Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-26
Johnson MORE VALUABLE TO
NATIONALS THAN TY COBB
Rumored Deal Would Not Be Sanctioned
by McAleer or the Fans -Fogel's Re-
pudiation of the Cincinnati
Deal Causes Trouble.

! Fletcher, and he answered in the mega
tive. When Johnson signed last spring it
was agreed that he was to have a certain
| increase for next season President Noyes
asked Johnson If he was ready to sign a
contract for the figures agreed upon, and
| he said he was. He was then told that
Manager McAleer would send him the
contract in a few days and he promised
! has been heard from either McAleer or
johnson, the former having gone on a
| long hunting trip
| Johnson has been most truthful and
upright in his dealings with the Wash
| ington club. and its officials are loath to
believe that he has entered into any
agreement with Fletcher.
In Philadelphia they are figuring not
only on winning the American League
! pennant in 1911 and 1912. but also the
worlds championship in these two years.
Conceding that the Athletics are a great
ball team, it is just a bit hazardous to
predict all this for them. Little things
can happen which will upset all these
calculations. Should couple. or even
one, of Macks star pitchers fail to come
tarOund III this years form in the next
| campaign. winning the pennant will not
be so easy. The fact should not be over
looked that Mack's team had all the
breaks of luck during the past season. a
team which wins pennants must have.
Excepting a day or so. Mack never had
any of his valuable players out Of the
lineup. That was good luck which may
not be prevalent next season. 1t Is eX-
pecting whole lot from a team to pre-
dict two more pennantS and world S
championships in a row. 1t is all right
to enthuse over winner, but there is
no use going dippy about it.
There was time when if the Washing
ton club had a player that some other
club desired it was possible to get him
for cash, but that time has long since
passed. though it would seem that some
OF the managers do not realize this fact.
For instance. one might be led to oe-
| lieve by the Detroit rumor that the local
club was willing to part with johnson.
and that since Connie Mack has ex-
pressed a Willingness to add AinsElith
to his catching staff such deals could
easily be arranged
But the fact Of the matter is that 1t
will be found a more difficult task to
get a good bali player from the Wash
ingtOn club than from any other club
in the circuit. for the very good reason
that the present owners want winner
and would do nothing to disturb the pres
emf nucleus which exists for good ball
team.
There are. no doubt. several players on
the local clubs list which others would
like to have, but there is not a chance.
on the local grounds he created the i'm
preston that he was a good fielder and
base runner. but that as hitter he
would not be apt to shine. But the
opinion Of those who saw Somerlot all
of last season Is different Jimmy Burke.
who managed the Fort Wayne team in
the same league last season, and who
refused an offer from Pittsburg. and will
manage the Indianapolis team next sea-
son. in speaking of Somerlot to the writ
er in Chicago the other day remarked:
''f Jim McAleer does not hold on to
that fellow he will make a grave mis-
take. He is just good a first base
man as any team can boast of. and SO
far as his hitting is concerned. don't get
fooled. He is the cleverest fellow at the
hit-and-run game I have ever seen, and
when he gets on the bases he will have
the other fellows badly worried, AS a
fielder j don't bar any one to compare
with him. I saw him all season. and
know his value"
There is no danger of Somerlot not get
ting chance here, for it is as good
as settled that Unglaub will not be re-
tained, and that Somerlot will start the
season on the Nationals first bag.