Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-20
GR|FF'S CAST-0FFS
Majority of Nationals Have
Had the Can Tied to Them.
EVEN JOHNSON A DISCARD
Foxy Manager Was Fired by Arson
and Has Been Shifted as
Leader.
BY ERNEST LANIGAN.

BY ERNEST LANIGAN.
Sl1les and miles of copy have been
| turned out this year about the Wash
ington club but one patent fact re-
garding the Nationals hasn't been
given publfclty-to wit. that most of
grill gladfators are cast-offs. Take
the leader OF the Washingtonians first
and try to remember how many times
ne has been canned by big lea que
teams that he has served as manager
Or private. 1t is matter of historical
record that the Old Fox was presented
| with his freedom a couple of times
tWenty-one years ago one Of the men
who turned him loose being Charley
Comiskey. then managing the st. Louis
Browns. and another Arthur Ambitious
Irwin, at that time bossing the Boston
Reds. Later Arson fired Griff, and one
does not have to go very far back to
recall the dismissal of Washington's
present leader by such astute mag
mates as Frank Jonah Farrell and Au-
gust Hip-Hurrah Hermann So much
for the boss Of the Nationals
Let us now turn our attention to the
members Of the pitching staff Walter
SohASOaA, LII IiiC CStiiidLiOI VI iIldIS tut
| niftiest pitcher in the world, even niftier
than Christy Mathewson. was either fired
by the Tacoma club some six years back,
or was denied a trial, 1 forget which. His
head hasn't been in danger since.
Tom Hughes has felt the ak more than
once. The first time his head lay on the
executiOner's block was In 1902. Then
Long Tom was one OF John McGraw' s
flock OF Orioles. He had the misfortune
to throw his arm out in a game with the
Maps. and as the Baltimore treasury was
not full to overlooking. Tom was unkindly
presented with his freedom. Fortunately
for him. Jimmy Collins came along and
signed him UP. taking a gamblers chance
on Hughes whip ever coming round again
Hughes was worth about nickel and a
quarter to the Plymouth Rocks in 1902.
but in 1908 his value to the team Collins
bossed was tremendous.
From Boston Hughes moved on to New
York. where he didn't make the greatest
Calvin Griffith. The Old Fox showed him
along to Washington at the earliest pos
sible moment, getting AL Orth in eX-
change. Tom, to my knowledge. jumped
the Senators a couple of times. once while
Jake Stahl was bossing them and once
while Joe CantillOn was in command. A
trip to the American Association was pre-
scrfbed for Hughes in midsummer of 1868
and he fingered in the Chivington organ
ization for year and a half burning 1t
UP.
Bobby Groom Of Belleville. ILL.,. never
has been discarded by major league
team, but several times Washington asked
for waivers on him, and once McAleer was
on the point of letting Rochester have
the tall twirler.
John Patrick Henry, Eddie Ainsmith
and Alva Williams have stuck in the big
show ever since entering it, but there
were many times last year, when John
Patrick was trying to play first base, that
the fans of the Capital City would have
been overjoyed to read in the public
prints that the Amherst graduate had
been sent to some minor league club for
seasoning.
Each and every member of the Wash
ington fnfield has been the recipient of the
Tin Ware Degree Arnold Gandils style
Of first base play didn't suit Charley CO.
miskey and Hugh Duffy. and Chick was
railroaded to Montreal, Edward Barrow
being the Individual who made the deal
that sent him thither.
Ray Morgan was signed up by Jack
Dunn OF Baltimore in the spring of 1911.
and while he may have played in some of
the Birdlets' exhibition games. he certain
~ didn't pastime IN any Eastern League
championship events. being allowed to go
to Virginia League club without trial.
Eddie Foster broke into the American
in 1910 and it wasn't long before he was
back In the Eastern League. George Stall
lings insisting that the midget was a
wonderful athlete and Arthur Irwin say
ing he wasn't.
George Mcbride has been used to being
told to beat 1t by big league clubs. Did st
know that Mac was an American Lacquer
as far back as 1901? Such is the case.
He played short for Milwaukee in three
games and all his batting average Of .106
earned for him a release. Hugh
Duffy recommending said release. Later,
If my memory isn't at fault, Mcbride
failed to please Fred Clarne in Pitts
burgh. and some one Of Stanley Robi-
sons numerous managers in ST. Louis
The only member of the Washington
outfield turned adrift by a big league
team Is Dan Moeller, though Clyde Milan
was in danger Of being banished to the
minors once or twice when Joe Cantillon
was handling or matchmaking the Sena-
tors Dan was Pirate in 1908 and Fred
Clarke used him only occasionally for
pinch hitting and pinch running purposes,
soon letting him return to the minors.
AS for those demon coachers-Messrs.
dSchaefer and Altrock-the iron ball has
been tied to them more than once.
Schaefer's first major league experience
was gained under Frank Salee in Chi
cago and wasn't Of long duration. AS for
Altrock, it is moral certainty that
Louisville fired him as far back as 1899,
that he couldn't hold his job with the
Boston Americans three years later and
that since then both Chicago and Wash
ingtOn passed him up.
Griff l see, says that occasionally he
may use Handsome Nick as a pinch hit
ter. which recalls story of Altrock's
Louisville days. The Colonies were play
ing in New York and twice Nick essayed
to pitch against the Giants, doing fairly
good work. but being yanked each time
SO that some sturdier sticker could bat
for him. Said stickers-I think they were
Charley Dexter and Tommy Leach-came
through each time with noble three-baR
blows and Altrock was overjoyed, assum-
ing that the triples went into his batting
record, which consisted up to that time
of an unbroken row of cphers When
Nick learned to the contrary he was
heartbroken.
If Griff should win the American League
flag with his collection of discards he
wouldn't be the first manager in the ju-
ME Mack accomplished this in 1902. This
was the Tall Tacticians team:
Catchers-Schreck. fired by Louisville,
Cleveland, ST. Louis and Boston; Powers,
released by Louisville and Washington.
Pitchers-Husting, fired by Pittsburgh
and Boston; Waddell, fired by Louisville,
Pittsburgh and Chicago; Mitchell. fired
by Boston; Wiltse. fired by Pittsburgh
Infielders-Davis. fired by New York,
Pittsburgh. Washington and Louisville;
Murphy, fired by New York; Lave Cross,
fired by Philadelphia: Monte Cross, fired
by Baltimore.
Fultz fred by Philadelphia; Seybold.
fired by Cincinnati.