The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-01-15
Player Claimed by Tigers May
BE a Bugaboo to Craw-
ford in Spring
THIRD LEAGUE MAKES
DEFINITE MOVE HERE
Organizer From Chicago Is on
the Ground Working Up
Interest
BY RALPH L. YONKER.
DOME Bush had his Oscar Witt; will

Donie Bush had his Oscar Witt; vii
sam Crawford have his Stanley?
Last year DOME and the Tigers
BOSS, Frank Navin, had some differ
ence OF opinion as TO the contract
Ghich Bush should sign. So Bush
steadfastly refused TO 20 south but
stayed at his home in Indianapolis
While the team was at Monroe.
But on the trip home, young Oscar
Witt, who was playing shortstop IN
place OF the implacable Bush, began
hitting the ball at clip that read
about 500 for an average.
The box scores with Witt getting
three and four hits out OF four and
1--we times at bat, filtered into the
north and no doubt some of them got
inru the hands of Bush at In.
Gienapolis.
However that may be, when the
Tigers were ready to begin their
American league season. BuGh was on
hand, willing to take up the duties oi
Is position.
This year Sam Crawford promises
10 be one of the longest-winded hold
outs of the season He is in New Or
leans now, having left Detroit with
dut seeing Navin after a long confer
tnce he had with him. during which
The two men failed to agree as TO
2lary.
Navin has named the salary he Is
willing to pay Sam and tells him 10
,take II or leave IL. Sam is strong for
eaving It.
In the meantime Navin has invest.
Cd 1880 In Shanley. a shortstop
,yhom the St Louis Browns were try
sag to get rid OF. The man is short
top. If st. Louis didn't want him
,xhy should the Tigers?
Well--he hit well with Burlington
in the Western Association and his
iriende say they are willing to Dach
him in a foot race with Cobb. These
may be the reasons he has been pick
Cd up.
Also. he Is six feet one inch IL
height and he can be used to excel
lent advantage at first base II the out
aeld doesn't suii.
There may be reason In these
facts, too
Ii would be no more than natural
that Sam shopld ask waivers upon hii
determination TO stay out II he secs
handle the first corner.
II is extremely doubtful that q
youngster could be found who could
erye the purpose at first. however
Cor first basemen, even in the big
leagues, are generally made BY ex
nerience and not born out OF mino!
league shortstops.
The new league persists In break
.ng into Detroit every winter.
The latest move on the part OF the
.hird leaguers is to call meeting
at the Pontchartrain for this after
coon, when a permanent organiZatlcn
Il expected to be formed.
b. r. Gilmore. a member OF the
Equitable Securities Co, OF Chicago
and st. Louis. has been In the city
for several days promoting the Ia
terests OF the new league. He inform
ed the writer that he had Is sub
. stantial business men and 100000 al
ready interested In the prpiect.
The league is to be represented In
Chicago, Milwaukee, Kansas City, In
dlanapolIs. Cleveland, Pittsburgh and
st. Louis. according to the promoter
and Is a sort of outgrowth from the
/, United States and Columbian. leagues
II is not the purpose OF the league
TO buck the oil leagues but to pick
up ball players from the sandlots anc
cater to that overflow of enthusiasm
that there seems to be In every one
Of the cities mentioned.
Mr.. Gilmore was unwilling TO name
The men who have been made temper
airy offers OF the new organization
He said that the Detroit club pro
posed to use Mack park, which Il
owned by John Roesink.