Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-22
Manager Griffith Announces
Ultimatum to Pitcher Sc
cured From Richmond.
WANTS TO FINISH STUDIES
BEFORE JOINING NATIONALS
Dixie Walker Is Turned Down
by Minor League Clubs.
Base Bali Gossip.
BY j., ED GRILLO.

Doc AyreS. the young pitcher purchased
from Richmond last fall will either have
TO report TO Manager Griffith within the
next few days or have his name placed
the suspension list. y letter from
Ayres. received by Griffith this morning.
asks permission For Ayres to remain at
his studies until June. promising then to
report in condition. Griffith refuses TO
make any such concession and notified
-Ayres that unless he reported here at
once he would be suspended.
The rules of base ball make il compul-
sorry for the players to report for spring
training at least a month before the sea-
son opens, and any player violating TINS
rule can be suspended. This means that
I've remains the property OF the ciuD
which has a claim on him and cannot
piav anywhere else under organized base
Dati.
Ayres gives promise of making Il good
pitcner. and for this reason Grlmth wants
MIN AT the training camp so that ne
have the benent OF working under
Grifith's Instructions. Ayres Is studying
medicine and his school year does not
close until June. Griffith argues that he
can finish his studies at any time, but
that ne must not allow them 10 inter-
fere with his playing ii he intends to take
UP base ball. Just what Ayres Will de-
eide on when he hears from Grinith re-
mains to De seen.
Failure to take proper care OF himself
threatens To end Dixie Walkers career
III base ball \ year ago Walker was
considered one of the good pitchers on
the Nationals staff He failed To attend
To business, however. and Grifhth sent
Inn To Baltimore. FOR Il While ne made
good there. but soon fell back into his
old habits and was sent to WlIkes-Barre.
wilkes Barre, however, does not want
him and has returned him to Baltimore
and Manage Dunn OF that team is ind
ing IL "a diI1icuIt matter to get ria or MN.
lie has offered HIM to Scranton and sew
eral other MINOR league cluos and has
been turned down. No one seems TO
want DlXIe Ins reputation has .receded
HIM everywhere. and the chances are
mat ne viii have to quit the game or
l,Iay IN SOM. remote league. Walker HAD
a. bright future before nm when ne
yroAc INTO last company. tie had plenty
vi AFFINITY, but did not take the game
seriously, though he could MAKE more
money out of base ball than anything
else ne could work at.
American League players are TO be bar
red from acting as newspaper reporters
in the future. President Ban johnson
has issued an edict against any player
in his league acting in that capacity, SIM
ply because he does not want the public
to be deceived. In nine cases out OF ten
the player under whose name articles ap-
pear never writes d single word. the mat
ter being composed by some experienced
newspaper man and the payer being
paid certain sum for the use of his
name. Not only has the public been de-
ceived in this way, but lot of trouble
has been caused among the players, es-
pecially during the worlds series, be-
cause of the criticism in some of these ar
ticles which would be ignored were ii
not for the fact that they are supposed
To be written by ball players. Johnson
has notified the club owners to prevent
though
how this should be done.
Before Frank Chance came east he
agreed TO the use of his name for Sc
ries of articles. but since the Johnson
edict has been issued he has Cancelled
the agreement. II is not unlikely that
the National League viii follow similar
course.
In the American League flag chase the
coming campaign. That is my opinion
SAYS Ed Bang in the Cleveland News
realize full well that the Nationals fin
ished second last season, but still believe
THAT they will run third in 1913. Why?
Simply because l look for the Red sSox
and Athletics TO outpoint them.
The Nationals got more than their
share of breaks last season and for that
reason landed as runners-up TO the Red
Sox. Had Connie Mack's Athletics put
forth their best efforts in the final two
weeks of the campaign. / think the Mack
men would have nosed out the Nationals
for second place. But Connie was con-
tented to do some experimenting, both to
get a line on his men and TO help the
Fed SoX prepare for the Giants.
Washington boasts of three wonderful
.catchers in Ainsmith. Henry and A. Will
1iams. They are so good that Griffit h
does not plan to take recruit backstop
south with the team. If these three are
in good condition Washington's catching
Will he we'll looked after
Walter Johnson heads the pitching
h. oil IL x.lP
Ills holdover teanmate tWirlers are
Groom. Hughes and Ceshion-three good
bets-Ensel and BOehling. The newcom-
ers are Ayres of Richmond, Va; Gallia,