The Washington herald., 1914-09-29
"A Lie" Says johnson,
Who Denies Fed Rumor
Big Train Squashes All Re-
ports Of Signing with
Outlaws.
OTHER SPORT COMMENT
By WILLIAM PEET.

Seeking probably a lot Of notoriety tn
Federal League press agent got busy cir
cuIating reports that Walter s. Ward
treasurer of the Brooklyn club admittst
having signed for next year a numbe
Of major league stars.
The report stated that Walter johnson
Of the Nationals; Ray Collins. Of the ReC
sox, together with Sherwood Magee anC
Charlie Doom, Of the PhilIIes, were al
ready under contract with the Federals
The writer telegraphed Clarke Grifiti
last night for a denial or confirmation oi
! the rumor and received the following re-
ply:
William Peet. Sporting Editor,
The WashInEtOn Herald.
Detroit, Mich, Sept. 2s-YOur
messaEe came as . big surprise to
me. 1 personally asked Walter
johnson for = reply and he said
that any rePOrt coming from the
Federal League that he had signed
with them was q deliberate lie.
CLARK GRIFFITH,
MEr, Washington Baseball Team.
The foregoing telegram from Grin
should efIectUally squash all rumors that
the Federal League had signed Walter
Johnson.
With the near approaching worlds Sc
ries and the intense interest manifested
on all sides of the work of the Boston
Braves. the Federals have been given
scant notice by the big newspapers OF
the country.
Gilmore's request for admission OF his
league in the worlds series was only a
bit Of cheap newspaper advertising. The
report that Walter Johnson and others
had signed with the so-calld outlaws
looks lick another attempt to keep the
Federal League before the eyes Of the
public.
The Feds have made so many boasts
this season and failed utterly to fulfll
them that the majority of the fans are
wise to this, and nowadays little or no
attention is paid to the current rumors
OF an organization dubbed by many
writers The Ham and Egg Circuit"
The Nationals are hanging tight to
third place by half a game over the De-
troit Tigers. and II this lead is to be
maintained # will mean that the Griffith
ian clan will be forced to win the ma
Jority Of its few remaining games against
the strongest clubs in the league, viz,
Boston and Philadelphia
Starting tomorrow the Athletics will
be met for two games here and the same
number in Philadelphia, but as the White
Elephants have cinched the pennant the
chances are that Mack will lay OF a
number of his regulars for the purpose OF
resting them up for the worlds series.
and consequently Washington should
grab OF the majority of games played.
AS the Boston Red Sox appear to have
a firm hold on second place IL is not at
all unlikely that Carrigan will try out
number OF his young players in the
series which starts in the Hub next
week and again the Nationals stand a
fair chance to maintain third place to
the finish.
The Nationals will reach Washington
this afternoon about o'clock as the
club left Detroit on an early train last
night. Walter johnson is slated to pitch
against the Mackmen here tomorrow.
Carl Cashon, the big pitcher Grin sent
to Montreal. who was forced to quit ow-
ing 10 an injury. reached Washington
last night and will probably work out
with the Nationals tomorrow.
Cashion is still the property of the
Nationals and the big fellow will prob
ably be taken south for the training trip
next spring.