Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
WANT TOO MUCH
FOR ELBERFELO
President Noyes Back Home
Without Completing Deal
for the kid"

Well, Elberfeld may play in Washing
ton next year and he may not. to judge
from conversation held with President
Tom Moves of the Washington club last
evening. The matter rests somewhat in
this way. Elberfeld is in elegant playing
shape and Washington would like to get
him. but the club is not going to disrupt
itself to get him. 1t looks as if New
York would be glad to get rid of the
Kid and they would gracously permit
him to play here provided Delehanty or
Street took washington from their uni
forms and sewed New York In its
place.
Now, who wants to do that? President
Moves did not say much about it. but
if the fans had their say in the matter
right this minute. Charley Street would
be catching base balls behind the bat or
from the top of the Monument for the
next thousand years. And as for Dele
hanty-words are not sufficient to express
the matter.
ANYHOW. Elberfeld would probably make
a great showing on the Washington team.
That little experience of his managing the
New York team has probably made him
lust q little sore on the atmosphere on
the Hilltop diamond. and if he got down
here with a bunch of young goers IKE
WASHINGTON mas he WOulu pioDAoiy pAeS
like the old boy-just to show that he is
so far removed from dead one that he
will have to be shot on the judgment day.
Silly Petition.
OF course, there was a lot Of inside
history made up at the Hotel Waicott' IN
New York. during the meetings there.
but all that was meant to be published
has been published, and all that was
meant to he sewed up tight In sack
and kept from view is still under cover.
He said that the petition of the $500
fans from the progressive city of Cleve-
land Ohio aimed at keeping Joe Can
tillon waiting outside the city limits
while the game was being played on the
Foolish thing, wasn't it? AS If petit
ton of the same sort could not be drawn
up and signed in any city affecting al
most any player or any umpire. DOESN'T
every fan have his own particular crouch
on some particular bright star of the
base ball armament?
How about some of those umpfres that
come here? Good fellows and personal
friends to a whole lot Of us fans. but If
a petition was started to burn one or
two at a stake there would not be enough
ink and paper In the city to see the
thing to a finish.
But there's nothing to It; and there
was nothing to that Cleveland matter.
So, there!
Spit Ball to Stay.
Mr.. Moves was asked about the PROPOSE
ton to abolish the spit ball. and he said
he did not see much chance Of its being
done away with. The matter will prob
ably come up again In the February
meeting, or whenever the rules commit
tee and the schedule committee meets.
The idea is that the game is getting to De
too much of pitchers battle ana tnat
II there were more hits there would be
more interest in the game. That will
probably start a lot of discussion in this
town. for every one has his own idea
on the subject Of just what the national
game needs in the way of Improvement
or curtailing.
The old timers can remember the
DAYS when a game was considered
lemon unless there were eighty or ninety
hits and as many runs. In those days
inshoot was. The younger generation
thinks a game is not worth the money
when anybody gets beyond first base
and yet the same crowd yel1s Its separate
heads off if two home runs are knocked
in succession.
So the spit ball discussion may be
red hot one. There are some good men
on both sides of the propoAition. 1t may
be remembered that there was a try
at having three balls instead of four
advocates of the movement wanted to
get more Of a hold on the pitcher and
give the batter and runner chance.
No room to argue it here. Wait for the
thing to develop.
Team Looks Good.
To get back to the Washington team.
Won't it be dandy with Elberfeld on
third, if New York loosens up, and with
those two new players. Gray and Groom.
from the Pacific coast, and with Johnson
starting out at the beginning of the sea-
son? Don't 1t make the fans heart jump
for joy to think of it? This is the time
when Washington looks to be on the up
grade with nothing in the way and every
thing headed for a good finish.
The big thing in general base ball at the
meetings just closed is the fact that the
two big leagues-the American and the
National--got close together. and now are
in more cordial relations than they have
been for some time past. The friendly
feeling is going to prevent any tremen-
dous kicxup among the smaller leagues.
The Eastern League and the American
Association, which Is a western affair.
have been bucking at the traces and
threaten to go 1t alone. become outlaws
and demoralize everything In sight. AS
they are the biggest of the little boy
leagues they can do some damage, but the
fact that the two big fellows stand thick
and fast together is going to prevent the
two runaways from smashing things.