Evening star., 1913-12-06
DENIES FEDERALS
MADE HIM OFFER
Eddie Foster Amused at Re-
port That Outlaw League
Sought His Services.
GOES INTO LIGHT TRAINING
AT Y. M. C. A. GYMNASIUM
Griffith Adds an Outfelder to His
Staff-0ther Base Ball
Gossip.
BY j. ED GRILLO.

Eddie Foster, the Nationals third base
man. not only denies that he has received
any kind OF Offer from the Federal
League. but he pokes fun at the entire
proposition.
The fellow who picked Engel. Will
hams. Gedeon and me for the Federal
League did not have the best interests of
his organization at heart. said Foster.
"A fine quartet for the Fedcrals We would
make Why it would strengthen Griffith $
team IL the Federais grabbed us. There
Is nothing to the report that / received
an cfTcr from the outlaws
Foster has gone into training He puts
In couple of hours every day at the
y NJ. c. \ gymnasium, and has himself
in splendid condition. Foster is partic-
ularly anxious 10 be in good fettIe next
spring. His illness last spring kept him
from putting up his usual game during
the season and he wants to get back into
his best form. He figures that 10y taking
regular exercise in the gymnasium this
winter he will he in better shape next
spring than he has been in several years.
Paul Smith. an outfielder of the Adrian
Michigan. club. has been obtained by
Manager Griffith and will be given a trial
with the Nationals during their stay at
CndFlOtteSSil!e In March.
Manager StaIlngs of the Boston Braves
has been informed that Joe Connolly his
crack outfielder who broke his leg during
the closing week Of the last season. will
be as we'll as ever next spring and Stall
lings has decided to install him il left
field as 2 regular. Tom Griffith. another
yOungsteT. is to be played in right. while
Larry Gilbert, procured from Milwaukee,
is figured as having "A good chance to
ha E1J
1ings, who brought the team no to fifth
place last season. expects to finish sew
eral notches higher in tho coming cam
palgn lie has built up a much better
ball team than Boston has had in The Ma
tional League for several years.
The best offer made Cincinnati for Jce
Tinker comes from the Philadelphia club.
which Is willing to turn over knabe and
Doolan for Tinker and Grch. BY this deal
the Cincinnati club would retain a strong
iniield. for Doolan is one of the best
shortstops in the league. while knabe has
no equal in the circuit as second base
man. None of the othe~ clubs VIII be
able to offer advantageous a deal. for
there is not one of the others which can
give as good shortstop Doolan in
exchange for Tinker. Furthermore.
knabe would till the bill Of manager.
thus not only keeping a strong inield in
tact. but giving the team d leader who
stands chance TO make good.
The first official discussion of the play
ers' demands il to be held by the Ma
tionai League club owners at their meet
ing next week in New York. IL is the in
tention TO elect John X. Tener. to- the
presidency. after which the players de
Inands will be taken I'D. Each deman nd
Will be discussed at length and a vote
will be called for. President Tener will
be instructed how to vote the aues-
tion member of the national com
mission. Ban Johnson has already re-
ceived such instructions from the Ameri-
can League, while member of the minor
league association will also be present.
IL IS expected that the matter will be dis
posed OF before the first of the year.
Another matter which will come UP at
the meeting will be the consideration of
new drafting plan originated by Charley
Ebbets of Brooklyn. The new schem,
will do away with the lottery system of
obtaining minor league players Ii is a
scheme TO benefit the weak teams of both
major leagues, and stands good chance
of being adopted. The tailenders for in
stance, are TO have the first chance to
select the best available playing talent
without drawing lots. while the two pen
nant winners, already strongly equipped.
will be compelled to take what is left
after fourteen clubs have used the fine
tooth comb.