Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-24
atty with which the fans of Washington

atty with which the fans Of Washington
stick to their team through thick and thin,
no matter how hard the team may be get
ting walloped or how much hard luck 1t is
passing through Ball players, on their
visits to Washington. take stock of all
these things, and they say to our players
privately, Say, I'd like to play the game
in this mans town. It looks good to me
here If I could get the services of one
fifth Of the crackerjack ball players whom
I've heard give utterance to that remark
I'd have ball club that would make every
thing that ever formed itself into ball
club SIT up and take notice. There's one
club particularly, and a club of fine merit,
that is so miserably unappreciated and un-
supported in it's home town that practically
all of its players would be willing to come
to Washington tomorrow If they could fix
1t. And If they could have their way about
it. and I could have my pick of those fell
lows who cast envious eyes upon our play
ing bench every time they drift in here, I
guess I wouldn't have an outfit that 'ud
make 'em all stretch their necks!
Yarns About "Laying Down"
There are all sorts Of dream narratives
going around the base ball world all the
time about ball players who lay down on
the clubs employing them in order that they
may pave the way for their transfer to
another club to which they want to go.
Yarns of this character are both idle
and injurious. There is never, so far as
I've ever been able to find out, particle
Of truth in any of them. A ball players
ball playing ability is his one asset. When,
for any purpose whatever. he permits that
asset to deteriorate, he's simply handing
bir,Sa1f q ad nd
ball players are not addicted to the prac-
tice of damaging their own value when
they know it. I've heard yarns time and
again around the hotel corridors about ball
players who were just then engaged in the
act of laying down. so that they could
make their transfer to another team later
on, but none of these fairy tales was ever
capable Of being traced even to the slight
est substratum of fact. The ball player ac-
cused of laying down has, in every case
that / ever knew anything about, simply
gone off in form for a time. He has lost
his keen edge, and, this fact being taken
into account with the knowledge that some
other club would very much like to get
such player, the unjust accusers instantly
arrive at the determination that the player
is laying down. with the connivance. they
often maintain in addition, of the manager
Of the team that wants him and that he
wants to go with. Ball players don't take
chances of this sort. And ball managers
don't connive with hankered-for players to
get them to lay down on their employers.
If the party either of the first or the second
part in such transaction as this could
ever be even halfway caught at a game
of this sort he'd be ruled out OF the game
for life, to the accompaniment of tumultu-
GUS applause from all the fans in the coun-
try And the manager who would. accord
ing to these yarns, induce wanted player
to lay down-wouldn't that same manager
know that. In case the player, after being
secured ever felt like doing the laying
down stunt again, he'd do 1t without a
minutes compunction? Is it common sense
to suppose that any manager wearing any,
thing larger than q four and three eighths
size hat would care to get hold of such
slippery proposition as a laying down ball
player for his own club?
The recognizing fans who sit back In
their Morris chairs. blowing smoke rings
at the burlap paper. and wondering why
the club doesn't get this boy or 'snag
that one are all right. They mean well.
and have the best interest of the home club
at heart But It's o whole lot easier to
smoke than it is to snag." @. L. G.