Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-02
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

CHARLOTTESVILLE Va. March p
Manager Griffith has about given up all
hope of landing Groom. Though the con-
ciliatory efforts of Tom Hughes brought
PLAYER and manager close enough to-
rether to permit several long distance
telephone conversations, Griffith has been
unable to get any satisfactory answer.
Though Griffith is satisfied that the tall
pitcher signed n Federal League contract
he found in his talk over the wire that
Groom would neither affirm or deny this
report Griffith was unable to persuade
Groom 10 appoint meeting place, where
matters could be discussed, so that so far
as Griffith knows the breach between the
two is just as wide now as it has ever
been II am satisfied that Groom has
signed with the Federals.' said Gr1fhth
this morning. II offered him an increase
over last season yet he did not accept,
and. to be candid. can't understand him.
He would neither deny or affirm the story
that he had signed. but his every action
indicates that he has. so unless he makes
further overtures the matter will be
dropped
Tom Hughes. who visited Groom and
with Griffith. has left Bclleville for Los
Angeles. where he is to play the coming
season. Other members of the team, in
GLIDING John Henry. have written and
wired Groom to come into the fold, but
he has failed to reply to any OF them,
which is offered as another indication
that he is tied up with the Federals.
Not wanting to be outdone by the ad-
vertising scheme which the Federai
League proposes to follow in sending its
agents on a special chartered tug to get
to the members of the touring base oail
teams when they come near this side or
the ocean. Griffith proposes to send NICK
Altrock to New York Wednesday to be
the first one to welcome Schaefer and get
him to put his signature to a Washing
ton contract. Nick is to charter Tug
and 20 TO see his teammate before he
gets within sight of land. 1t is figured
that the meeting of Schaefer and Nick at
sea will be n pathetic incident. Grlfnth
wants Schaefer as much as Boston wants
Speaker and the other clubs want their
players who are on the trip, hence he mas
decided to so to the expense of making
Nick his emissary to greet Schaefer
upon his arrival!
If Manager Griffith succeeds in carry
ing out his plan. the Nationals will have
their own permanent training camp here
by next season. Griffith proposes 10
spend about S2-.O0 here this fall in erect
ing suitable house and Il ball field where
the team will train in the future inc
scheme is to house the players here for a
month or so during the training season.
AS systematic diet will be included in the
routine. the club carrying its own chef
and attendants. Griffith has it figured out
that he would save money in this way
and secure better results so Tar as the
nlayers are concerned. During his stay
here this spring Griff will go searching
for suitable site. and it is not unlikely
that some sort of deal for property VIII
be closed and the contracts let for the
construction of the clubhouse ana the
levelinS of the field.
All this talk which has been eInanat.nS
from here about the perfect condltion
of the young pitchers is laughed at by