The Washington herald., 1907-12-16
Catcher Will Probably Go to
Kansas City.
GANTILLON PLANNING TRADES
Washington Club Has About Twenty
five Players TO Dispose of Before
Club Starts for GaIvestOn-NsinOrs
stin Talking of Putting Team in
ChicagO-BasebaII Gossip.


ers who are at present under contract
with the local club. The roster Of the
club contains the names of nearly hfty
men, but this number will be cut down TO
about twenty before Il Is time to start
for Galveston.
Cantillon is well pleased with the sale
of John Anderson TO Chicago. as he
realized that the big Swede would be
useless next season. Anderson had de-
cided never TO return 20 the local club
and Cantillon was equally as determined
that he could not again don Washing
ton uniform, as the manager is unwilling
20 have any man on the club who is
likely to get in hun and quit the team
in midseason.
With Anderson out of the way Cantillon
IS now dickering for the sale of Ned
Heydon. the catcher who also jumped
the local club. Since taking French leave
Heydon has been leading the simple life,
but is anxious to get back into harness.
All Of the American League managers
have waived on Heydon and he Will prob
ably be sent 20 Kansas City.
While there was no sign Of any impend-
ing trouble in baseball at the Waldorf
Astoria during the meeting of the Ma
tlonal League magnates last week.
rumors Of war on the part Of the Ameri-
can Association continue TO come in from
the West. 1t was the intention of the
American Association magnates. led by
Joe and Mike CantillOn and George
Tebeau, who are talking war heavily. 10
ask the National and American leagues
for permission to transfer the st. Paul
club 10 Chicago. Inasmuch. as the Ma
tionals met in New York and the Ameri-
cans in Chicago, it was decided to post
pone action until January 8 next. when
the national commission will meet in
Cincinnati. The committee of the Ameri-
lean Association will then meet the COM
missions, and viii ask its consent to the
plan Of Invading Chicago.
The talk on the American Association
circuit is that the eXpansiOnists VIII fol-
low the example of Charles Comiskey in
1901, and put a club in Chicago. whether
the two major leagues are willing or not
Ban Johnson, who was at that time presi-
dent Of the Western League, was the
principal mover in the scheme. When the
then owners Of the Chicago Nationals,
which club had Chicago % itself at the
time. became satisfied that the Western
League people were IN earnest. President
James Hart fixed up deal with Charles
Comiskey. owner of the st. Paul club.
and the Chicago White Sox entered the
field. In the following year the American
League expanded TO the East. and event
ually won its fight against the National
League
Ban Johnson has recently expressed
himself strongly against the expansion
ideas of the Westerners He has excited
the ire Of the Cantillons. Tebeaus, &c,
by declaring: Let the American Assocla-
ton go hang themselves. They can't put
a club IN Chicago or anywhere else on
our circuit"
That the national commission will turn
by declaring. Let the American Associa-
alton is considered certain. How far the
minor league men will go in such a case
remains 10 be seen, The temptation to
put a club In the north side of Chicago.
with 5o0.0o0 population to draw on, is very
tempting, particularly as st. Paul is not
a good baseball city.
II the recommendation Of the American
League. which entities a batsman to walk
10 first base when three balls are called
is adopted by the joint rules committee
Of both the major leagues 1t Will work a
serious hardship on the pitcher, says the
Philadelphia North American.
The fact that the man in the center OF
the diamond has had the upper hand OF
the man with the willow for the last few
seasons. has brought forth many sugges-
tions directed to increase hitting. The
recommendation OF the American League
is advanced as a method to put pitcher
and batsman on more even terms.
1t is a radical move; in fact, there is a
possibility that the rule tinkerers have
overstepped the bounds and that there
will be wide advantage shown again. only
the batsman. instead of the pitcher, will
be TIE favored one.
II Will help sharp-eyed inside workers
like Hartsel. of the Athletics; Jones. OF
the White Sox; Keeler. OF the Highland.
ers. and others of this type. 1t will lesser
the effectiveness of pitchers. They will
not be able to waste one ball when three
will give the batter first base.
Then there are a number Of fingers
particularly southsiders, who have a ten.
dency 10 miss the plate. and they viii
suffer much from the handicap. Dono
van. Of Detroit. was the leading pitcher
Of the American League last season, bu
he scarcely would have been IL the new
recommendation had been In force
wild BIZ is no misnomer, although
he has overcome to a marked degree hi.
earlier tendency to be generous in bases
on balls With three balls in force, Don
ovan would have to improve his contro
to maintain his present standing amonl
pitchers, and It might take several sea
sons for him 10 do It.
Waddell and Bender, OF the Athletics
would find the measure severe, and Dy
gert, the best splitter" in the country
might have TO abandon that delivery
Newton. Of New York; Rhoades, of Cleve
land: Powell. ot ST. Louis: Patterson. o
Chicago; Killian. of Detroit. and a mum
Der OF others in the American League
and Overall. of Chicago; Brown. Of III,
Phillies; Taylor, Of New York; Young c,
Young. Of Boston, and Karger, Of ST
Louis, in the National League, would b.
most affected by the suggestion.
There are some marvels Of steadines
who would get nearer the top in tn
ranking. The Sparkses, Orths, Youngs
and Brown could met the new deman,
without much trouble, because they cal
gauge the plate virtually any time the,
care, but more would suffer than improv
from the change The move is too radi
cal, and 1t should be rejected by the join
rules committee
Bitterly disappointed with the ingloriou
finish Of the Browns last fall. Manage
McAleer determined to reorganize an
start out with a new team In 1908. Trades
drafts. and purchases made since the sea
son closed indicate that he has lost n