The Washington herald., 1911-12-21
Griffith Picks Twenty
World's Best Players
Charley Comiskey Heads List-Pete Noonan Is
Through Nth BaSebaU-Other Com
n1ent and Gossip!
By WILLIAM PEET.

Clark Griffith, manager of the Wash
| ington baseball club, was asked yester-
| day afternoon to pick the twenty best
ball players in the world, and replied un-
hesitatingly: Pull out your pencil and
| take down these names" Grifith's list
appears above.
BY way of explanation Griffith wishes
to go on record as saying that the names
| he has picked are the first that flashed
across his mind. He rather deplores the
fact that he is limited to twenty, claim
! ing that list of fifty would better in
clude the diamonds best.
There is old Buck Ewing, Johnny
Evers, Johnny Killing, and host of others
1 really should include" chirped the
Nationals boss, but the men 1 have
chosen came to my mind first, and Twill
stand pat on my selection"
Griff mentioned the names of several
well-known diamond stars whom he did
not consider as belonging to the select
twenty, including Connie Macks great
slugger, Frank Baker. Said Griff:
Baker is a heavy hitter, pure and
simple. 1 never saw any medals hang
ing on him for base running or fielding,
but you'll have to hand it to him; he
can hit that ball.
After Griffith had named his list, he
was shown the selection made by
Charles Comiskey, owner of the Chicago
White Sox and on Commy's select
twenty appeared Griff1th's name.
I'm glad I put the Old Roman at
the top of my list now," he laughingly
commented. AT that 1 AIN sincere in
the matter, for Comiskey was just as
good ball player as he is a good fel-
low, and that is saying a whole lot
Pete Noonan, who graduates from the
Georgetown Law School this term,
dropped around for a chat with Grih at
headquarters yesterday and vouchsafed
the information that he CNOonaD had
just finished a bar examination, and
hoped to be admitted to practice law In
WIlkesbarre, Pa.
I'm through with baseball for gOCd,"
declared Noonan. II believe there is a
firSt-rate field for me in Pennsylvania,
and l expect soon to hang out my shin
gle"
Noonan coached the Catholic ITniver-
sity nine last spring, and also played
ball with Larry Schaf1y's Troy club, in
the New York State League.
Word was received here yesterday that
Jerry Freeman is the proud father Of
a boy. born in Albany two weeks ago.
Jerry played first base for the Nationals
under Joe Cantillon. and later went to
the American Association. He is under
contract with the Albany club OF the
New York State League for next sea-
son.
One of Cincinnatrs foremost baseball
writer's tell a few funny yarns about the
new Red manager.
"One Of the funniest things ever saw
with Hank O'Day a participant" he says,
came off at Chicago a few years ago.
Johnny King had wallOped a home run
at an important moment OF the game,
and some joyous fan slung S2 bill over
the railing. Killing collected, thrust the
two into the rear pocket of his pants. and
returned to work behind the bat. O'Day,
of course, stepped up close behind the
catcher.
"'Hey, John. look out" squawked a
bleacher kid. 'Hank'r swipe dat two
Killing looked around, then solemnly
dove into his rear pocket, extracted the
two and placed it safely in a forward
pocket. The audience beloved, and down
from the bleachers came the same shrill
voice, Gee, Hank'd live on dat fer six
mont's"
Honest? Inflexible? That's O'Day. Re
member the famous decision of September
o. 19OS-the Merkle decision? All night
long, after that game, band Of big
New Workers, politicians, showmen, peO-
pie with wads and wads of coin, sat up
with Hank ODay, and Hank could have
named the price for only a little thing.