Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-12
SPORTING COMMENT.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Little by little all the crooked angles
of the Reno fight and other nefarious
transactions with which the principals of
that affair have been hooked up are be-
ing placed before the public view. 1t
was to be expected that II there was
anything wrong with the fight that it
would come out sooner or later. There
is no reason that any one should place
any more credence in the charges Of
George Little, former manager Of John
son, than in Johnson's charges against
Little. 1t Is simply a case of the pot
calling the kettle black.
The chances are that both are telling
the truth when discussing each other,
but the information that Johnson faxed
with both Ketcheli and Kaufman comes
in the nature of q surprise. 1t was not
believed that the champion had entered
ing the title from Burns. but according
to Little he was stronger for fakes than
ever before.
But it is no wonder that there is a
with the game. The incentive to get
the public's money is there, and it is
really an easy way to get the money.
Even II Johnson could be proven a
raw faker 1t would hardly hurt his
standing in the sporting world. be-
cause his victory over Jeffries was not
q frame up, though there is no doubt
that efforts were made to have Johnson
take the part of the loser of that fight,
which he undoubtedly refused to do.
Just as soon as pugilistic idol has
fallen 1t is always discovered by the
wise men that he did not amount to
much after all. The question that is
asked is, Who did he ever beat 1t
The discovery was made that Sullivan
had been overrated. When F1tzsim-
mons knocked out Corbett the best
that could be said for Corbett was that
he had beaten lot OF old men.
1t is not different with Jenries. Now
that he has been knocked out. he was
not such a great fighter after all. In the
opinion of many. Not only Is 1t said OF
him that he never beat good man. but
The same will perhaps be said Of john
son some day. When he meets his master
it will be discovered that Johnson really
never beat any one for which he should
have been given credit.
When Jim McAleer's team is going at
its best it can hold its own with any of
its rivals. But the team Is not strong
enough to go at top clip most of the
time and that Is why it Is not higher in
the race.
But it would not require a great deal
to make this very good ball team. one
which would have to be reckoned with by
the leaders. There are occasions now,
when every man plays up to his highest
standard, that the Nationals look to be
a team which should have a first division
berth, but the strength Is lacking to make
this work regular proposition.
II the local club can be fortunate
enough to secure several young. good ball
players before the next season rolls
around, 1t will have q team that can
fight with the leaders providing, of
course. that those players who at the
present time form the nucleus for q good
team here do not go back; and that is
something that Is always apt to happen.
The addition of one really great ball
player makes a wonderful difference in a
ball team. Let a Speaker or a Cobb be
dropped into the local outfit and 1t would
make whole lot of difference in every
man on the team.
+ Claude Rossman, who a year or so ago
was considered one of the best hitters In
the American League. did not make good
with the Columbus team and Is now play.
ing right field for Joe Cantillon's Minne-
apolis aggregation.
Rossman walked into the Minneapolis
grounds in a Columbus uniform a few
DAYS ago, but before the game was
started he was in a Minneapolis uniform.
a deal having been completed whereby he
was switched from one team to the other.
For Cantillon Rossman has been hitting
like fiend. something he did not do for
Columbus. Rossman, once he realized his
weakness as thrower. refused absolute
ly to ever play first base again. and while