bill Tilden meet- “Lacoste has just started icing MU RIEL with enthuslasm, “and he was not at all . Yank-French Netmen to Fight . . It Out Again, Borotra Thinks and the United States will fight | over there that it will be the United it out again ‘this season for | States and France in the challenge ing once more in the central drama of the Davis Cup challenge round, Jean again after a rest of several months. I was playing with Lacoste shortly be- NEVER GETS ON bad, in spite of his long lay-off. “T' think you will ind Rene playing YOUR NERVES By the Associated Press. again this year,” he added, with a flash- world tennis honors with Rene | round once more.” Borotra has predicted. " fore I left France,” Borotra went on Bill Tilden in one of their big battles ITere’s the way to get every SONNENBERG MAT BOUT GOES TO AUDITORIUM ‘Washington Auditorium has been selected as the scene of the wrestling match Monday night between Gus Sonnenberg, world heavyweight champion, and Pat McCarthy, Eng- lish heavyweight. There will be two preliminary matches. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow morning at the University Shop, 506 Ninth street. HORNSBY PLAYING “LONE WOLF" ROLE Rajah Has Not Changed His Tactics Since Joining Chicago Cubs. By the Assoclated Press. OGERS HORNSBY, the war cor- respondents with the Chicago Cubs assert, still is playing the role of “lone wolf.” The Rajah, they say, does not mingle with his_clubmates off the field. Hornsby has never been a mixer of the type of Babe Ruth; neither is he bothered with the back-slapping, horse- play or pranks indulged in by most of the players. It's all business with Rogers. He once said: “T play base ball because I like it, but chlexy because it is a good business for me. I am in there to put all I can into it, but also get the most out of it.” ‘Hornsby did not spare his men when- ever he was in a position of authority, neither does he spare himself. Like Ty Cobb, Rogers always was im- patient with players who could not follow his own pace. VON PORAT CONSIDERING RISKO, UZCUDUN OFFERS CHICAGO, March 14 (#).—Otto Von Porat, angular Norwegian heavyweight, who handed Tom Heeney a terrific lac- ing Tuesday night, has under consid- eration offers to meet Johnny Risko and Paulino Uzeudun. The Boston Garden wants him to meet Risko, while Promoter Jim Mullen of Chicago has offered him an engage- ment with Uzcudun here April 30. WALKER GIVEN $75,000 OFFER TO FIGHT DE VOS LOS ANGELES, March 14 (#).— Jimmy Bronson, active manager of Rene De Vos, announced here that he has been authorized by Arthur J. Drexel Biddle, jr., wealthy New York sportsman and owner of the Bel- gian boxer’s contract to offer Mickey Walker, ~middleweight champion, zvs.m for a title match with De 0. ‘ :mnny Tate Will Be Traded to Yankees for an Infielder BORRELLI TO PLAY THIRD FOR MACKS Collegian to Be Given Test' at Position—Yanks Stick to 1928 Tactics. By the Assoclated Press. ORT MYERS, Fla, March 14— Nick Borrelli, former Muhlenberg College star, drew the assign- ment at third base in the Ath- letics exhibition tilt with the the Philadelphia Nationals today. Man- ager Mack said the former college play- er would be given a thorough workout at the infield post. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 14 () —The New York Yankees haven't made any changes since last season in the strategy they use to win ball games. In their exhibition game against the Boston Braves yesterday they used the same system that won the final game of the world series last Fall—to hit hard and often. Coming up to the eighth inning with a tle score, Lou Gehrig blasted out & triple and Byrd, Lazzeri and Lary fol- lowed with singles for three runs and & 6-to-3 victory. DALLAS, Tex., March 14 (#).—John- ny Kerr, expensive White Sox rookie, Wwho was obtained from Hollywood, seems to have found his batting punch. Kerr yesterday led the White Sox to their fourth straight victory over the Dallas Steers, 10 to 4, by turning in a pair of s!:glea, ‘oo‘;suble and triple. Dan Dugan, rookie portsider, hurl well for the White Scx?o ed BRADENTON, Fla., March 14 (#).— The Red Sox council of war was busily engaged today counting the bright spots after check-up of the performance of 21 members of the team which fell be- fore the St. Louis Cards, 13 to 3, yes- vy, of the b Two of the bright spots were Rookie Pitchers Edgar Carroll and Eddie “Bull” Durham. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.,, March 14 (#)—Eddie Grimes, recruit, who has managerial consent to be the St. Louis Browns’ third baseman duflnf the pen- nant chase, wed himself in good form yesterday by hitting a homer and a single during & practice tilt which the regulars won, 5 to 3. Heinie Manush got into the game for his first practice of the season. PHOENIX, Ariz., March 14 (#).—De- troit Tiger regulars for a time at least established supremacy yesterday by trouncing the Tiger Cubs, 8 to 1. Sam Gibson, Emil Yde and Johnny Prudhomme held the losers to six hits, half the number permitted by Smith, vangilder and Pipgras. The Cubs’ only tally was the result of a lone effort by Ruble, who hit a home run off Yde in the sixth. S e COLLEGE HOCKEY. 3; Harvard, 2 (three overtime Yal How can DUN ffer LOP - the World’s most sweepin GUARANTEE Simply-becanse DUNLOPS are built to stand abuse cent of value out of your old tires without the worry and danger of running them until they BLOW OUT. 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