davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05
BY j. ED GRILLo.

In a letter to Manager Griffith Jack
Flynn, the first baseman secured from
St. Paul by the draft route last fall,
gives the information that he will be
here within few days to talk over his
contract with the local club.
Flynn is under the impression that he
Is entitled to more salary than Griffith
has offered and he states in his letter
that he believes such matters can be
more easily arranged by q personal in
terview than by correspondence. and in
this Manager Griffith agrees. The diff
ference between the player and the club
IS very slight. and there is not doubt
that there will be an adjustment just as
soon as he and Griffith get together and
have chat.
Griffith. who saw Flynn play in quite
81 number of games, is very much inn
here. Flynn is dangerous batter"
said Griff. Il know of several games
that he broke up against us, when We
looked like certain winners, with long
drives and the bases crowded There Is
no reason why he should not make us a
splendid man at first case, and l hope
that he will start out with a determine
tion to prove that he is of major league
caliber.
The fact that Griffith has not heard a
word from either Spencer or Moeller, the
two Rochester recruits, since sending
them their contracts is not worrying the
Nationals manager. lie figures that
these players belong to the dilatory class
when it comes to attending to club bust
ness.
There are some players who never an
swer letters or kilograms. but always
show up in plenty of time" said Griffith.
"Esmond of the Cincinnati team was one
of them. Last spring 1 sent him ten
wires and lot of letters trying to find
out why he did not send in his contract.
i could not hear a word from him, and 1t
worried me. for 1 thought perhaps some
thing had happened to him. He finally
showed up and the excuse he gave for
his silence was that he was busy skating
on the river at his home in Albany.
Spencer and Moeller cannot possibly have
any kick coming, and they will be along
with the rest Of them
The Washington club holds the distinc-
ton of having more contracts prOmul-
gated by President Johnson to date than
any Of its rivals. Manager Griffith was
notified this morning that twenty-five
contracts of his players had been OF
ficially promulgated. This leads the list,
as most of the clubs have not had enough
contracts returned to send them to Presi-
dent Johnson.
Although thousands upon thousands of
ball players have been engaged by the
clubs of the two big leagues in the last
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05
II STREET HIGH WINS.
Easily Defeats Baltimore High in
(. Slow Basket Ball Game.

M Street High School Ave had little
trouble defeating the Baltimore High
School team in True Reformers' Hall
Saturday evening. The score was IS to
20. None Of the NJ Street boys exerted
themselves to a great degree. and the
game was rather slow. The score could
have as easily been 90 as IS had the
team gone the limit in speed. For be-
ginner Randall at center for NJ Street
is coming fast. He IL yet little slow.
but as soon as he gets speed and knack
Of the court he will be heard from.
Greene PULLED or all sorts Of fancy play
ing and sensational shots. Rector
Hughes and Holland were az usual good
Sayies Of Baltimore Melted more free
tosses than anybody In the hall this sea-
son. Summary: .zs.4..,-s. ,.g s
Referee-M Nixon. Umpire-Mr. Gray. Timer
Mr.. M. p Robinson. Scorer-Mr. Pryor. Time
Of halyes-15 minutes. Score-M. Street %;
Ba,i.luS. r i.gl S,su3 20.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05

ripe enough to be sent after the cham
pionship. Nobody knows this better than
Johnson. Tom knows Palzer's limita-
lions and makes no ridiculous preten-
sions to greatness for his charge That
may come later on.
Palzer and his manager are after one
man. and his name is Jim Flynn. John
son Is said to have objected to Flynn
boxing Palzer. threatening to call OF his
match with the ex-freman If the latter
insisted on going through with it.
Johnson processes to believe Flynn
a worthy candidate for championship
honors. Nobody else feels that way
about 1t. AS evidence that he for one
thinks otherwise. O'Rourke offers to
bet johnson $4,000 real money that
Palser can beat Flynn decisively
This proposition listens like the real
thing and will make a hit with fight
fans. Nobody cares rap about the
proposed Johnson-Flynn contest. Sport
ing writers are giving very little space
TO the championship battle. II less
were handling the deal there would be
even less publicity.
On paper the match looks too alb
surd to be treated otherwise than a
Joke. but Curley manages to keep in
terest stimulated to a moderate de-
gree. The usually astute Jack made
4 mistake. though In calling of the
Palzer bout. That was the logical
match. Both Flynn and Palzer have
trimmed Al Kaufman, and a meeting
between them would have attracted
worldwide attention and placed the
winner in an enviable position in
heavyweight pugilism.
Flynn can score a popular hit by re-
considering and deciding to live up 70
the original agreement. to box Palzer. and
should he beat the big Iowa boy his
championship pretensons would be given
q big boost. The public would not be
80 much inclined to ridicule q match
with the champion. Think 1t over, Messrs
Flynn and Curley.
IL nothing materializes from his latest
overtures O'Rou Ike will match Palzer to
box Carl Norris, the original ''hope' from
Oklahoma In fact, the bout would have
been arranged before this but for a dit.
ference OF opinion In the choice OF q
club. Naturally. Palser prefers the Ma.
honal Sporting Club. for II Is In that
arena he does all his training.
Norris advisers argue this would be OF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05
lieved. rob these people Of any standing
hef0ne the national commission.

before the national commission.
But that is not all, for 1t Is contended
by the officers of the Virginia League AS
ISOLATION. that the national commission
does not possess the right to review the
action Of the board in the premises. This
belief is taken from article Nv OF section
/ Of the national agreement. which reads
as follows: "A commission of three
to construe and carry out the terms and
provisions of this agreement. excepting
when it pertains to the internal affairs
of the national association"
In addition to this the three teams
Of the old league are quoted as saying
that If they do not get justice at the
hands Of the national commission they
will go to the courts. II President VII
liams is to be backed in this contention
by the three teams OF the old league, II
will be only because Norfolk and Peters
burg have not given the matter thorough
consideration. 1t is generally accepted
that President Williams and the Roanoke
team would have nothing to lose by
court Injunction, for they have lost all.
1t IL different with Norfolk and Peters
get in the game again under the new
regime. so they would have everything to
lose and nothing to gain by trailing
after the Roanoke interests.
Still further. there are NUMBER OF
frills to the fight in possession OF the
the surface but which would come out
in an effort to get the matter before either
the national commission or the state
courts. 1t cannot come before the ma
tional hoard again. for 1t has been de-
cided' finally by a telegraph vote. The
criticism Of Secretary Farrell for estao-
fishing a precedent is not in accord with
the real facts. for il a precedent has
been established 1t was done by the
full board, with the exception of Will
liams, who had no voice because he was
not only an interested member. but the
real center of the trouble.
There are real reasons for. the beiie1
that Norfolk will be asking for fran
chise in the new league ere long. II this
has not been done already. the statements
from that city to the contrary notwith-
standing. Ten thousand dollars is tied
up in that franchise. and 1t has some con-
ditions around its sale several weeks ago
that will force. the present ownersG.to
come In without much delay. The IMAM
who sold the team. or rather what inter-
est DR. McCrafy has in It. stands to lose
five times a thousand dollars II Norfolk
10 not on the base ball map next season.
Now watch them tumble, and when the
stunt starts 1t will be on word from Ro-
anoke and not from Norfolk, though the
application may come direct from Nor
folk
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05
|est News and Interesting Gossip Gathered in World Of Sport
JACK FLYNN WRITES HE WILL
BE FIRST TO REPORT HERE
First Baseman to Have Talk on Contract
With Griffith-Moeller and Spen-
Ger Merely Dilatory.

ten years. seldom has any one of the
clubs been seriously affected by the death
Of a player. In fact, but few big leas uers
have died while under contract, says the
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Among the first to die while actively
in the harness were Marty Bergen, Win
Mercer and Eddie Doheny, each of whom
committed suicide. Then came the tragic
bridge at Niagara Falls. Several years
ago Washington had a most promising
shortstop in Cassidy. Unfortunately
however, he died just about as he was
to report in the spring, and a player who
had the prospects of being star was
taken away. A little later on Chick
Stahl, then manager Of the Boston Red
Sox. took his own life at West Baden
while on the training trip. His death
followed by a few weeks that of Out
fielder Dolan of the Boston Nationals.
Then came the deaths of Catcher Mike
Powers of the Athletics and lnfielder
Allen Storke. traded by st. Louis to Gin
cinnati. Powers died soon after the open
came during the off season and before
he had g. chance to join the club to which
he had been traded.
The more recent deaths were those OF
Addie Joss Of the Maps. Pitcher Lessard
of Columbus and Third Baseman James
Doyle of the Cubs. the latter occurring
Thursday. Lessard had been sold to
Cincinnati for a high price. but. of course.
Columbus could not denver.
In view of the fact that a possible PEN
nant winner might be deprived OF its
chances of winning the championship
through the death of one or more star
players during the off season, some per-
sons have believed that the magnates
insured their players the year around
Such is not the case. however. The play
ers are merely insured against accident
during the regular playing season. each
club owner generally insuring his team
for from 100000 to 100000
Base ball fans who have remarked upon
the dignity possessed by Umpire Jack
Sheridan upon the diamond might gather
the idea that Jack was above cracking a
joke. But such is not the case.
At one of the league meetings held a
year or so ago in Chicago, Sheridan was
one of those who Joined in the customary
tanning bee.
One Of the old-time players happened to
be one of the survivors Of the All-Ameri-
can trip to California, several years ago
and remarked that a certain town just
outside Of Frisco was the deadest one in
which he had ever played.
'It's q fact. Deadest town ever
struck
'.Huhr remarked Sheridan That's the
town I live In during the winter time"
What? You live in that dead town?
What do you do to pass the time away?"
II bury the dead" was Sheridan's re-
ply. And he never smiled.
And the player in question never
tumbled until some one put him next that
Umpire Jack was an undertaken by pro-
fession.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05
By ]. ED GRILLo.

Whether there is any chance for the
racing game in New York is shortly to
be decided, for 1t is reported that bills
will be introduced in the state legislature
shortly which will eliminate the directors
liability act which has been the death
blow to the sport.
The repeal of this law would mean the
opening Of several tracks around New
York. OF course. 1t would not be the
same game that once existed there, but
1t would have q chance to be revived to
certain extent at least. The fact that
agricultural societies and trotting horse
men have interested themselves in the
new bills may have considerable infiu-
ence. What is more. officers Of the army
favor the preserving Of the American
breeding industry. which is sure to go to
seed unless racing Is revived.
The racing interests around New York
are. however. taking no active part in
the proposed legislation. 1t seems to
be the opinion of those who formerly
had charge Of the sport that If relief is to
come 1t will come without a campaign
being made In favor of any legislation
for II the Jockey Club or its adherents
show their hand they are apt to prejudice
the situation.
Harry Davis has declared himself
against carrying lot Of old ball players
on the Cleveland list. The Maps new
manager is for youngsters and he pro.
poses to add them to his string when
ever the opportunity to do SO presents
itself.
Davis declares that he will be the only
veteran on his team, but Of course he is
throwing a bouquet at L.. Jie when he
says that, for Larry has peen in har-
ness about as long as his manager.
Jim MCGUIRE. perhaps one of the Oldest
men In base ball, has been signed by De.
troit. Jim Is to handle the young pitch
ers for Jennings In the hope Of deyel-
oping some Of them. Mcclure, who start
ed out to manage the Maps last spring.
never made success Of handling bail
team, though no Is given credit for being
q wise man on the game. jennings f1g-
ures that with Joe Sugden, another vet
e,an. and Mcclure to look after his. kid
pitchers he may be abe to get q stan
OF twirlers capable Of holding his team
up In the race.
Perhaps the most unique contract ever
submitted to q ball player was sent to
Pitcher Gardener by the Pittsburgh club
the other day. This contract provides
that Gardner must bring his wife and
baby to Pittsburgh. Gardner lives on the
coast, and last season he had so many
spells OF Inconsistencies that 1t interfered
with his work, and Owner Dreyfuss In
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05
Duchesne Challenges Turner.

1 will wrestle Joe Turner In q hnisl,
match. best two In three falls for a side
bet Of $50 or $780, winner to take all.
either private or public. IL he will agree
to bar the toe hold. My training was
done in England. where the toe hold Is
barred, and am at a. disadvantage with
Turner II the toe hold Is allowed. Am
very anxious to meet him again.
(SigneO THOMAS DUCHESNE,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05

The Harvard battery candidates tuau-
gurated the training season OF 1912 In the
cage at Cambridge yesterday. DR.. Frank
Sexton has his charges working with the
chest weights and medicine ball In order
to tone them down for the real grind,
which will begin early in February.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05

before him has
been called by the
Iowan's manager
in a counter-prop-
osition that will
appeal to all low
ers of boxing.
ORourke has re-
peatedly and en-
phatical,y pro-
claimed that Pal
ger Is not vet
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05
JOHNSON CALLED
BY TOM O'ROURKE
Offers to Bet Little Artie"
$1,000 That Palzer Can
Whip Jim Flynn.
CHAMPION ORDERING
OFF FIGHT THE CAUSE
Scrap of the HeavieS for Title
Unpopular, But CurIey
Keeps Things Moving.
,BY-JAMEs J. CoRBETT,

Former Heavyweight Champion of the World.
Written for The Washington Starr
Jack Johnson's proposal to pay AL Pal
ger $1,000 for every round after the third
that Tom O'Rourke's novice stands up
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-05

It is to be hoped that the report which
from interhigh school competition and
abolish the different teams which have
represented the institutions is not true.
OF course the success that Business has
had in foot ball II not what could have
been desired, but that is no reason why
it should quit. It would be q poor way
to start life-to quit because OF a lack
of success. The teams representing
Eastern High have not done much either
in the last few years az far as winning
championships are concerned, and It was
only two years ago that Business handed
beating to the Eastern eleven, and 1t
went through the most DISASTROUS season
ever experienced by high school team,
Las Vegas optic., 1912-07-24
WORK OF PRAIRIE ANT
Interesting Description Of Indus
trious Insect.
Cannot Tolerate Presence Of vegeta-
tlon Near Their Mounds and Work
ers Cut It Away by Use Of
WeILAdapted MandIbIes. 4
tBy eEoRaE 4. pEANl

In crossing the prairies OF large
part Of the western states. the travel
sr's attention is frequently drawn &c
the grayel-covered mounds that skirt
The railways and wagon roads. Locat
ed in the center of cleared circular
areas, they stand out prominently
breaking the grassy surface These
mounds dot the slopes of ravines. the
banks OF streams. and hooks and fats
between cliffs and ridges.
They occur along travelled roads and
sidewalks in corrals. and In door
yards. They are present in fields Of
wheat and alfalfa. in spite Of the plow'
ing and disking. They possessed the
prairie before the farmer came. and
they remain in spite OF his operations.
rhe ant whose industry has made
these mounds. with their clean-swept
dooryards. clings tenaciously to the
house which 1t has built. and. so often
As the roof is destroyed. laboriously
rebuilds II.
The nests are OF various sizes and
heights ranging from nine to twenty
our inches. The clearing surrounding
the mound is level. absolutely devoid
of vegetation, and usually has the
mound exactly in the center The size
of the clearing ranges from nine to
.wenty feet and in one instance ex-
.ended for forty-hve feet.
The ants cannot tolerate the pres
snce of vegetation near their mounds
and the workers clear 1t away by use
Of their well-adapted mandibles. They
doubtless find that vegetation is an
obstacle to their going and coming;
that 1t affords concealment to their
enemies; retains moisture after a rain.
thus favoring the growth Of injurious
fungi; that It's roots penetrate the
chambers Of their nests and, decaying,
form passageways for the entrance Of
water
In many of the mounds the ants
90 and. come through one opening; in
others they have two or three such
passageways, and In one exception
ally large mound the occupants had
eight openings.
The interior of the mound is honey
combed with chambers and galleries
The chambers vary from one to three
inches in diameter and from one-half
to one inch in height. The connect
Ing galleries have uniform diameter
Of about three-eights OF an inch. Sealed
and unsealed storerooms filled with
seeds occur throughout the nest. Lar.
vac, pupae. and young ants occupy
many Of the chambers.
Seeds of various kinds are carried
by the workers into the nest The
bulls are torn off. carried out and
dumped at one side Of the clearing
and the plump, sound seeds stored
away in the storerooms.
The mound-building prairie ant
shows three distinct classes of individ-
Las Vegas optic., 1912-07-24
FESTIVAL AT SALINAS

Salinas, Calf, July Hundreds
OF visitors are here to join with the
people of Salinas in the enjoyment Of
seven days of broncho busting, steer
riding, roping contests and wide va
riety of other sports Of range life.
The occasion is the second annual
rodeo and wild west carnival. for
which preparations on an unusually
elaborate scale have been completed.
In addition to the wild west features
the program provides for a mardi
gras pageant. trotting and running
races and the crowning of King Bur
bank and Queen Sugar Beet.
Las Vegas optic., 1912-07-24

uals-the queens fertile females).
males and workers (sterile females)
Queens and males form compara-
lively small portion Of the colony,
while the workers In nest have been
known to number 10000.
Although these ants are larger than
most species and have two of the
most formidable weapons known
among insects-large. pointed mandi-
bles and most efficient stings-th
are not quarrelsome, and fight only In
self-defense. So peaceably inclined
are they that other species of ants are
allowed to come into their clearings
and throw up their tiny crescent
shaped mounds of earth, and even to
attack and chase such thoughtless
mound builders as happen to pass
too near them. Indeed. they carry
this peaceful disposition to a point
where they permit the common ter
mite and some species of ants to live
with them in the chambers of their
nests and to partake OF their stored
food
These ants have come to be consid-
cred injurious insects, not through In
crease in numbers. but rather through
their close contact with man resulting
from his conversion of the prairies
into cultivated fields.
The ant colonies are too scattering
to materially decrease the yield of any
crop; they are chiefly troublesome as
an obstacle to harvesting.
To attempt to NOV through or over
them would choke the machinery and
ruin the cutting edge of the sickle.
Should a driver have such trouble in
passing over mound it would be most
unwise for him to stop and try to ad-
just his machinery, for such a disturb
ance would bring the ants forth in
angry swarms, each Individual eager
to do her utmost to repel the invader.
Every one that succeeded in getting
man or beast would seize clothing,
hair or skin between her mandibles,
cnrve her abdomen downward and de
liver a thrust quite as painful in re.
suit as the sting of bumblebee or
yellow-jacket-
Las Vegas optic., 1912-07-24
LUMsERMEN MEET

Houghton, Mich, July 24.-Many
representative lumbermen of Wiscon-
sin, Michigan and neighboring states
are attending the midsummer meet
ing of the Northern Hemlock and
Hardwood Manufacturers association,
which met here today for two days
session. Insurance, advertising,
freight rates. forest protection, labor
supply, market conditions and various
other questions relating to the lum-
Der industry are scheduled for discus.
sion.
Las Vegas optic., 1912-07-24
Renehan and Wright for the de-
fendant.

A. M. Mason, farming near canaan.
Me-. was badly crippled with sciatic
rheumatism due he says to uric acid
in his blood. Foley Kidney Pills
entirely cured me and also removed
numerous black specks that were con-
tinually before my eyes" Foley Kid
ney Pills are uric acid solvent and
are effective for the various forms
OF rheumatism. o. G. Shaefer, Red
Cross Drug Store.