Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-01
WALTER JOHNSON SAYS HE HAS
NOT SIGNED WITH NEW LEAGUE
Nationals Star Pitcher Brands Report of
His Joining Proposed New League as
Fa1se-Fans' Fears at Rest.


are to report in the spring may not fill
the bill?
The most encouraging feature of Bill
CunninghamS work is that it is con-
stantly improving since he has joined the
Nationals.
1t would have been q sad blow to the
judgment of all the scouts had Cunning
best bet in the minor leagues, and his
present good showing in fast company
merely bears out the judgment Of the
scouts of every major league club who
saw him at work at New Bedford.
With the worlds series to start as late
as October 10 what assurance is there that
these games will be played al all. 1t Is
NEST likely that at that season OF the
year the rough weather will set in, and
this is particularly true of Chicago.
If the series should be prevented, which
is not at all unlikely the two contending
clubs would lose something like $50.0O0
each. not to speak of the loss to the play
ers of the two teams. The result of such
state of affairs cannot be forshadowed.
The American League would naturally
lay the blame on the National League,
where it justly belongs, and split be-
tween the two organizations might be the
result. Furthermore, the players would
be up in arms, and if there is any stabil-
ity behind all this new league talk the
promoters of that proposition would have
no trouble gathering together the stars
of the two major leagues, who would be
sore to their core because OF disapp0int-
ment and financial loss owing to inabil
ity to play the worlds series.
This man Murphy, owner of the Chi
cago club. has made more trouble in
base ball than any individual ever con-
nected with the game and he may be in
strumental in bringing about another
period of strife between the two major
leagues.
1t is easy enough to get a lot Of ball
players to accept promises for bonuses
and fabulous salaries to join a new
league, but when it comes to organizing
rival to the two majors ii not only
requires whole lot of money, but the
promoters mus be willing to overcome
innumerable obstacles.
All this talk about new major league
being formed may throw a scare into
some of the uninitiated, but there is not
any more chance of the dream being real
lied than there is for the Nationals to
take part in the coming worlds series.
Ball players cannot be blamed for listen
ing to fiattering offers, nor for agreeing
to bind themselves to new organization
which offers them better Inducements.
They are in the game, not for glory, but
for what they can get out of it. The SEN
timent in the game is not as great as
the desire to get money, that stands to
reason.
Nor is there anything iilegitimate about
a players action when he tries to bet
ter his condition. Most of the men behind
the major league clubs today made In
ducements to players to jump their re-
serve clauses during the war of eight
or ten years ago. and they got the players,
and a new league could be just as sue
cessful, but it would require more capital
now than it did then, because the oppose
ton to such movement is stronger than
it was.
A lay-of often works wonders in a
player. Bob Groom was kept on the bench
for almost a month. because his pitch
ing was far from being up to the standard.
A few days ago he came back and beat
Chicago and with but two days rest put
1t on New York yesterday. Pitchers, like
other individuals, are apt to fall into a
rut from which a period Of idleness alone
can rescue them.
The kind of ball Groom has pitched In
his last two games would have kept the
Nationals at the top Of the second division
had he struck his stride earlier In the
season. When Groom becomes more con-
sistent he will be of value to the team
as much as any other pitcher on it, bar
ring Johnson, of course.