The Washington herald., 1912-10-04
BY WILLIAM PEET.


But for the fact that Boston scout
fumbled time table and missed connee-
lions the Nationals never would have
signed Morgan.
Owner John /. Taylor himself is re-
sponsible for this statement. During the
last trip of the Nationals in Boston, the
writer and Mr.. Taylor were watching
the clubs practice. Mr.. Taylor remarked:
Il like the looks of young Morgan out
there and think Griff made a mistake
when he bought Laporte. Did you know
that We were only a few hours behind
Washington in putting In bid for Nor
GAM"
Mr. Taylor continued: Il had received
fine reports about Morgan last year, and
as Heinie Wagner's arm had gone back
on him. we were securing the country
for a shortstop. l sent Arthur Cooper
one of my scouts, down to Roanoke. Va,
with instructions to sign Morgan at any
price. Cooper. through -carelessness.
missed an early morning train from
Washington to Roanoke. and when he ar
rived late at night the Roanoke Club had
departed for Lynchburg. Cooper followed
the next day. and when he arrived dis
covered that Washington had grabbed
Morgan that day
Had Boston obtained Morgan he might
be holding down Steve Yerkes' place at
second Ddse NOW ana III llHt d shNe
Of the worlds series coin. The chances
are that he would have been carried
with the club as utility infielder had he
failed to land a permanent berth.
As stated this morning, Walter John
son pitched the opening game for the
Nationals against the New York YAM
KEGS. and won 1t. As the Athletics were
beaten by the Red SoX the Nationals
gained one game on the Mackmen in the
struggle for second place. and a victory
over the White Elephants to-day by Bos-
ton. linked with another Washington win
against the New Workers, will cinch
the title.
Jay Carl Cashion will in all proba bility
he in the points for Griff's team this
afternoon with Bob Groom ready to re-
E,ve him at a moments notice.
St Louis baseball writer's panned and
roasted Frank Laporte until he was
traded off and now they are panning
Stovall for letting him go.
The Nationals won their nineteth game
OF the season by chalking up that to
victory over New York yesterday.
This business of fighting for second
place is too much like scrapping for the
core after the apple has been eaten.
but Griff bet Stuffy McInnis 100 iron men
that the Nationals would show i clean
ILir Of heels to the Athletics and the
boys propose to help Grin collect the
coin. which the Old Fox will certainly
do II he wins IT,
limit had been reached by the newspapers
in the signing of baseball players and
managers to write the worlds series be-
tween the Athletics and the Chicago
Cubs At that time the Chicago newspa-
pers made the signed statements Of base
ball celebrities a regular fad. The Chi
cago Tribune had several players of the
two Chicago teams. a staff of correspond
ents. a couple of stenographers, and even
went to the expense of bringing Fielder
Jones' the former manager of the Chicago
White SoX. all the way from Oregon.
Last year the market for baseball eX-
perts fell OF considerably. This year.
however the New York and Boston news
papers have the fever bad. More base
ball players and managers have been
signed than ever before. and the prices
are said to be higher than in 1910. One
player of the Boston Red SoX is reported
to have signed as a writer at $1,000 for
the series, and Manager McGraw. OF
New York will receive even more for
writing" for syndicate.
II the managers and the players really
told what they knew or actually think.
the prices would not be too high None
of them. though, dares tell any inside
facts during the series; nor would one of
them attempt to criticise a fellow-player.
Mathewson did this last year when Baker
made his home run OFF Marquard. Be
fore the ink was dry on that piece or
writing paper Baker made Mathewson
the laughing stock of the country by Sc
curing a four-bagger of Marquard's
critic and team mate The fate of Ma
thewson will serve as warning to other
players this year.
The demand for writer's among the
stars OF the diamond has been so big
this year that an ordinary interview now
adays is considered to be worth money.
One day last week a New York paper
sent a reporter to see Marquard. The
tions, and RUDE answered them. The
paper printed the interview. The next
day the paper received a bill for 800
from Marquard. Did ''Rube' get the CEN
fury note? Hardly. The paper took
cigar store coupon. put a dollar mark and
100 on 1t and sent it to Marquard with
its compliments.
Saws a humorous writer on a Chicago
The worlds series is an institution for
the enlargement of the ticket scalper's
hank roll
II is played once a year on the ball
field and 7s6, 9i5. 3S. 296 times a year on
street corners, trolley cars, and In thirst
bazaars.
1t decides whether a certain team is
luckier than a certain other team at a
certain time. This is considered of vast
Importance to attaches of the winning
team.
The worlds series always develops E
hero, who becomes the greatest player In
the world and remains so until he asks
for a raise in salary.
II is played in the fall, shortly before
the Presidential election, the latter hav-
ing been postponed by our wise fore
fathers so as not to interfere.
The money accruing from the worlds
series is devoted to charity, the mag
mates laboring under the impression that
charity begins at home.
Comparing the rival players, man for
man, is interesting, says an exchange,
but it doesn't mean anything. Luck plays
a leading role in ball games, and If the
Giants get the jump on the Red Sox in
the first game next Tuesday their conf
dance will be increased twofold. Almost
ey erything depends on the work of the
rival pitchers, but lucky hit or an I'M