The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-29
GAFFNEY BUYS YOUTH
TOPITCH FOR BRAVES
Dick COttrell Of Baltimore Is
Signed to Contract for
Two Years.
LAJOIE.S CAREER ENDING
Young Ward and Ebbets Hurl
Defies at Each Other Over
Size Of Attendances.
LAJOIE.S CAREER ENDING

James f. Gaffney. president OF the
Boston Nationals, completed deal yes
terday afternoon whereby Pitcher Dick
Cottrell OF tho Baltimore orioles will join
George stallings's hustling Braves i'm
medately Cottrell has signed an iron
clad contract for two years.
with the International League leaders
this season Cottrell has enJoyed marked
success. lie was with the Athletics "A year
ago and won one important game from
the Tigers Toward the latter part of the
season Mack sent him to Jack Dunn.
After closing the deal for Cottrell yes
terday Mr.. Gaffney fastened to Boston
for the fag end of the series against the
Cubs. The recent successes of the
Bhavcs have started tho pennant bee
buzsing In the mind Of the Boston owner.
Boston Is now only nine games behind
the leading Giants, with almost half the
season In prospect The team has won
seventeen out OF It's last twenty games.
a pace that has been approached by no
other team in the Tener circuit
Napoleon Lajoie. the great second base
man ~ tho Cleveland Americans appears
lettering upon the brink OF oblivion 80
far as active service goes The wonder
full Frcnchman has been benched by Man
aver Joe BirminEnan1, which seems to
spell the beginning of the end.
II Is only human for Larry TO fail to
realize that he IL through. Reports from
the West say he is raising ructions about
being sidctrackcd. The old fellow still
carries punch. and no doubt can hang
around Charles Somers's ball lot az long
as he can hohbc But his retention now
Is simply a matter OF sentiment.
Those who saw Cleveland play herc n
few weeks ago realized that the mighty
FrenChman was just about on his last
legs. In spite uf his spavins and sprung
tendons he assumed all his accustomed
grace. hut he couldn't cover u great deal
more ground than that upon which he
stood He was painfully slow on the
paths too. He might still A. in handily
with team away up in the race because
of his fine experience. But for the man
aSer of a taleuder Liable certainly Is no
prospect. His years OF usefulness are
behind him.
The passing Of La'joie has its pathets n
side. Here lie one OF the most wonderful
pl yers of all time, now serving his
eighteenth consecutive season, who never
figured in a worlds series Mighty as
u,srS Wagner the king OF second base
ouH 'lassc windfalls from the
I7 nd Larry has been con-
nected with some wonderful aggrega,tons.
teams which on paper figured to run
away from tho American League field.
but none of them ever lasted to Oc-
tobers finish. No team. with the pos
sibe exception OF New York. has suffered
greater adversity from the uncontrolla-
BILE breaks OF the game.
IaJoie's apparent end Is made more
bitter from the fact that his present
/ manager, Joe Birmingham, served under
| him when the king IN his prime mar
! shalled the Cleveland forces. The poor
showing Of the Forest CITY club this sea
son has awakened resentment in Tho
breast of Larry. He was forced TO re.
sign from the management after &C
/ cnnplishiHN better results than Rirming-
ham has shown Lajoie thinks now that
/ he should have received a better oppor-
tunity to display his ability at leader
ship.
The baseball war In Brooklyn has
reached such an acute stage that tho
. rival champions have begun to hurl chal-
lcnges aud dches against one another
II was reported yesterday that young
| Walter :. Ward, treasurer of tho 1ir
Tops, sent his second TO call upon c. "
Ebbets. The representative carried a
deadly weapon of $4,000, which he OF
fered to pit against kindred foil that the
] Iii. =. =.