The Washington times., 1912-01-10
IBIlL CUNNINGHAM
| S|GNSCONTRACT TO
| PLAY next SEASON
Second Baseman Promises
to Report in Good
Condition.
REGULAR UMPIRES
TO OFFICIATE HERE
as,f
Spring Exhibition Games Will
Not Be Joke Al.
-i ,,e fairs.
By SENATOR"


Bill Cunningham today sent his signed
contract to the Washington baseball
club. Accompanying the document
from Schenectady, N. Y, was a letter
in which the second baseman expressed
his satisfaction with the salary and de-
claring that when he reports at Char
. lottesville he will be in shape for real
work
~ 1t viii be recalled that last spring
went to Atlanta fully
thirty pounds overweight, and made
ssuch poor impression that he mar
rowiy missed being relegated to some
minor league. To make matters worse
ne wore rubber shirt in practice, and,
while he lost pounds of surplus flesh
. every day, he also lost strength at such
an alarming rate that II was past mid
season before he became normal. In
the closing weeks Of the season he was
right and played creditable baseball.
This winter Cunningham has been
taxing q course of systematic exercise
ana IN his letter he expressed the belief
that 1t will take less than a week Of
lrhfm for a regular position on the team.
I Becker Is Satisfied.
Charley Becker. who, 1t was reported,
was not satisfied with the terms offered
by the club. visited headquarters. and.
after shaking hands with his new chief,
dropped the official papers, with his
autograph on them, on the desk.
n. The two had long talk, after which
the young left-hander in the fold said
he was satisfied and ready to start to
work as soon as the manager said the
word.
Not Joke Games.
That the spring games are not to be
joke anairs for the amusement Of the
players. but serious contests is shown
oy the preparations Griffith Is already
making. Today he wrote Fred Fitz-
\ gsraid, the new groundkeeper. that he
's would be expected here by Washing
, IONS Birthday ready to begin the WORK
Dt making better playing field at Ma
,stional Park. Griffith intends to 20 over
tnH iI, wsoie ssos Ihs place with Fit.geraid and
understand that the whole plant must
be ready for the first preliminary game
Just as though 1t were the opening Of
Furthermore, Griffith intends to take
no chances with the umpires to be had
around these parts, but has written to
ban Johnson. asking IL 1t will not be
sHssl95s siIM odvbI,v to haye Tommy Connolly or
the spring games. The contests at
Charlottesville will be handled BY Rig
!er, the National League umpire, who
are that a regular American League ar
siter VIII be on the job for all the dates
DO you know that in one respect
gseord mused Clark sI hss Grits sss toasy new
out OF squad Of about eighteen men
no less than five Of our members are
today directing major league baseball
You remember when the Baltimore
Orioles were winning three pennants in
succession they used to think that prac-
ucaiiy every member Of that OUTFIT
they have never been able to reach the
record which the Chicago club is now
setting Ns, True True McGraw is in charge
s. Seo st york or nd Jsnnlnss At DetrS
the Chicago Cubs: Bill Dahlen. at
BROOKLYN; Harry Wolverton. at New
Z York. in the American League; Jimmy
Callahan. with the Chicago White sox
Five Are Managers.
''There are five former Chicagoans at
present big league managers. and
think it will be many day before the
record is' beaten.
{ "And, in speaking Of Collahan,
might remark that he has a rather un-
usual sense of humor when he calls me
an old fellow. Why. I'm Just forty
SCr,e. and Jim Callahan's memory is not
long enough to recall the day when he
spent his forty-frst birthday II I
thought he would pitch wouio not hesi-
tate to go against him, but know and
lie knows That he is too old to stand the
strain.
N"I have not performed in the box for
two years, but you need not he greatly
surprised before next October IL you
should see your Uncle Clark tr,t out
and finish game for ono of the young
-er fellows"