Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-07

never been considered in naming john
sons salary. He has been offered more
than any other pitcher in this league is
can be expected to go.
Once at his home Johnson will remain
there unless he makes up his mind to re-
port for the amount offered. The club
star pitcher. II he fails to be in the fold
by the opening day he will be suspended,
in accordance. with base ball law, and
when he is reinstated he must pay a fine
to the commission.
1t is naturally expected that once the
breach between the club and johnson
is widened there will be numerous offers
of trades for johnson. 1t can be stated
positively that no offer that can be made
will be accepted. Furthermore, 1t is ex-
tremely doubtful If any club would care
to take Johnson. in view of the fact that
he has such exalted ideas about the sal
airy he should receive. But, be that as 1T
may, the Washington club will not part
the salary offered or remain idle. Except
ing a very few independent leagues,
which could hardly afford to pay him
more than a couple of hundred dollars a
month, there are no outlaw leagues now
to which johnson could jump, so that
would suffer heavy financial loss.
The Nationals without Johnson on the
pitching staff of course do not present
SO formidable front, and perhaps the
club. too. would be the loser by having
is offered princely salary. the best in
the league for pitcher, as is Johnson.
public sentiment will naturally be with
the club.
has always proved himself in possession
of splendid business head. So good a
one, in fact, that these familiar with the
transactions In which he has figured. feel
certain that he is too wise to throw away
Sc, 500 this year in an effort to gain a, one
increase Johnson has
invested considerable money in farm
at Coffeyville 1t is understood that he
has not yet iquidated the entire Indebted
ness incurred in its purchase. In other
session and to develop his property. To
hold out after the first salary day begins
would be a severe setback for his ambi
tons and it is not believed that he will
take such a course.
goes to Coffeeville the club will make no
further effort to bring him into the fold.
The club feels that it has treated john
son most literally. 1t would probably not
season If he would sign a three-year
But Johnson turned down that
sort of proposition making known the
fact that he intends to get $4,000 for his
services for the next three years whether
he is signed at a one or three year con-
tract this spring. The club naturally
does not want to lost Johnson. He is it's
most valuable asset among the players,
and yet 1t does not feel that 1t should be
asked to make the concessions which
Johnson demands.
Though the Nationals may have a good
pitching staff without Johnson, 1t stands
to reason that he will be sadly missed.
The club is not trying to belttle its
pitchers ability now that it seems the
breach between them has widened. It
realizes that 1t is taking long chance
to go into the campaign without Johnson
on the team. but under the circumstances
the club cannot see any alternative.
The leaving OF Corbin at Atlanta prob
ably means that Conway will be carried
as the extra outfielder all season. The
manner In which this youngster is hit
ting the ball warrants McAleer's action
to hold on to him, for should there be a
slump in hitting on the part Of either
Lelivelt or Gessler Conway would be able
to fill either of these positions nicely.
The return Of Swain to Vancouver was a
foregone conclusion, for there was moth
ing about the big fellows work which
should recommend him to major league
team.
form this spring that he must be looked
for to prove a winning pitcher for the
team this season. 1t is the first time IN
the three seasons that Gray has been in
good condition early in the spring. He
seems capable of going any route. even
this early. and had he worked for the
regulars in the games in Atlanta, where
he would have been afforded good sup
port he would probably not have lost a
game there.
Gray. unlike former years, worked all
winter long. Every day he would pitch
for about fifteen minutes, and the result
was that he reported in perfect condi-
ton.
According to Mike Kahoe. Bob Groom is
another pitcher on the local staff who is
going to show to better advantage this
year, providing he gets off we'll Bob can
that If he shows good form right from the
outset of the season the patrons of the
game here will encourage him. in which
event he may have a good year, for when
it comes to having deceptive deliveries
Groom classes with the best pitchers in
the country.
1t would SEEM too. that in Bill Otey
McAleer has picked up a valuable left
handler. Like Gray he. too has been
pitching nlEn-cfdSs Dali at Atlanta. Walk
er is in better fettle than last year. He
is strong and healthy. something that he
was not at any time during the last sea-
son.
Tom Hughes will be as good as ever as
soon as his arm comes around. and it
will probably take several weeks Of hot
weather to bring him around to good
Then there are Sherry and Bussey, two
recruits who have shown up we'll in the
practice games, who may be able to be
of much service to the team.
In the hour of defeat Clark Griffith,
manager Of the Cincinnati Reds, display
ed commendable craftsmanship when he
made this comment Monday: Chase is
playing 100 per cent better ball right now
than at any other time in his career. L
regard him the greatest ball player the
cent team in the Highlanders and the
81 Of ritclar. X1rix .o1,ar