Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-19
By j. ED GRILLo.

II the boxing commission Of New York
has the best interests Of the sport at
heart it should put the ban on all box
ers who do not put forth their best efforts
in bouts. There have been ipnumerable
fakes pulled off under the commission,
the latest one being the Attell-Brown al
fair held last night. One would naturally
suppose that the men who are most pen
Gifted by the boxing game, and they are
the boxers, would do everything possible
to keep the game clean. but instead they
are the ones constantly placing It In
jeopardy because of their desire to get
money for doing nothing. Attell has been
identified with many shady bouts. He has
the reputation Of having been under
pull more often than any other champion,
and the time has come when he should
be exposed IL he continues along the lines
he has been operating for several years.
The boxing game can't stand many set
backs. People who patronize the sport
are entitled to their moneys worth. FAX
ing fighters should be driven out of the
game regardless of what their standing
may be. artistically speaking. 1t would
be wiser to give the cleanliness OF the
sport more attention.
Ball players who have proven their
value to a team have a perfect right to
dicker for the best contract possible.
player who takes a stand against cluo
on the salary question should not neces-
sar1ly fall into disfavOr with the patrons
OF the game. 1t Is like every other Dusi-
ness, and the man who does not try 10
better his condition is not apt to do SO;
There is no doubt that there are several
members of the local team dlssat1sned
with the contracts rendered them In one
or two instances their stand Is well taken,
but there are some of the players VINO
are seally not entitled to the increase
they demand, because they have not de-
livered the goods. Grifhths system is TO
pay a player for what he accompliShes,
and this should be satisfactory 10 the
player and incidentally give him an IN
centive to work for. Considering the fact
that ball players are virtually at the
mercy Of their clubs. they are decioediy
we'll treated and there is no sucn tnlng as
being underpaid. but many instances
where a player received more salary tnan
he was really entitled to.
Jimmy Callahan's plan that a fund be
established for the purpose OF caring Tor
old. broken-down ball players who are In
need is a good one and the game would
be popularized If steps were taken to
bring this about. II every major league
played one game q season for the benefit
Of this fund 1t would only be question
Of few years when there would be
money enough on hand to erect some sort
of home for players who are down and
out. The game Is prosperous enough to
lend helping hand to the needy and the
public would be pleased TO see some real
sentiment displayed by the club owners
and players.
There IL a whole lot of satisfaction in
having a hall team on which no one can
have line. It is SO with the ,s Nat, Nationals
this year. On general form IL looks like
a safe prediction that the team will fin
ish as well as it did last season. and yet
1t may do worse. or better. So many
changes are contemplated tn the teams
makeup that no one can possibly have a
line on 1t, where II the OLD players. had
been retained It would be almost fore
gone conclusion that no Improvement
could be looked for As h It u.s. !. interest is
heen heSore. Patrons of the game, while
they DO not expect any . psnnant ssi for the
maEe : better showing than IL ever has
before, ana with . lot Of new faces dis