Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-03
petent Scout Is Greater Asset to Ball Club Than Star PLAYER
PERTINENT COMMENT ON
HAPPENINGS In SPORTD0M

club owners of the American League
elected Johnson for twenty years and pay
him $4,000 per year for his trouble aside
from giving him so much power that the
impression frequently gets out that the
league is syndicate which Is controlled
by few, when in fact 1t is controlled
by but single man-Ban Johnson.
On his showing to date Carl Morris, the
Oklahoma heavyweight. must be given
serious consideration as the men who
may In time be able to wrest the cham
pionship from Jack Johnson, but 1t will be
a serious mistake for this youngster to
attempt to get to the front too fast. His
announcement that he has no ambition to
fight any more ordinary men. but wants
to take a crack at Al kaufman, who
sounds good enough. but Is undoubtedly
mistake. Though he has knocked out
every one of the six men he has met.
Norris Is still new to the game. and it
would be wise for him to take on ordi-
nary timber for while longer while he
learns the fine points Of the game. 1t is
said that he has still much to learn, and
he might kill all his chances by trying to
come forward too rapidly.
When Charley Murphy, the Cub owner,
made his latest break. and charged Garry
Hermann and Barney Dreyfuss with be-
break up the National League, he may
have caused himself more trouble than
he anticipated. \ quiet investigation is
being made by the men whom Murphy
named in his charges. and 1t is under
stood that il they can find sufficient evil
dence to make a case a suit for libe'
will be instituted shortly. It is believed
that to throw Murphy into the courts
ard thus harass him will have the effect
OF making him attend to his own business
and not issue statements which cast re-
Election OH others for the mere sake of
getting publicity. Murphy has gotten
away with many a raw proposition. but
there is q good chance that his last break
will cause him little worry. If those after
him can get hands on the necessary
goods.
There does not seem to be any need for
admirers Of the Athletics to worry over
their futuer because some one has made
the discovery that championship teams
seldom repeat. To begin with this is
hardly true, for as far back as the old
in row. Boston in the American League
picked up a couple, while Detroit gath
cred three and the Cubs have Won four
out of five.
1t is Of course true that Mack's team
after winning In 1905 did not come back,
but the wonder was that that team ever
landed, for il was anything but classy
one. as it's showing against the New
York Giants that year proved.
Nothing but a general breakdown Of
ing the winner or al least the runner-up
next year. and it Is sahrf to figure how
any Of the other seven teams are going
to beat him to the wire. This base ball
dope seldom comes out as 1t is figured.
If base ball is not bothered with a war
until the American Association and East
ern League become belligerents, peace
will reign for some time to come.
Though these leagues are deslrous OF
lettering their condition as members of
the National Association of Minor
Leagues. the classification they desire is
hardly worth the fight they would en-
counter should they jump over the traces.
owners in both leagues. the majority
could not stand a war very long. and
those who are in a position to back such
a venture are not Of the kind to take q
long chance with their money.
To date everything that has been done
has been for effect and not with the in
tention of ultimately throwing down the
gauntlet and declaring independence.
War waged by this pair of leagues
would not amount to much. for it is
could not hold them should its rivals start
out to annoy it by taking its players.
When Gotch was quoted as having
CHALLENGED any Of the big wrestlers pro-
viding they would put up twenty-thou-
sand-dollar side bet it seemed certain
that he was bluffing, for it is decidedly
doubtful If there is a wrestler in the
country today who could get backing for
this amount. GOtch knew this and it
match which he probably never wanted.
though there - no reason for believing
that he is not as capable to defend his
title now as he ever was, for his last
public appearance seemed to display all
his old proves and agility.