Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-24

eral behavior throughout the season-it
ought to be known everywhere that fell
lows of this kind simply can't be got for
love or money They can't be torn loose
from the people owning them even with
the aid Of wild horses or steam winches
It doesn't make any difference how the
PLAYERS feel themselves about it, how much
they'd like to make a change. They've got
to stick with the employers who've got the
papers on them, and that's all there is to
1t. They're worth just as much to the peo-
pie owning them as they are to the people
wanting them-more, when 1t comes to that,
for if they're turned over to the club want
Ing them there's wall from the
home fans that means pounds of dollars at
the gate Sordid motives are attributed to
the managers selling them, and the club Is
queered In its home town.
"The ball players that every club really
bankers for and would give anything IN
reason to get are just the ones who are
worth their weight in precious metal to the
people hanging on to them. And the pref
ty good players that they are willing to let
go for a consideration are virtually cast
offs. No team was ever yet successfully
built up with actual castoffs. There's q
certain fine team that could mention that
is commonly supposed to have been remade
by an uncommonly clever manager from
castoff material but when you fall to an
alyzing the fellows of the alleged CASTOR
variety of that club you quickly find that
they really never were castoffs at ALL There
are a whole lot of readable and entertain
ing dope stories about base ball castoffs
who have turned around and dazzled the
base ball world and thus poured Goals of
fire and molten lead and blazing Oil uuon
the heads of the folks that turned them
loose, but 1t is desirable to take these
stories with just enough of pepsin and bis
muth to permit Of their assimilating and
digesting properly. There are plenty of in
stances. 1t is true, of castoffs-chronic. all
in castoffs, I mean, of conservative done
remarkable things for a little while. but
none of them has lasted for any great
length of time. I don't recall a CASTOR
player who has been turned loose from
one two clubs, without having had
sufficient trial, maybe. The kind of cast
off have reference to is the man who has
been in the game for good many years,
VINO has worn his edge away. and who,
knowing this. begins to sulk on the bench
ana imagine that everybody. is trying to
break something off in him. Such a man
MAY, upon Dt''iB tTdUSltTTeQ 10 a cOQGcn1ai
outfit. buck UP and show flashes of his
old-time form. by herculean efforts, for a
little way, but he doesn't go the distance.
The stories of rejuvenated base ball cast
offs are like the yarns of rejuvenated weed
out race horses that, just as soon as they
quit the hands Of the trainer they don't
like, turn around and hop a mile In moth
ing at 100 to l. and all that sort of cozy
corner drivel.
1.-THE base ball business, in brief, has now
settled to such bedrock basis that the
good players are, to all intents and pur-
poses, non-transferable assets of virtually
inestimable value. Every good player who
is at the same time a man of sense and
good conduct is a sort Of keystone to his
combination. Pull him out and the whole
thing collapses. Why shouldn't proprietors
Of ball clubs know this, and, knowing 1t as
they all certainly do, why should they be
willing to even think Of dickering with
other people who want to get hold Of their.
good players? Do you suppose that, IL I
had certain players that I'd give piece
of my left ear to get. I'd ever listen to
any proposition looking to having them
taken away from me?
Players Want to Come Here.
Know Inns tniHg, tnougn, Tor fact:
There are a whole lot of crackerjaek ball
players who would like Immensely to play
ball with the Washington club. wouldn't,
OF course, mentien the name of any one
of these for any consideration. but know
Of plenty of top-notch players who. If they
could possibly consult their own inclina-
lions, would be only too dead willing to
play with the Washington team. Ball play
ers like the atmosphere that permeates the
game in Washington They like the friend
Illness of 1t all. the cordial spirit with which
good work Is welcomed by the Washington
fans more than any other fans in the
country. They comment upon the fine ioy-