Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-01
SPORTING COMMENT.
By j. ED GRuLO.

Ihere Is perhaps no better illustration
OF how great the competition for base
ball players is among the major yeaRue
clubs than the recent sale Of Pitcher Ben
ton of the Macon club to Cincinnati for
$I,JOO and the loan Of a pitcher for the
season.
Benton is a big left-hander seeing his
first year in base ball. He has pitched
some remarkable ball this spring. and
soon his prowess was heralded all along
the line. A man named Ethridge, who
owns the club at Macon, is evidently a.
crafty business proposition. for he be-
gan to advertise Benton, with the result
that at one time he had as many as eight
major league clubs bidding for his pitch
er: Scouts and agents fell over them
selves In an effort to land Benton. but
Cincinnati finally succeeded for the price
above named.
or course. Benton has been a success at
Macon. but he still has to prove that he
If OF major league caliber; vet there IL a
club willing to spend $500 on a chance
Every year base ball material Is going
up In price, made so by reason Of the
great competition among the club own
ers. 1t Is a condition which cannot and
should not be changed, for with this
competition existing it proves the games
honesty more than anything else though
do the purchasing and then allot the
players to the various clubs just as they
need them.
perhaps a hardship on the minor leagues.
Let the league judge what clubs in the
circuit need Strengthening and then allot
players for the positions which need new
men to each OF the clubs. In this way.
no doubt. the teams could all be kept
we'll balanced. AS 1t is today the club
which has winner and makes lots OF
money can afford to keep the price for
young players far above what a loser
can pay. the strong clubs therefore
strong. 0~":e the weak clubs are greatly
handicapped. Such a scheme has been
proposed, but because OF the effect its
adoption would have OF the public 1t has
cannot be far of when major league clubs
will have to protect themselves against
the exorbitant prices that young minor
league players bring on the open market.
The remarkable lightness OF the betting
on the fight indicates that neither side is
particularly sanguine as to the outcome
OF the battle. Reports from Reno where
betting is openly allowed, would indicate
that those who are going to wager pre-
fer to wait until the men are in the ring
This perhaps is particularly true Of the
Johnson contingent, which is waiting for
the Odds against its choice to go up.
By holding back there is no doubt that
the Jeffries element will lay longer Odds
and it may be that there will be more
money bet at the ringside than has been
placed on the outcome Of the fight to date
Then, too there is so vast a difference Of
opinion regarding Jeffries' condition All
admit that he looks to be in the finest
fettle, but there Is always that doubt as
to whether he will be apt to recuperate
between rounds as fighter should. The
fight alone will really establish Jeff's con-
dition, and 1t is this which Is having its
effect on the betting, which under ordi-
nary circumstances should be heavier
than ever before in the history of the
prize ring
season for Hans Wagner TO get his bat
ting stride, but now that he is in form he
Is rapidly making up for lost time. and
before the season Is over he will be found
up with the leading batsmen again. If he
does not occupy that coveted position him
self. There Is. perhaps. no explanation
for players batting slump. Just what
is wrong when player who normally is
great hitter goes for days without even
hitting the ball hard no one seems to
know Whether it Is in the swing or the
eye or just the element of luck cutting a
inquire, ball players are not able to ex-
plain. But 1t is noticeable that when one
OF these real good hitters has q slump he
going again.
There may be serious delay to the
playing Of the worlds series this fall
that is. IL the Chicago Cubs win the Ma
tional League pennant. According to the
schedule of the old league the Cubs are
scheduled to play ST. Louis October L.
and though 1t was believed that this game
would be moved forward SO as to make it
possible to play the first game Of the
worlds series much earlier in October
that Is. II the Cubs win the pennant. but
II developed that Owner Robson Of the
Cardinals refuses to bulge one inch. He
will insist on the schedule being played
out as 1t was adopted, regardless Of the
worlds series, and there Is no way to
make him do otherwise.
1t seems that Robson has grievance
against Owner Murphy. as IL usually the
case between the owners Of the clubs in
the National League. and he sees q way
OF blocking Murphy's game by refusing to
change the schedule so as to allow the big
games between the two pennant winners
to start on the usual date.
Mrs. Anna KogelschAtz wife OF A