Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

series first sackers seldom last long In
fact. there seems to be some sort of a
hoodOo follow the men who play the
initial sack on the teams which win pen
uants.
Go back few years and this will be
proven. There never was more SEN
sational player in a world series than
Jtggs Donohue in the series in 1906 be-
tween the SOx and Cubs and yet Jiggs
could not find big league job two years
later.
The surprise Of the 1907 series between
the Tigers and Cubs was undoubtedly
Claude Rossman, and yet the following
year Jennings got rid Of him and he
drifted into the minors. In 1909 B II
Abstein looked to be most valuable
man in the position until after the
worlds series and then Pittsburgh let
him out and he drifted into st. Louis,
but failed to make good and he has had
hard time ever since holding his own
in the minors.
Just two years ago saw Harry Davis
and Frank Chance battling at first base
In the worlds series Now both are vir-
tually out of base ball. the former in
the latter has just been turned down by
Murphy after q most brilliant career as
manager and player which extended over
a period OF years.
Reports that Walter johnson intended
to put In the coming winter pitching on
the coast are not given credence by those
IN a position to know. Several reasons
are advanced why johnson would not
at this time take a chance of handicap-
ping his pitching days even for a con-
siderable compensation.
In the first place it is not Johnson's dis
position to do anything which interferes
with his work during the summer, and
what Is more, there Is u good reason
why he should make his next season the
greatest of his career. Johnson is on.y
human, after all. and it is but natural
that 1t Is his ambition to become one of
the highest salaried p ayers in the game.
His three-year contract, calling for
$7.0UO per year. expires next season. 1t
VIII mean much to him to pitch the best
ball OF his career In the next campaign
SO that when 1t comes time to talk of a
new contract he will have q re cord to
point to which will assure him Of SUBJ
, stantial increase. That is what Johnson
is expected to work for, and the chances
are that he vii make an effort to give
the best performance Of his career in
1913 There will be an incentive for him
to do this, as the better the record he has
to fail back on. the more will his demand
for an increase in salary be backed UP.
With this in view there Is hardly a chance
for so wise business proposition as
johnson to throw his chances away by
pitching ball during the off season.
At least three members of the Wash
ington team have undergone surgical
operations since the season closed in the
hope Of benefiting their physical cord.-
ton by next season. Shanks Ainsm tn
and Gandii have had their tonsils remov-
ed and it is reported by them that they
are already enjoying great relief as re-
suit of the ope rations. Accord; ing to
medical advices which came to Manager
Griffith during the past season. every
one Of these players labored under a
severe handicap during the last cam
paign be cause of the diseased condition
OF the organ mentioned. and great inn
provement is promised in their work as
a result