The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-23
MAJOR GOSSIP
BY MANHATTAN.

culiar condition to be noted in the Amer
lean league on the mornings of August II
and u. Detroit and Philadelphia were
tied for first place with percentages of
eos on the morning of August II, and
the same teams were tied for top honors
on the morning of the 18th, with per-
centages of 500 each On the morning of
the 18th the New York Americans and
White Sox were tied for leaders of the
second division with percentages of .475,
but on the morning of the 18th the High
landers, by winning their games on the
18th, had headed out the White Sox.
Never in the history of baseball have two
teams been tied for top honors on two
successive days, and the Detroit and Phil
adelphia fans are having heart spasms
over this unparalleled situation.
When shown Cincinnati dispatch stat
ing that he had offered his son, Lew, who
is on the pitching staff of the Athletics,
$500 for the game he won from the Chi
cago White Sox. John Moran, wealthy
steamboat owner of Pittsburg, declared
he would like to get near enough to the
author of the telegram to say few words
to him. Mr.. Moran declared there was
not word of truth in the report, and
said that while he took considerable pride
in his offspring's ability as a pitcher he
didn't care much which team won, as he
was not particularly interested in the
game. If the author OF that telegram
will call on Mr., Moran he will hear
something to his disadvantage.
Never again" declared Charles Eb-
belts, president of the Dodgers. Ebbetts
had been asked how his negotiations for
the purchase of Johnny King from the
Chicago club were getting on.
Murphy got the best of me when I
traded Jimmy sheckard for Mccarthy,
Maloney. Briggs and CARR. with a bonus
of $4,000 Sheckard is today worth more
than the whole bunch, with the cash
thrown in" said the trolleytown presi-
dent, and I am not going to let Muir
ply get the best of me again. Muir
ply wanted Lumley George Bell and
Catcher Erwin and $1,000 in cash for
King, but [ can't see my way clear to
make such a deal, and have called off
will get along with Lumey. He is doing
well, only he is not aggressive, but
neither is King. I have given up all my
other interests to look after the Brook
Ign club, and next year expect to have
a pennant-winnng club"
Johnny King is still determined that he
will never appear on the diamond under
President Murphys management, and
Murphy is just as determined that King
shall play in Chicago or not at all, as he
has been making conditions for Kings
release to other clubs so impossible that
none of the managers appear to want to
go deep enough into their pockets, or de-
plete the club OF players in order to Sc
cure the services of the crack backstop.
Modern baseball has provided field of
activity for the stars of the old days who
have outlived their usefulness on the dia-
mond. From the fact that the game is
crystalzing into decidedly commercial
business is this true. The big leagues
realize that future success depends on
the introduction of new blood to replace
that of the worn-out veterans who yearly
fall by the wayside. To secure this
agents are employed to scour the country
for everything of promise that Is avail
able. Naturally the seasoned judgment
of veterans who have served long years
of active service in the national pastime
is most desirable for the work of tipping
off the magnates to the men most likely
to fill their needs.
This year the big league owners have
given more attention to the scouting prop
osition than ever before Every major
league club has one or more scouts trav-
cling the minor league territory. Some
clubs have as many as half dozen.
Few have less than two or three. In
the old days the work of equipping team
was left entirely to the manager. He
studied his dope with religious fervor and
when the drafting season came around
put in his claim with the rest of rival
managers for the players that showed the
best dope.
But official averages did not always
substantiate the reputation of the fence
breakers of little leagues. The majors
were handed too many lemons by the
minors in this way. Shrewd business men
Inc 1oiiishcy seHt uctcSINtS thiouSh tiic
byways of the brush, and so successful
was the plan that other clubs soon fell
in line. This season the scheme has
developed to such an extent as to amount
to mania.
Bugs Raymond, the erratic Giants
pitcher, has only two complaints to make
of his treatment by Johnny McGraw.
Bugs" says that although he has won
II games and lost SEVEN McGraw has
not yet introduced him to the cashier. The
other hardship of which he complains
is that he has been p1astered with $40 in
fines, and the season Is still young Out
side of these he has no kick coming.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.
| PLAYED. Won. Lost. Pct.
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