The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-11-10
Baseball
acGRAw PLANS CAMPAIGN.
Leader OF New York National Leag,
Ball Club Is After Men.


Rumors heard in baseball sir
cles about Johnnie McGraw and
his Giants. the former champions
Of the world, are thu. tIeir leader
Is planning great campaign for next
season with the New York Nationals.
McGraw has realized the team he had
In the field last year was unable to
win again and he has set about to
build up another strong combination
with which he hopes to down Frank
Chance and the Chicago Cubs. The
Giants infield last summer was the
weak part Of the team and McGraw's
efforts have been directed so far to-
ward Strengthening that portion of
the team. which won the champion
ship of the National league for two
years and was in possession of the
worlds flag for one year.
Dahlen. the wonderful shortstop of
former days, has fallen of in his
speed and throwing so that it has
weakened the infield at that point even
more than at any other. He has pass
ed the age limit for speedy ball play
er and If 'Muggsy" can land the man
he is now after he will have that sta
ton filled in an acceptable manner
next spring.
McGraw does not believe in break
Ing in new material. He has not the
time for developing young players
from the countryside, but his policy
has always been to 60 out after the
men who are recognized as stars in
their line and paying for them, be-
cause they will soon bring back into
the grand stand large enough returns
to pay for themselves. The man the
Giants leader is after to fill bad
Bills" shoes for next year Is Abbat-
icchio, the Italian, who was a member
of the Boston Nationals in 1904 and
1905. but who refused to play this past
season because he did not like the
management at Boston and because he
could not get the money he was after.
"Batty" has been running hotel at
his home in Latrobe. Pa. The Pitts
burg club tried to get Abbaticchio to
play with the pirates last season and
secured the right from the Boston club
to negotiate with the player for his
services. but the temptation was not
great enough for him, evidently, for
he refused whatever offer was made
to him.
Now the report is being circulated
that McGraw has secured the name of
the fast shortstop to a contract for
next year at a large price and that he
will play in Dahlen's place. The same
report that Is going the rounds says
that Dan Mccain Is slated for retire.
ment, that his batting eye is gone
and that he cannot bring in the run
ners when he has the opportunity to,
like he used to do In the champion
ship days. Mike Donlin will preside
at first base, according to the latest
for his batting eye Is still at It's best
and Mike can handle himself at first
as we'll as he can in the field.
This leaves second base in weak
condition for McGraw, but Strang did
good work with the stick last fall,
although he could not field with Gil
bert. Gilbert had a bad season last
summer because of poor condition and
McGraw hopes that between Strang
and Gilbert he may be able to work up
strong enough combination on Sec
ond to pull through another year.
This will give the Giants the same out
field that they had last summer in
Browne, Seymour. Shannon, and Bres-
nahan, along with Bowerman, will be
depended on to do the bulk of the hea-
Wy backstopping. The pitching depart
ment will be good with Mathewson
again in good condition this coming
year, and Wiltse, Ames, McGinnity and
Ferguson on whom to rely.
Chicago, Nov. 1O.-According to a
well-informed individual on the inside
of Chicago football affairs, President
Murphy of the Cubs recently offered
outfielders Holman, Slagle and pitcher
Reulbach to the Brooklyn club for
Lumley, the heavy-hitting right fielder
of the Superbas. 1t is said the Cub
president was so anxious to get Lum-
ley that he offered the Brooklyns ST.
900 in cash as an extra inducement to
let the big slugger come to Chicago.
But the proposition was turned down
by the Brooklyn people.
The offer to trade three such we'll
known players as Hoffman, Slagle and
Reulbach for one outfielder will come
as a surprise to local fans. Slagle
played winning ball for the Cubs until
late in the season, when he was in
jured. Hoffman was a star while fill
ing Slagle's shoes, especially in the
worli's series, and Reulbach won a big
percentage of his games. However,
the Cub management probably figured,
as 1t did in the deal for Sheckard,
when four good men were traded for
one wonder-the one man was all
that was needed to round out the
team.
II there was any weak spot on the
Cub team last year 1t was center
III -, ,k.