The Washington times., 1908-09-18
President Moves Does Not
Think Washington Will
Forfeit TO Maps.
NOT FOR MANAGER
l. TO TAKE ACTION
Club Owners Must Decide Whether
League Executive viii Be De
ied-Big Money Involves.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

The Washington club has nc inten-
ton OF putting itself in the position Of
forcing Delehanty into the game at
Cleveland contrary to the order of
President Ban B. Johnson. Of the Amer
lean League, barring him from those
grounds fog year. but we hope the
matter VIII be adjusted before there
could be any opportunity for a COntrO-
Versy."
So spoke President Tom Moves. of
the Washington club, this morning when
asked about an alleged interview with
Manager Caa1tillOn in a local paper, in
which CanunOn was quoted as saying
he would play Delehanty in the CleVe-
land games on September "a, %, and 70.
or forfeit them TO Cleveland. II viii be
remembered that Delehanty abused an
umpire in Cleveland on August 4, with
such strong language that he was
heavily fined, was warned that IL he Ia
dUlged in such language again IN the
presence of spectators that he would be
expelled from the American League,
was suspended ten days, and was for
hidden To enter the Cleveland grounds
for one year. even az a spectator
Johnson Made Mistake.
Ever since President johnson imposed
the unusual penalty OF barring Dele
hantv. from the Cleveland grounds the
subject has been under discussion and
trouble has been brewing 1t IS not at
all probable that President Johnson I'M
derstOOd the fun import OF his own
edict when he sprung that clause, and
unless We does have the good sense 10
retract gracefully, which he could well
do under the circumstances, he IS like
" to start something that may end
disastrOusly for him, the American
League, and organized baseball as a
To keep DeIei1anty out OF the games
in Cleveland would give cleveland an
immense ADVANTAGE IN It's race for the
pennant He is onP OF the best batters
in the American League and Is now
doing his hest work He and UnglauO
are a cor. 1inauon taat IN user mas
won half a dozen games for Washing
ton by their sticking with Delehauly,
a 800 batter. out. and Shipke with
broken finger. there would De NOBODY
10 field the very important position AZ
second or third. according 70 now elC
team might be reaTrangeQ, or capable OF
batting even fairly well, except cafes
fielder. a poor batter and is in bad
physical shape
Serious Questions Involved.
Cleveland would thus be going against
a greatly weakened club, while Chicago,
Detroit. and St Louis wOuld have 30
face a perfect organization that mas re-
Gently been winning games Al ABOUT a
$50 rate Considering the large sums
involved for players ana oWIleTS OIL Jie
team winning the American League pen
nant IL is easy to see that President
Johnson has in his desire 10 punish, and
an unfair advantage 90 one team and
seriously affected the legitimate pros
poets OF three others
Il is the most likely view that Dele
hanty will either be restored 10 his
gtaniing before the Cleveland series,
or that the club viii play without him.
for II is hardly in the province Of the
bench manager to take an action IN
volving the entire league. such as re
fusing to keep him out and thereby for
felt the series TO Cleveland IhaJ IS
a matter for the owners and not Can
tillOn.
1t costs $1,000 70 forfeit a game in the
American League. which would be
5000 lost to the Washington stOckhOld-
ers, to say nothing Of Washington's
share of the receipts for three games at
a time when CleveIand's pennant pros
poets are drawing attendances OF 1000
or more every day. These figures are
given lust to show there are stll other
reasons for not persisting in trying 10
play Delehanty.
President Johnson has thCughtlessly
made a serious mistake. and its up 10
him 10 rectify Il before there is a chance
of the matter getting into the law
courts.