Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-30
Something Big In Base Ball
Way Soon to Break A.
fecting the Athletics.
FIELDER JONES Is SAID
TO HAVE FEDS GUESSING
Report Has Him Negotiating to
Manage Club in Organized
Base Ball.

Something big in base ball way is
predicted to break in Philadelphia
shortly, according to William Weart
of the Evening Telegram. who tips
the fans to expect shock. but de-
clines to intimate its nature.
This is what Weart says:
Unless at least one more big base
ball story develops here during the
next few weeks the writer Is going
to miss his guess. There Is too much
secrecy being thrown around the af-
fairs OF the Athletics for something
not to be in the wind. What that
something is will doubtless continue
to remain a well guarded secret I'M
til the officials Of the club decide to
make the announcement. There have
been yelled hints, however, that the
walls Of Connie Mack's Office could
unfold some tales of great interest to
the fans II they could only talk.
There isn't any good guessing as to
what the probable sensation will be.
There already has been enough wild
speculation in that line. Already Dame
Rumor has taken nearly every player
from Mack. Already Thomas and Col
Inns have been sent to New York to
manage the Highlanders. Plank. Ben
der and Coombs. as is already known.
have been put on the waiver list. Three
or four players have been traded to
Cleveland for Pitcher Willie Mitchell,
Oldring has been traded. So many
players have been mentioned that, as
Manager Mack remarked the other day,
IF the reporters and fans keep on
guessing they are certain to hit off
something right"
1t is customary wherever there Is so
much smoke for there to be some fire
Therefore. it is natural to suspect that
all Of these rumors are going to lead
to something. And the more the Sc
crecy the bigger that something is
likely to be. For the present, though,
the fans will have to be patient-and
keep on guessing
According to President Ed Barrow,
the International League is very likely
to adopt the single umpire system next
season. A local umpire writing for a
position on his STAFF was informed this
morning by Barrow that the chances
are that he would carry but five UNI
pires.
When the st. Louis Feds signed Field
er Jones as manager in place of Nor
decai Brown last summer they agreed
to pay him salary of $4,000 year
and also made him the recipient of
club. Why? It Is said that before
Jones signed this contract he assured
the Federal League people that he
could exercise enough influence to in
duce several minor leagues to break
away from organized base ball, also
that he would have no trouble in OBJ
tanning half a dozen major league stars,
says Joe Villa in the Evening Sun.
Jones had been president of the
Northwestern League, which, he de-
clared. would respond to his invitation
to leave the fold. But when this cir
cult Joined the other minor leagues at
the Omaha meeting in swearing eternal
allegiance to organized base ball the
Feds began to wonder whether Jones
had been blufing. Subsequently Jones
failed to sign Walter johnson for the
st. Louis Feds. while First Baseman
Borton after a talk with Jones decided
to cast his lot with the Venice club of
the Pacific Coast League next year.
Jones also failed in his attempt to cor
raj other prominent players, with the
result that he has done nothing to
strengthen his team.
Meanwhile the Feds have heard a
story to the effect that Jones is pre-
pared to accept the management Of a
major league team in organized base
ball. Jones is said to have received an
offer to leave the st. Louis Feds in view
of his assertion that he isn't actually
under contract to them. Jones' friends
doing some effective missionary work
in his behalf, and they have informed
him that if he will agree to leave the
Mound city he will be substantially
taken care Of"
Jones is among the candidates named
for the management of the Yankees,
although President Farrell declares
that he never has considered him. He
is said to have appealed to C. A. Co
miskey. owner of the White Sox. to find
berth for him in the American
League. If Comiskey has decided to
let James ]. Callahan out of the leader
ship of the White Sox. Jones' friends
say he will accept proposition from
championship just before he retired
from the game.
In order to keep Jones in their ranks,
however, the Feds may decide to trans
fer him to Brooklyn. The Wards have
released Bill Bradley and have not yet
decided to appoint Lee Magee to fill his
place. For that reason it Is believed that
Jones soon will hear from the Wards.
| If they haven't already asked him to
talk business with them. Under the
existing circumstances. therefore, Jones
appears to be puzzling the Feds not
little. at the same time being anxious
to play both ends against the middle.