Evening star., 1909-07-18

what makes the remark a bromidiom
And equally OF COURSE the folks df-
rectly responsible for the team don't know
a single. solitary thing about that end OF
II, do they?
It's one of those little matters that
they've never. by the remotest chance
even SO much as thought about once, Ell
Nary one Of 'em has ever pictured IN
his minds eye the huge punches or rams
and would-be and want-to-be fans flock
ing by the thousands into the ball yard IN
case the Washington ball club should ever
manage to take one Of those long, perma-
nent climbs up the ladder. What!
Cern'ly not. wv course not.
But tho bromidiom about the folks be-
hind the Washington ball club being per-
ennially contented with things as they
are. cellar position and all. simply be-
cause they know-as the bromidiom runs
that this town'll go right on supporting
the club, no matter where 1t finishes or
what it does is just about the KIND OF
gibberish that you'd expect a boarder
ove.' at St LIS to mutter In his sleep
why, then."-so runs another OF those
Washington base ball bromidioms-"don
they go get sure 'nough ball club, hey?''
hats dandy little one. too.
Why not. OF course.
Base ball stars are so easy to snag at
this day and date of the base ball busi-
ness, you know. Oh. just so easy!
All you've got to do to get EN- is to go
out and offer the price, isn't It, and the
clubs that've got em II hand 'em over.
and there you are with swellerino ball
club, amt you?
To illustrate:
Last autumn at the American League
grounds in New York / happened TO be
seated In a box with Frank Farrell. the
owner Of the New York American League
club, on one Of those afternoons when
Walter Johnson was pitching one OF the
three shut-out games in row that he
dished out to the Yankees.
"See that fellow on the mound for the
Washingtons there?" Farrell said to me
In a dreamy. wistful sort OF tone.
Ui-huh, l saw that feller-Mister w.
Johnson by name.
WELL" said Mr.. Farrell, 'I'll tell you
just what 1 think OF that fellow Id
sign my name to blank check right now
and hand the check over to the people
that own that fellow and let 'em I'LL IN
the figures themselves II they'd hand
him over to me- That's what I think of
that pitching fellow, and that's what I'd
be willing to do to get hold of him..
Just mention this. y'see. by way OF
showing-what you very we'll know your
self without being told-the valuation that
is put on sure-enough ball players at
this age of the world.
AS simple matter OF fact the value
to major league ball club Of just one
crackerjack player, whether he be a
pitcher or not-just a top-notch player
is simply not to be expressed in dollars.
His value to the people owning his sign
ed-up papers Is so ineStimable that 1t
would be nothing short of plumb insan-
ity for them to hand the man over to
any other club, no matter what impos-
sible or stunning sum Of money happened
to be offered for him.
The base ball business has become not
only the leading sport Of the world. but
one of the huge commercial propositions
of the period. and the player who adds
genuine strength to his team Is one Of
the factors In the commercial success of
his outfit whose value Is not to be as
saved in any known way.
But the Bromidiom Boys dent believe
1t. Nix the believe.
"Doggone it ALL they go right on bro
miding, why don't they go out and get
ball club, then. hey? It's a great ball
town, and all like that. so why don't
they get a move on and give US a great
team tell me that?"
It sure is too bad that they can't be
told. But they wouldn't believe 1t II they
were told. So what's the use?