El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-07
ORGANIZED BALL
HOLDS ITS LEAD
Scores Strongly in Signing
UpReturning World Tour
lists; Federals Lose.

New York, March 7.-Organized base
ball scored heavily in the struggle
with the Federal league for the ser
vices of the players who completed
their round the world tour early Fri
day.
The Boston Americans signed
iris Speaker for two years; the De-
troit Americans closed a contract with
Sam Crawford and the St Louis Amer
leans kept pitcher Leverenz in line
with considerable raise in salary.
Although the Federal league mag
mates were in conference with all these
players, they were unable to procure
their services and the best they could
do with Mike Doolan, of the PhiladeI-
phia Nationals and Dick Egan, OF
Brooklyn, was to obtain n promise to
consider the proposition made by the
new organization.
Steve" Evans and Lee Magee, of the
st. Louis Nationals. also were re-
ported to be comparing the offers OF
the two forces.
Dry of Contract Flashing.
1t was a day of propositions, counter
propositions, conferences and contract
flashing, but by midnight the organ
lied force was still holding the lead
which it had gained when several of
its magnates boarded the steamer
Lusitania down the bay when the Fed
eral leaguers were forced to wait for
several hours at their pier before they
could communicate with those among
the returning players they desired to
sign. Their consolation. if it mi ght be
so termed, was the knowledge that
they had forced the magnates of the
two major leagues to pay those play
ers who signed, salaries which sur
passed their most exalted anticipa-
tiOns.
Speaker Draws Prize Plum.
The climax Of the day in the realm
of high finance came when president
Joseph Lannen. of the Boston Ameri-
can league club, announced that he had
obtained the signature of OuUfieider
Iris Speaker to a two years contract
at a salary larger than heretofore
paid a player" in the ranks. In addi-
ton he said that he had given Speaker
a bonus for signing. 1t was reported
the amount was to be $4,000 per year.
The National league as a whole was
not as successful in settling up the
Chicago Boston club deal for the ser
vices Of Johnny Evers or in finding
a new owner for the Chicago club.
After two lengthy sessions the board
of directors announced that the final
settlement of the Evers trade had been
left to president John K. Tener. The
National league executive in a state
ment said;
No Decision Reached.
"I don't expect to reach a final de-
cision in the question for week or
ten days. AS the matter stands now
Evers. Sweeney and Purdue are all the
property OF the Boston club, but an
equitable and satisfactory arrangement
will be made for the adjustment of the
final transfer of property rights
Charles ?. Taft, the owner Of the
majority of the Chicago club, was
present at the meeting but would not
say what had been accomplished to-
r6 sal n h
Tener said that no arrangement had
been made for the sale Of the club, but
intimated that Mr. Taft was consider
ing several offers.
It was persistently rUmored during
the day that the Chicago club would
be purchased by John T. COnnery, OF
Chicago. who came east with the
party of Chicago fans to welcome the
returning White Sox and Giants. Late
at night Mr.. Connery denied that he
intended to buy a controlling interest
in the club, either for himself or
Chicago syndicate.