The Washington herald., 1912-01-17
LONG TOM HUGHES
| SIGNS CONTRACT
Veteran Twirlerwith Broken
Digit Afhxes His Mark
to the Papers.
OTHER SPORT COMMENT
Contract Mailed to Jack Flynn, as
Player Has Not Reported
in the Capital.
Nv WILLIAM PEET.

Long Tom" Hughes dropped into Man
ager Grifith's ofice yesterday afternoon,
and after a brief chat pulled out the
contract Grin had rendered him two
weeks ago and said: Sign my name
down here and III put my mark after
it,"
The rather unusual procedure of a man
ager signing player with his own man
ageriaI fist was the result, and in order
TO make it perfectly binding Long Tom
affixed a rsgged-looking *" the best
he could do with a siX-snch splint deco
rating his right bread hook.
Il feel like one of those old G. A. r.
BIRDS" chirped the elongated finger.
I'm as helpless as a chicken with a
broken wing, but when this mitt gets
well I'll be fine and dandy"
II will be remembered that last sum-
mer Hughes took exceptions to a state
ment from a crazy baseball bug in Chi
cago and invited the pest outside. A
short encounter followed, and then came
the ambulance for the man who tried to
tell Tom the Washington ball club was
rotten.
Hughes had the misfortune TO break
one Of the small bones of his right hand
In the miX-up, and the thing failed to
knit properly, with the result that his
middle knuckle finally landed somewhere
in the back OF his wrist. An operation
was found necessary, II Long Tom was
to do any pitching this season, and the
bone was broken and reset two weeks
ago.
According to Hughes, the operation
was successful, but he is still forced to
wear splints, and not being ambidextrous,
could hardly sign his name with his
left hand.
Long Tom looks the picture of health,
and Manager Griffith expects the veteran
Will be one Of the most useful members
Of his family during the coming season.
The signed contract of Outfelder Mat
tls, obtained from the Virginia League
upon the recommendation OF big Duke
Farrell last fall, reached headquarters
yesterday. Maths was one Of the lead
ing sluggers OF the Virginia circuit last
one of the outfieId jobs on the Nationals.
Manager Grffhth yesterday mailed
contract to Jack Flynn, who lives in
Providence, r, l. The reason Of the de-
lay in sending Flynn the necessary doc
ument was because It was expected the
player would be in Washington the first
OF the year to complete his course in the
Georgetown Law School Up to date
Flynn has not put in his appearance and
as Griffith must tender contracts to his
players not later than February I he de-
cided not to wait any longer for the
yOungster to put in his appearance in the
Capital
Representative Murray, of Boston, a
red-hot baseball fan. was a caller at
headquarters yesterday afternoon.
wild BiI' Donovan says there is no
reason why ed Walsh should ever lose
a ball game with what he has in the
pitching line. Work him every fifth day
and he would never lose a game" said
the Tiger pitcher. Il don't see how any
team could beat him. The only reason
he loses once in a while now is because
he does not get the proper rest, and is
oYerworked."
Harry Wolverton says there is only one
good exercise for the ball player in the
OF season, and that is handball Il am
going to start in now myself" says the
manager. IF a ball player would play
this game about a month before he starts
on his training trip. he would have easy
going for the work in the South"