Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-11
GRIFFITH HOPES TO
GET MORE PLAYERS
Goes to Chicago in Effort to
Add In and 0utfieIders.
WANTS TO BE WELL
FORTIFIED IN SPRING
New Manager Creates I'M
preston He Will Eventually
Make Success of Team.
BY j. ED GRILLo.


What will probably be Manager Crit
fiths final attempt to add to the playing
strength of the Nationals will be instI-
tuted when he leaves here today to at
tend the schedule meeting of the league
To he held in Chicago Tuesday
Griffith goes not 10 actually attend the
meeting. for he has nothing to do with
the schedule. but merely TO meet some
of the nasnatcs and managers who VII
he there. In fact, it is not at all IN
likely that he Will leave Chicago for
Washington on the very day that the
meeting is To take place What Grif-
fifth is after is a couple of ball players
tie would compromise on ono. and atI-
mits that the chances are that he won't
set any. On the roster OF several OF the,
rival clubs are names of players that
Griffith figures he could use here to adj
vantage who may never get chance
To show with the teams holding them
Whatever persuasive power the Nation
ais manager may possess VIII be brought
INTO play IN an effort to have some of
these players turned over to him He is
Particularly anxious TO secure an outtield-
e. ami an intle;der, but he understands
existing conditions too well to even hone
that he will get both and is extremely
hgpres that to stay at home and not
take the chance would he serious mis-
take and he is not in the habit OF mak-
ing these when there is business at stake.
There are three young outfe.ders on
the list of the Chicago club any one of
which Griffith would welcome into the
fold. 'Rolbitt'' Powell on whom he
refused to waive some time ago. is one,
while Genest. another speed marvel,
and Maddox slugger. are others
Refusing to waive has failed to bring
him anything, for the clubs so thwarted
simply notify him that they viii carry
the players through the season rather
than let them go. But business of this
kind cannot always be satisfacto
transacted through the mails. SO Griff is
self.
IN a pinch Griffith feels that he can
struggle along with the outfleld lateral
he has on hand, but he is not near SO
sure about that infield. He realizes that
he is taking long chances and would have
to have a lot Of good breaks to have
a lot of youngsters turn out a strong
infield for him. If there should be dis
appointment there ii would be serious
blow and Griff would like another In
feider to fall back on in the event that
anything happened.
Griffith is not pessimist, but there Is
surely no reason for him to be optimistic
when considering his teams chances.
IT may be whole lot better than he ex-
too promising. But there is one thing
certain. Griffith will eventually improve
conditions here. He is On the job all the
time Hc is not overlooking anything
that has chance to benefit his team. He
GOT in here long after the drafting and
sale period had closed. and he was COM
F-'lled TO take what was left him. Some
~ this may or may not suit. but next year
&c VIII 60 his own selecting, and, of
coITs". that will make quite a difference
PaSe bail is his business and he conducts
'% club affairs along strictly business
nes. he realizes that h. has a task
81 Ills hands 20 make both ends meet
FOR what would have been fair show
Ing few years ago would rot be a .drop
n The 1ucket now. for the reason that up
- last Sear the club really did not have
= tac;-ib!e investment: now there is some
ting like half million dollars to earn
respectable dividend for.
u Griffith proves as good a manager
rs he has a business man since taking
that may happen here in a base ball way
curing The next three years.
II it should happen that the lo:al club
develops one star ball player out of the
entire batch of young players 1t will take
into training the money and time that
was spent in getting this material to-
sether Will have been well spent. In
r.dentally II would make great differ
ence TO the ball team. Say. for instance,
tii.tt a real running maze Tor Milan
should be discovered. or a star pitcher
of the Johnson type. or an inaelder of
ability who can hit. Why. any one Of
such players would make the team much
stronger than it has ever been before.
There is of course. no telling what the
training season will bring forth Ut is
generally realized that but i small per-
sSsntage OF players secured from minor
Iasgues make good in the majors. There
rlaS not be a single player in the batch
the heal club has that will show enough
To better the team and yet there may be
enough good stuff there TO change this
from d loser to a winner.
II Is this state of affairs which has
aroused base ball interest here as il
never has been before, and should the
team get COED start. league park. with
lis greatly increased seating capacity, will
lac flied to oveniowing during the early
weeks of the campaign.
The chances ar. Mat there will not be
a real hold-out in major league bass. ball
this spring. What NV players have not
Yet come Into the Md Will without ex-
ception do so by the time the training
Is in full sway. Playing ball has become
too profitable TO hold out Most players
are getting all they are entitled to and
they know IT, Just at present there are
five of the locals who have not signed.
but none OF them are hold-outs, and every
one of them will be seen at Charlottesville
while the team Is practicing there. Cess
players who have asked for .ncrea SEES
for nothing has been heard from him
Milan and Groom will be satisfied "a vill
flynn and Schaefer AS for MoeIler he
is Just dilatory in sending in his con
tract, Tor he has never reported himself
ar having u kick coming on th.. ,,inount
offered.
hen they talk about great left
handed pitchers said G,irf don't over
look Nap isucker OF Brooklyn. There is
the Sreatest left-han,iel that excl. tossed
ball. None of the others are in his
class ~ my opinion. and If he Mad been
I"rtuhate enough to drop into a winning
team he would be leading all pitchers
tne game ever heard of That is
what think OF Rucker. 1t is worth
The price of admission to see him pitch
he has everything in the way of de-
cFpiive shoots and curves. as there is
nothing in his repertoire that he cannot
seek over the plate whenever he wants
. nIortonately. Rucker has been with a
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