Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
HEDGES HAS HOPE|
Claims the Browns Will Get
Out of Last Place.
HAS FAITH IN. WALLACE
Also Believes He Has Picked Tn
Number of Sensational
Youngsters.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST LOUIS, December 23.-If the Browns
finish last in the 1912 American League
race they are going to disappoint their
owner. Robert l.. Hedges. who returned
to st. Louis Sunday. Mr.. Hedges hur-
ried from the recent league meeting in
New York to Kansas City, where his aged
mother is i'll as the result of a fall. He
says she is in critical condition.
Mr.. Hedges has many reasons for be-
lieving that his Browns will not again be
the uside-down chamions. First. the
fact that he claims he has strengthened
more than any other club in the organiza-
ton. Secondly. because he is sure that
Rhoderick ]. Wallace will prove better
manager next season than he was in 191L
Calling them weird pipe dreams, Mr..
Hedges spiked the recent rumors that he
is to sell out his club that he is being
forced out of the American League,
he planned change in the management
of his team, and that he is to supplant
Secretary Lloyd II. Rickart.
Knows Of No Enemies.
If I have any enemies among my fell
low-magnates in the American League
they are pretty smooth in covering up the
fact" said Mr. Hedges. They certainly
don't display any GOODNESS when / meet
them. 1 have read reports that was be-
ing forced out, but just say for me that
I'm not getting out.
Il was especially. amused at one tale
that said l had talked with Mr.. Wild of
Toledo. inviting him to become secretary
of my club. Now. l have never seen Mr..
Wild and wouldn't know him If he were
standing before me now.
n
Browns because l believe he is the logical
man for the position. His work in 1911
shouldn't be taken as criterion. In the
first place, he had little good material
with which to work. But he cleaned
house and dug up some young talent that
looks as if it will do much toward making
the Browns a better team.
New Faces to Be Shown.
THE fans at Sportsman's Park are go
ing to see. many new faces next season.
We brought up some of the newcomers in
the closing weeks of the race, but there
are others, and good ones. still to show.
This fellow, Pratt, is the best player
in the Southern League. Wolfgang,
Moulton and Magee are the stars of the
New England League. BONN led the
American Association hitters. Tenant
Is considered the best first sacker on the
coast, and those who don't believe that
pick Danzig as the star of that league.
We have obtained both.
I'm fact. practically every new player
signed for next season led his league in
some branch or other. So / believe that
our prospects are not SO dismal. We
are not going to figure as any pennant
possibility, but 1 certainly feel that we
are not going to be last.
Wallace is a brainer man than most
people believe. He has looked over the
situation, and is not apt to make the
same mistake twice He is sure to profit
by any blunders that he has made in his
first year as a big league manager"
Mr.. Hedges was unable to make any
deals at the New York meeting. He
had chances to pick up players like Kid
Elberfeld. Wild Conroy and Doc Gessler.
but he spurned the offers. He doesn't
want veterans and feels that talent that
isn't good enough for Washington isn't
good enough for the Browns.
While other clubs would be willing to
dicker for some of the young members
of the Browns. Hedges wouldn't consider
any deal that would take away his juve-
niles. He is building up club, and for
that reason is passing up the veterans
and clinging to the youngsters.