The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-23
FRANK SMITH MAY BIZ
WITH TIP TOPS SOON
Bradley Thinks Aged Pitcher.
Once of White Sox, Could
Do Relief Service.
is D1CKERING wITK KNABE
Organized Ball Has No Claim
on Houck and Doesn't Care
johnson Case to Fore.

Manager Bill Bradley OF the BROOKLYN
Federal League club was confined ,o Mt,
bed yesterday afternoon from an ATTACK,
OF la grippe. Bradley returned Thursday
night from Baltimore after securing ,hs
services of Pitcher Byron Houck, late OF
the Athletics
While at the home OF the Terrapn,
Bradley entered into negotiations vi.b
Otto Knabe for Pitchers Frank smith and
Allen, who tried In vain to get back with
the Montreal International League club
after auarrelling with the Baltimore man
agement Business Manager John NJ
Ward said yesterday that he expects 10
have clear title to Smith within a day
or two. This old timer was once the
iron man OF the Chicago White Sox
Knabe says he is through with Smith. He
charges him with being an migrate.
Manager Bradley believes that Smith
will be of great value to our club" said
John NJ Ward THE veteran has not
the stamina he once possessed, but there
are few pitchers In the game better than
he for few innings. He will be able to
save many a game.
II believe the presence Of a man like
Smith will put confidence into the colt
pitchers, who will know then that capabls
relief may be expected"
attention
to the desertion from it's ranks of Pitcher ,
Byron Houck. He Is not a contract
jumper. His case is exactly the same "a
that OF Danny Murphy. Connie Mack
didn't sell Houck to the Orioles, because
under baseball law he couldn't unless the
player was willing to report to Dunn This
rule was passed at a recent meeting Of
the National Commission. Mack will have
to stand whatever loss Is entailed in
Houck's desertion.
Tho International League has sbso.
lutely no claim on Houck" said Presi.
dent Barrow. yesterday. .'If Houck had
come to terms with Dunn that would
have been different matter. Mack
didn't wish to retain him. He couldn't
turn him back to a minor league with
out the players consent. SO that as far
as can see Houck was practically re-
leased outright by the Athletics"
At present organized baseball is cen.
trinS all activity upon the Chief johnson
case. This involves the full question OF
mutual obligations in the new form ~
baseball contract. a victory for the Ma
tional Commission might open the way
to wholesale action against al deserters
All other interests stand secondary to
the controversy involved In the johnson
case. SO much so that the suits by GAN.
ney and Baker against Federal League
promoters have been allowed to drift.
over. indefinitely.
President James Il. Gaffney of the Bos-
ton Nationals declares there is no truth
whatever in any proposed deal between
the Braves and the Giants that might
land Pitcher Hub Perdue' in New York.
Where such story originated I can
not guess" said Mr.. Gsaney last night.
George Stallings considers Perdue one
OF the very best pitchers In the league
and the question of trading him never
has entered the managers mind. As presi.
dent of the club / can say that Boston
Is looking for good players. not looking
to give them away or trade them. Per
due never has been on the bargain coun-
ter. Pitchers OF his calibre are too rare
to be replaced at random
Grover Land, the beefy catcher of the
Tip Tops, would be far more valuable II
he could run fast the average back
stop. His extreme slowness was we'll n.
Illustrated in the fifth inning OF yester-
days game. He started this inning with
a hit, but was thrown out at third on
what would have been a clean double 10
left by Houck II Land had not been
caught Tho cleanest kind OF fielding
could not have headed Houck at second,