The Washington times., 1914-09-26
MANAGER GRIFFITH
DENIES NAP TRADE
Old Fox Says Cleveland Has No
Player Needed to Strengthen
the Nationals.
By THOMAS KIRBY.

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Sept. s-Clark
Griffith today denied a story appearing
in an afternoon paper here to the ef-
feet that he has deal with the Cleve-
land club for the exchange of players.
Don't known where the report start
ed, for we have no one to trade, and
besides 1 don't know Of any particular
players on the Maps that We want"
said the manager. They had the same
report flying around among the players
at Chicago, but 1 have made 1t plain
from the outset that We need all the
player from any major club It will be
through purchase"
The sting Of defeat at the hands Of
the trailers Of the league yesterday was
lessened in a manner today by a reali-
cation of the Grinmen that the setback
which Detroit suffered still keeps WASH
inston in third place.
To arouse any enthusiasm in a band
Of ball players in the face Of such an
attendance as has been shown here since
the arrival of the Griff1thian guard Is
almost an impossibility. and even though
the count now favors Washington. the
team has not been playing the ball
since reaching this city that 1t did in
fighting back st. Louis and endeavoring
to stop the Chicago team, Griffith has
yelled his head almost of on the field,
and has sent two of his most depend
able Observation-Disclosures and Altrock-
onto the coaching lines each inning, but
the crowd is SO small and the weather
is so discouraging that there is virtually
no incentive for a team to arouse itself
to the top Of its fighting game. Yester-
day We counted twenty-nine persons in
the bleachers, and when one realizes
after the grounds here, some apprecia-
ton may be formed by the folks at
home of the shrinkage in attendance be-
cause Birmingham team has failed to
derrick itself into more exalted DO
sition.
Jim McAleer, who used to direct the
destinies OF the Nationals in the days
when they we're trailing the whole
parade. instead Of fighting for one Of
game yesterday. McAleer now makes
his headquarters in Youngstown, living
on the income Of the fortune which he
garnered by virtue Of his position as
president Of the Boston Red Sox when
they copped worlds championship.
club a most desirable proposition.
That double Of Cnapman's which
caused the defeat Of Johnny Eentiey
yesterday was a most fortunate and at
the same time unfortunate occurrence.
At the time there were two men on.
One had teat out an fnfeld hit to
Foster and the other had been walked.
There were two out when Bentley tried
to shove one past Chapman. The bat
ter poked out his club and bumped the
ball toward right field. Gandil made
a desperate lunge but he jumped too
soon, and the ball sailed into short
right while two counted and the other
rUnner took second.
In the sixth inning the Maps made
their last run. and this. like the earlier
ones, was attributable in a way to the
wildness Of Bentley. With one gone
Chapman was walked. Wood was hit
by pitcher, and the bases were loaded
when Liebold gave Mcbride a chance
that was impossible to field in time to
get the runner. Lajoie busted one to |
Morgan, which the second baseman
booted, and Chapman scored.