New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-01
Accepts MCGraW'S Offer on
Sight, Leaving Other Clubs
Kicking Their Heels.
WILL ARRIVE HERE TO-DAY
President Lynch of the National
League Says the Indian
Is Free Agent Under
the Rules.

Professionals in ea:neat yesterday. when
NJ accepted the terms Of contract %
play be- seDa. with the Giants next sea-
son. Negotiations. which began late on
THURSDAY afternoon. were carried on by
telegraph. ara when Thorpe's acceptance
came over the wire yesterday morning
DC officially became i1embcr of the New
York club. Ills answer was filed with
the National League yesterday afternoon
and his na:ae was put On the club roster.
The InGau will arrive here this after
noon for conference with McGiaw, and
will then attach his signature 20 the con
tract.
The rumor from Chicago II the effect
that Thorpe was not a free agent. but
was still owned by the Eastern Carolina
League. proved ephenleral as an exami-
nation OF the records showed that the
organization had gone out Of existence.
Thomas ]. Lynch. president of the Ma
tonal League. who also is member OF
the National Commission. stated that the
presidents already established in such
cases as Thorpe's made the player a free
agent, and he saw no reason for any
other decision should the matter happen
TO come up before the commission. AS a
Cincinnati scout was on Thorpe's tran, II
was taken to mean that Garry Hermann.
chairman OF the commission, considered
Thorpe free agent. Consequently. New
York's hold on him is row unassaiable.
The signing of Thorpe seemed TO be
more or less of a whim on McGraU's
part. AS he declared himself, IT was
accomplished between sunset and sun
rise and q few turns at the Old Guard
ball in Madison Square Garden" Some OF
the baseball writer's were in the head
quarters of the club on Thursday after
noon, and the drift of conversation turned
upon the Thorpe case and the activities
of some Of the professional ball clubs In
seeking his services.
When McGraw learned that Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati. the Chicago Cubs and White
Sox not To mention the St Louis Browns
had scouts on the trail Of the Indian, ne
Immediately became interested Although
the representatives Of the different clubs
were right on the ground. the doughty
leader Of the Giants sat down 10 his desk
and penned a brief but evidently most
persuasive telegram to Thorpe, making
~ offer Results followed almost instan-
taneously and when the Little Napo-
Ion opened his desk Yesterday the reply
Of the Indian was there.
did YOU give Thorpe $1,000 as an in
ducement for signing" McGraw was
asked
NO. not $1,000 nor Is cents he re-
piled
"of course, you offered him nat sal
ary?"
Yes"
WAS il $1,000
''Nc. it was not.
WAS 1t 5000
Now, you are getting too close. said
the willy manager and he refused further
10 talk figures.
II have never seen Thorpe" declared
McC;Taw. and can't tell anything about
what position 7 shall use him in until |
hevc looked him over. II nc shows any
hitting ability shall naturally want him
where he can play in every game. There
arc :eyeral places / should like to try
him
Nccrav gavo the impression that NO
did not Il much store by the indian
pitching ability, but fancied him more IS
an outfielder or first basemsn' posi-
ton he PLAYED in the Eastern Cerohha
League. Al llough an Indian battery con-
,istinc Of Thorpe and Meyers would un-
doubfedIy prove to he great drawing
ard. +, is probable that McGraw will
want tn utilize the Indians natural speed
for fielding and base running PROVIDED ne
,s th.re with ~" wallop that VIII earn
IL, pilbn hcavy artillery bril-
gadc.
The general opinion seems to he that
Thorpe will develop into great mt'er'
although the records are not convincing.
When he PLAYED with the Eastern caro-
linn League he hit go for half the season
With Fayetteville and .2SG for the other
half With Rocky Mount.
"you can't tell anything about these
hush league records" declared Charhe
Herzog. who had run up from MaryIai'd
FOR a few days and was on mana "ne"
The announcement in regard 10 lhofpe
was made. II had an aWiul tnne one
,o.r myself hitting 200 in one OF the
email organizations. think turned III
on average OF .2o2. But there's one thins
shou,d like 10 see: That is Chief Mey-
g.. o.ben he reads that Thorpe has
signed" ..
..Uou we've got TO do something u
s,avo of this cuban INVASION, remarked
,,,crar .If worse comes TO worse we
a., sst tho Indians loose with the tonld-
hawks. -
HEREOF. by the way. is spending the
,yin,er ON his farm. lie announced that
~, had given up raising cantaloupes par'-
l.. b,cause he disliked the sobriquet can
,a,o,,ne King and partly because the
-, Ala NOT paw very we'll last season.
tIe is now going in for strawberries ana
oxn.cts 10 cultivate thirty acres TINS
caring. From no'v on he is the straw
- su,,an" or strawberry Shah. ac-
cording to taste.
remes f.. Sullivan. secretary or the
Amateur Athletic Union, announced last
r,rn+ that ne had received the challenge
,ronbies won by Thorpe at the olympic
somes last July. and would send them
from his Office at No. 2l Warren street
"a t,r,st,an Hellstrom. secretary OF the
cnsd,sh Olympic committee. through
r.~vies Turner Co, Via the American
INC steamer Kew York. which sails to-
cay
Nr .nl;gah said also that the all