Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-23
BY J. ED GRILLO.

The claim Of President Gilmore OF the
Federal League that his organization has
signed no less than thirty major league
players VIII have to stand the Missouri
test before it will be taken seriously.
Granting that the rank and file of ball
players is not overburdened with intel
lectual giants. it is not to be believed
that there are thirty players SO short
sighted as 20 tie up with an organiZa-
ton such as the Federal League. All
the newcomers have done TO date has
been TO promise great things for the flu
ture 1t is announced that Chicago and
Cleveland will have new parks. though
SO far as known work on these has not
begun.
Modern ball plants are not put up over
night, and there are other statements
made by the outlaws which create the
impression that the most substantial fea-
ture OF their undertaking is closely iden-
titled with wind.
Just as soon as the national commits
sion grants the demands Of the Players
Fraternity next month. and the hig
league clubs start to send out contracts
the bottom will fall out of the Federal
League claims that it has signed a lot
of major league stars.
President Tener is stamping himself as
wise official by the announcement that
he does not propose to make any changes
in his umpire staff Tener knows base
ball we'll enough to realize that it is
next to impossible to rebuild 4 staff in
short time. Besides, Tener- seems to real
lie that the staff which Lynch gathered
about him is one of the best the league
has ever had, and that there is not the
slightest necessity for making any
changes. In Klein and O'Day Tener has
pair OF stars, and there is other COM
petent material on the staff, Al Ortiz
having developed into splendid official.
An inexperienced individual elected to
the presidency might have thought it his
duty to make lot of changes in the UNI
pire, staff, which would have been hard
task, but Tener has adopted the proper
policy of leaving we'll enough alone
AS WAS to be expected, Joe Birmingham
will continue as the manager Of the
Cleveland team. There was never any
doubt as to that, for Birmy has proved
himself the most successful manaeer the
Maps have had in many years
Ball clubs which are constantly chang
Ing managers cannot expect to NIKE much
progress: Notwithstanding the fact that
Ban Johnson declared Rirrninyhan as
being unfit for the position last summer.
the Cleveland club has very wisely shown
the proper appreciation Of Birminghams
handling OF the team and has not con-
sidered any one else for the position.
1t seems an injustice to Frank Chance
to predict great things for his team newt
season. While there is no doubt that he
has improved the New York aggregation
since he took hold last spring, the fact
should not he overlooked tiat he had
little to work on, and that il is
not to be expected that he can b,lild
UP u winner in a single season. No doubt
Chance will have an improved team next
season, but it is foolish to predict a first
division berth for the Yankees. Chance
has the ability eventually to get a win
ner in New York, but the impossible
must not be expected even from SO capa-
BILE a base ball man. These ridiculous
predictions anent the Yankees showing
next season only make Chances path
rougher, for if the fans are given homes
which are not realized their disappoint
ment will be great.
Charley HerZog, the new manager of
the Cincinnati Reds, admits that he has
long ha rbored the ambition to be a man
ager and declares that now that he has
the opportunity he proposes to make :,
success OF il if hard work counts for
anything Herzog, by the way, thinks
pretty well OF the team he will have next
season, though he is not making any pre-
dictions.
81 think We are going 10 have a pretty
fair ball club said Charley, after Il
careful examination of the reserve list
of the club. II am familiar with the
ers and believe that we have an excel