The chronicle=news., 1914-08-27
blCatEt6uE RACE
MARKED BY MANY
PLAYER DEALS

ball season of 1914 already noted as
a period of unusual occurrences in J
the national sport. promises to es-
tablish record for the purchase and
exchange of players in the big
leagues. Omitting entirely any ref
erence to the sensational trades and
purchases which preceded the open
ing of the pennant races the present
season has been an exceptional one in
this respect. With the exception of
the worlds champion Philadelphia
Athletics every club in both the
American and National leagues has
made unusual efforts toward the
strengthening one or more of their
departments by means of exchange or
cash transactions. Not alone have
the minor associations been invaded
for big league clubs have dealt with
each other to an extent greater than
has been the case in other years. :.
In the American League Boston Sc
cured Egan, Shore and Ruth from the
Baltimore club of the International;
Hobitzel from Cincinnati; Vean
Gregg from Cleveland in exchange
for Coubme. r. johnson and Egan. as
well as several minor leaguers and
college players. The Chicago White
Sox have signed or released to date
an even dozen players not including
Hal Chase who jumped to the Buff
falo Federals. The dealing. however.
has been confined to the minor and
college class although Comiskey
holds the present season record in
his purchase OF Fielder Felch from
Milwaukee of the American Associu-
tion at $4,000 cash and two play
ers.
The New York Americans have
purchased, exchanged or released six
teen players since April IA. Some of
the big league material secured In
cludcs Catcher Nunamaker from
Boston Americans, pitcher Carroll
Brown from the Athletics in addi-
tion to Birdie Cree from the Balti-
more Internationals. Cleveland is
another club which has dipped deep
ly into the players mart. Close to
20 players have been bought. sold.
Exchanged or lost by desertion this
season. A majority of these transac-
tions involved minor leagues. the
principal major league deal being
with the Boston Americans whereby
pitcher Vean Gregg went to the Red
Sox in exchange for pitcher Goum-
hes. and Johnson and catcher Ben
Egan.
Aside from the purchase of two
minor league players and the release
OF catcher Gibson the Detroit club
has stood pat to date and the same
may be said of Clarke Griffith's
Washington combination. The capi-
tol club purchased outfielder Mike
Mitchell from the Pittsburs Nation
ais. released pitchers Collier and
Cashion and secured J. e. Blair from
the Martinsburg. w. Va. club. The
St. Louis Browns released two play
ers and purchased one for future de-
livery.
Far more activity in this direction
has been shown In the National
League. The Cincinnati club rec
ord shows that close to 80 players
have figured in one way or another
in club deals or jumped to the Feder-
al League. Claude Derrick was
bought from Baltimore and then
traded to Chicago for first baseman
Hollow'tz. Hobitzel went to the Bos-
ton Americans and Tex Erwin from
Brooklyn to Cincinnati and back
again. Bert Danields. former Yam
kce and part of Jack Dunn's 100000
Baltimore International league assets
found his way to the Cincinnati club
to say nothing Of number of minor
league and college players.
Pittsburg Scouts too, have been
busy and the Pirates have thirteen
deals of one kind or another to their
credit. Aside from the deal with
the Washingtons where Mike Mitch
ell was sold the transaction involved
the purchase or release of players
from or to minor leagues The Phila-
delphia Nationals have ten transac-
tions on record, the principal one be-
ing the trade of Gosh Deyore to
Boston for third baseman John Mar
tin. Boston records show some thir-
teen deals. The major transfers in
Guiding theh sale of George Beck to
the Cleveland Americans; the trad
Ing Of Hub Perdue to st. Louis for
players Whitted and Gather and Josh
Devore's acquisition for John Mar
tin. ~
The Chicago Cubs have eleven
transactions in the record. Elimin-
ating the minor league purchases and
releases the schedule shows that
pitcher Koetsner was sold to Gin
cinnati and first baseman Hollo-
witt traded to the same club for
Claude Derrick. The st. Louis Car
dinals have held fairly steady to the
early season enrolment. Hagcman
was sold to the Chicago Nationals |
and Wh'ted and Gather traded to
Boston for pitcher Perdue The