Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09

That the management of the Wash
the showing Of the team this season can
be cleaned from the fact that President
Noyes put through a most important deal
yesterday when he purchased the release
of Pitcher William Gray from the Los
Angeles club of the Pacific Coast League.
Gray has been pitching sensational ball
for the past couple of years. and several
American League and National League
clubs have been on his trail for months
past. He will not report this season, as
the Los Angeles club insists on his serv-
ices until the end Of their season, which
runs well into the winter months.
Dolly" Gray. as he Is known on the
coast. IS a big left-handed twirler and
his record last season was better than
that Of Bill Burns. When Burns was signed
last year by. the Washington club the
Pacific coast people wondered that Gray
had been overlooked. At that time Gray's
wife was suffering from consumption and
to bring him east would have impaired
his effectiveness on account OF worrying
over her condition. Since then she has
died and Gray will be free to come east
without anything to trouble him. The
Washington club had to put up stiff
price to secure Gray. something like
s., 900, but the recent sale Of Falkenberg
and Altizer enabled the management to
complete the deal without any embar-
rassment.
Pitcher Bill Burns was asked about
Gray last night. and he said that he con-
sidered him a better man than himself.
HE Is about as large as l am" said
Burns, land he has more speed" AS
Burns Is something of a pitcher himself
the Washington club has doubtless picked
up another good man for its twirling
staff
Gray pitched the Los Angeles team into
the championship Of the Pacific Coast
League last year. and the same team
has good lead this year. owing to
'Dolly's" effective twirling. He batted
POS last year, and in fielding had a per-
centage Of .S46. Gray led the leagues
pitchers last year. winning thirty-two
out of forty-six games. There are sew
eral good batters in the American and
National leagues this season that were
on the coast last year, which demon
strates that Gray has great chance OF
making good here, especially as big Bill
Burns has turned out so well.
Is Delehanty Being PersecutedP
The concerted action Of the Cleveland
papers in condemning Second Baseman
Jim Delehanty for his clash with Umpire
OLoughlin in that city last week may
have more under the surface than appears
to the general public. Delehanty IN
doubtedly deserved punishment. but from
the drift Of the articles in the Cleveland
papers they are doubtless working toward
his complete Punishment from the ma
tional game One Of the papers especially
played up the Delehanty suspension
VITA big headlines. calling for his sus-
pension for life, while in the reading
matter 1t said that Clymer's offense was
worse than that of the second baseman
Both men were put out Of the same game
but since then nothing has been heard OF
but Delenanty's offense. Both O'Loughlir
and Delehanty are Of the ot-headed sort
and in the mix-up profanity was used or
both Sides At that the chances are that
DEL would have come OF with q short
suspension, but reports from Cleveland