The Washington herald., 1913-12-06

the Players Fraternity.
The foregoing is an excerpt from a let
ter received yesterday, penned by John
Henry, the Nationals catcher, to the
sporting editor of this newspaper.
Henry takes exception to an article
published in these columns recently to
the effect that he had asked the mem
bers Of the Washington club not to sign
1914 contracts until they had heard from
him, and wants to be put right before
the eyes of Capital fans.
The catcher goes on to say in his letter:
THE matter of not signing contracts for
1914 comes from the Baseball Players
Fraternity as an organization, not from
me personally. Players who have signed
pledges have simply been reminded of
their pledge and have not been ordered
by me not TO sign.
1T is hardly fair to the Washington
public that you should intimate that 1
am trying to run matters and cause any
trouble"
Then follows HsAFy's statement about
the Old Fox. and he adds: u have the
highest esteem for Grin. We have never
had any trouble, and never will, hope.
Henry's letter was really unnecessary,
for the writer did not intend TO convey
the impression that the catcher had at
tempted in any way to stir up trouble by
asking members OF the Washington club
to withhold from signing 1914 contracts
until officially notified that the fraternity
had come to some sort of an understand
ing with the National Commission.
What John Henry says about Griffith
is all true, and he echoes the sentiments
OF every member OF the local club.
There will be no trouble about signing
the Nationals for next season. Griff has
never had any hold-outs since he took
hold here. and never will.
1t Is reported that President Ban John
sen, of the American League, has added
two more umpires to his stan. These men
are Held, of the Pacific Coast League.
and Ollie Chill, of the American AssOcia-
ton.
Some one must go If both of these UNI
pires get berths. and Charley Ferguson,
who had considerable trouble with the
players last season. is said to be the man
marked TO have his name cut on the
Americans list.
II Held is really engaged he will be
quite an oddity. 1t is declared that Held
wears "side-burns." II that is the case
Ban Johnson's first suggestion to Held
is likely to be that he should have his
face shaved.
Says Secretary w. G. Weart, of the
Baseball Writer'S Association, in the
Philadelphia Telegraph:
Prom present indications there will be
more exhibition contests between major
league teams next spring than ever be
fore The Phillies. who were the first
club to announce their full playing sched-
ule for next spring. will meet three Amer
lean League clubs. These are Washing
ton, at Washington. and the Athletics and
New York Highlanders in this city.
Connie Mack's worlds champions will
play the Phillies here and two games
with the Dodgers at Brooklyn
Brooklyn has dates arranged with
Washington, the New York Highlanders.
and the Athletics, and is figuring on
playing some games with Cleveland in the
South. Detroit will play series with
Cincinnati Cleveland will play Cincinnati
and Brooklyn.
THE two St Louis teams will also play
a series in the Mound City.
''Interleague contests have been proving
more popular with the magnates and
managers every year. They serve to draw
out the fans and help to pay for the
training trip TO the South. Indeed, one
game at Brooklyn last spring paid the
entire cost of the Highlanders' trip to
Bermuda There were two extraordinary
reasons for this, however. One was that
the game marked the opening of Ebbets
Field, and the other that it was the first
at a park in Greater New
York of Frank Chance as manager OF the
Highlanders."