Evening star., 1914-12-22

The return to his club by johnson Is,
of course, hard blow to the Feds.
| who, by signing him, expected to nave
| A great attraction for the WeeShman
| grounds in Chicago and in other cities
of the circuit. Court proceedings are
| not apt to change the situation. john
| son undoubtedly was violating a valid
contract when he jumped to the Feds
| and in returning to the fold he was
! merely living up to his agreement,
hence any contract he may have signed
with the Feds would not be in exist
| ence in the eyes of the law.
The Federal League has changed its
| mind about pooling its star players and
distributing them among the eight
clubs. Some one connected WITH the or
ganization was far-siShted enough 10
realize that such a move would be 4
detriment to the league, because to
switch players about in order to make
the teams of near equal strength as
POSSIBLE would SAVIOR much of syndi
cate ball, which organized base ball
! no distribution of the star players.
| That is, it will not be done openly, but
no doubt some of these players will be
sold" to rival clubs which are in need
of help.
1t has been one of the unwrftten
laws of base ball that every club stand
on its own resources so far as playing
| material is concerned. There have been
few instances in the history of tre
game where one club has Intentionally
helped rival by handing it a lot of
! good ball players. Back in the old DAYS
| it was possible to buy ball players
| from other major league clubs. The
Wagners, who controlled the club here
years ago, made a practice of this, but
! in recent years capable player has
been considered too valuable to be
| sold. Eddie Collins furnishing the only
| incident of the kind that has trans
pired in many years.
President Ward of the Brookfeds is
out with statement that he does not
| propose to turn Rube Marquard back
| to the New York club unless he is
! shown that the player really belongs
| to the Giants.
i The New York club, on the other
hand, is not going to take any action
| in the matter. but if the Wards insist
| on retaining Marquard suit will be
brought against both player and club
| There is no doubt that Marquard has
signed a threeyear contract with the
| Giants, and there is no way that that
contract can be broken.
| The city council of st. Louis passed
a bill the other day which may prove
staggering blow to the Federal
League club of that city. The measure
| Is known as the parkway BILL which
| provides for the widening of Grand
avenue along the west front of Fed
eral League Park: A strip of seventy
feet in width will be taken off of the
Federal League grounds. and this Will
cut through the grandstand and pa
villon as they are at present located.
Blocking any plan of shifting the in
| field and stands to the eastward are
row Of houses both on Laclede avenue
and Market street. Before a vacant
| plat large enough to contain major
league park can be obtained at least
six houses will have to be purchased
and razed
Coming after a most disastrous sea-
| son, the owners of the club have re-
ceived shock. though they hope 20
| stall off the improvement for year
or so.
1t is to be hoped that the sale OF the
Yankees will be consumnat. some
| time shortly. not only to put an emo
to the numerous reports anent TINS
transaction. but also because 1t VIII be
a good thing for the American League