The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-06
Paid Out More Money for Pros
poets Last Year Than
Any Other Club
HALL AND KLAWITTER
SOUND BEST IN GOSSIP
information Nayin Picked Up ct
Milwaukee Says These
Are Peaches

BY RALPH u. 1ONAEK. >
The Tigers spent more money dur
ing the past year getting new players
than any other club In either league,
according TO the report OF the Ma
tionai commission
or the swarm OF athletes thus OBJ
taised, none looks any better In ad-
vance dope and gossip than do kla-
witter, OF Portland. and Hall. of
Omaha, two right-handed pitchers.
When President Frank Navin was
at Milwaukee during the meeting Of
the minor league clubs there recently
he n.ade inquiries OF the managers,
scouts and players as to the ability OF
the men he had been lucky enough to
draft. From the gossip at Milwaukee
1t appears that there Is none who Is
any better than the men mentione..
However, this is what Mr.. Navin
says about prospects: They have 70
snow me en- the diamond
Major league magnates aren't buy
ing baseball players any more. The
time for that has passed They are
buying prospects The prospects may
|prove to make the best players In the
world. Or they may prove to De
bloomers. That Is nsyer decided ur-
til the season is partly over.
I'VE can't have good years every
season." says Mr.. Navin I'VE have
only to work hard and consistently 10
pick up promising material and give
llt thorough trial. II we get somc
stars, we arc lucky and we are goiag
TO have a good year. II we PICK
lemons we are uniucky and are goiifg
to aaye q bad year.
"Bnt my experience has convinced
me that the public Is with an owner
as long as he is making an earnest
effort to build up his club and as lotsg
as ne is willing to spend money 70
do so.
"The old method that made the New
York Giants years ago--that OF buying
sea- oned players-is thing OF the
past. We have 10 get the young fel-
lows and take chances on their be-
ing good, nowadays
\ II will be remembered that the
Giants got Mike Donlln, Bugs Ray
moad. Shannon, and other stars BY
outright purchase and that they made
a winning combination OF them. SUCH
thing is impossible now
! President Navin could 20 to q
league meeting with 100000 In nus
pockets ready to pay for bah players
and not get one
The money that was formerly paid
directly for the players must now De
paid TO scouts to look over the young
fellows and then TO the minor league
clubs for the kids.
/ The Tigers are not waiting for any
body to blaze the trail through the
woods of scouts for them. They have
had seven men working during the
pest season and the prospects are
+ that there will be as many or moro
during the coming year. These seven
lwere all regular paid men. Besides
/ them there are scores lef other men
who tip the CLUB of to good-looking
material.
I Added to the salaries and travelling
expenses OF the men on the road are
the expenses of the Office work At
Itel6ant TO scouting. This is amount
ling to no little item nowadays.
! At the baseball Office here there
are files galore where information
concerning players Is kept for instant
reference. Dozens Of papers from
nearly every league in the country
are received daily and placed In a
I big neAspaper file.
I
which may turn out to be ball players
or may turn out to be lemons. IL Is
doubtful II there are many selling or
carnations with a more complete
system In use--tban- has the Navin
scouting system.
islawitter and Hall. the men whose
reports sounded so good, may turn
out TO be the veriest bloomers and
this Nichols from wyandotte, OF whcri
little is known, may be the finest kind
of pitcher.
II John Dubuc is going to France
to teach the natives OF that country
how TO play baseball he hasn't let
the Detroit baseball Office know any
thug OF his plans
Tie story came from out OF tie
east some time ago that he was go
ing over TO France to teach the mere
hers OF the National Baseball union
lcvei there the fine points OF the game.
As Jean Is French himself he ought
ITO have little trouble I'm getting BE
stun across
nut there seems to be little reed
10 worry along that score.
President Navin heard from Hughsc
lJernings yesterday Il Is quite Jos
lsibls that the two men viii not ,ucet
ithis month, despite the fact that
lHushie viii he here in the middle Of
the month.
Az last reports. Jennings said he
would be al Detroit theasef with MS
act. the week or Dec. i6. but that ne
was not quite sure abont Il. as EIs
booking might be changed az axy
moment.