The Washington herald., 1912-01-03
Stockholders Vote Griff
Best Washington Leader
Old Board of Directors Re-eLected-Grifith to
Send Out Contracts To-day-Other
Gossip and Comment.
BY WILLIAM PEET.

ny WILL - N NEHAs
The best manager ever at the head Of
a Washington baseball club" was the
verdict Of the stockholders at the annual
meeting held yesterday afternoon in Vice
President Minors ofice.
Griffith has taken hold Of things in a
splendid, businessiike manner thus far,
and l think as the season progresses we
will have more and more cause to con-
gratulate ourselves in being able to OBJ
tain a man of his caliber to pilot the
club said a prominent member Of the
board Of directors to the writer.
According to reports, the stockholders
meeting yesterday was not only the larg-
est, but the most enthusiastic held in
the past eight years. The various COM
mittee reports showed the club TO be in
good shape financially, despite the in
creased expense incurred during the sea-
son Just closed, and future prospects
loom up exceedingly bright.
The impression prevailed that Manager
Clark Grifith, by virtue of his large
stock holdings, would be chosen as one
Of the directors, and place would likely
have been made for him on the director
ate had he so wished, but Grih preferred
not TO mix his duties, declaring that he
wished TO devote all Of his time toward
turning out representative club.
In consequence, the old board was re-
elected by the stockholders. They are:
President, Thomas c. Noyes; vice presi-
dent, Edward J. Walsh: secretary, Ben
jamln S. Minor, and treasurer, W. II.
Rapley. The foregoing list OF gentlemen
will serve on the board Of directors, to-
Eether with Rudolph Kaufman, Henry
p. Blair, and J. Miller Kenyon.
Next week on Thursday an important
meeting Of the board Of directors will be
held, when the directors themselves will
elect officers. II is understood that
Messrs. Noyes, Walsh, Minor. and Rap
ley will serve another term in the posi-
tions they held during the past year.
II is understood that all the Washing
ton-cIub's books. records. &C. will. within
the next few days, be removed to Man
Hger Grifiths suite OF Offices in the
Southern Building. and that in the future
all meetings Of the club and stockholders
will be held in the baseball headquarters.
Manager Griffith will start to-day send
ing out contracts to his players. With
the exception OF Walter johnson and
Tom Hughes. this business will be trans
acted through the mails. Johnson is un-
der a three years contract and Hughes,
who is at present living in Washington,
will likely drop around at headquarters
some afternoon and affix his John Han
cock.
Johnny HeydIer. secretary OF the Ma
tIonal League, was a visitor at headquar-
ters yesterday, calling upon Grin to pay
his respects. Heydler is looking the pic
ture or perfect health, and is In Wash
inEtOn, his old home. for a brief visit.
They are stin talking about a scrap be-
tween Jack johnson and Jim Flynn. and
from all reports ii will be put through.
OF course. It will not take place for some
time, as the black champion has agreed
TO meet sam McVey in far-oft Australia
during the next six months. And the
longer the bout is put OF the better il
will he not only for the Pueblo fireman.
hut for the fans Of the country as well.
FLYNN hasn't any more right 10 face the
champion now than any OF the other
white hcavy-weights in the country. and
the men who look after his interests should
realize this. There are really only three
men who can give Johnson a battle, and
they are all negrOes-Sam LangfOrd. Sam
McVey, and Jeanette, although the lat
ter would hardly give much account of
himself Let johnson rest on his laurels
for the next year or two, and by that
time maybe there will loom up on the
fstiC horizon a white heavyweight who
will be able to give the Chicago man a
struggle for worlds hOnors.
A Detroit writer pulls a good story on
Eddie Summers as follows:
Eddie Summers, OF the Detroit club.
whine a good pitcher. cannot be ranked
with Ty Cobb as a batter Two years
ago he made two home runs in a game
on Harry ErlLse, of the Athletics. Now.
KTause is one of the best southpsws in
the American League, and Summers
thought the feat would elevate him as a
batter in the eyes OF fandom.
No matter, how the fans regard pitch
Cr's batting ability, the tWirler is just as
particular about his bat as the demon
sluEGers. In sorting the bats one day.
Summers found one of Ty Cobb's that
suited him. He sent the clubhouse boy
TO sporting goods store TO get one
like II.
Who is the bat for, Cobb" asked the
dealer.
No, Eddie Summers" answered the
youth.
Tell him we're out Of the model. but
will send him one as soon as they ar
rive" said the dealer. In the meantime
let him use this. He can strike out as
easily with IT," The bat he sent back 10
Eddie was a horrible looking thing. When
the youngster handed II TO the pitcher |
Summers was astopished.
Why, that isn't the bat sent for;
you couldn't hit the ball out of the in
field with that stick"
Il guess he didn't expect you would"
said the kid: ''he said IT was as easy to
strike out with it as with any other
Summers made two hits that afternoon,
one triple. He had a good laugh on his
friend. who later sent him the Cobb
model, with his compliments.
The fans over in Derby are panning the
Pastime A. c. boxing exhibition in great
style, and are hollering like regular guys.
It's taking the boys over there a long
time to :Ialize the fact that boxing Is
dead in their town, and Jack johnson and
sam Langford wouldn't pull a corporars
guard of Derbyites.
Jack johnson and his three new auto
mobiles and Ban johnson and his 40
horsepower resolution ought to keep
things stirring for a while.