The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-02-04
Chicago Pitcher Willing TO Wait
for Conference With COmis-
key and Callahan
DAVY JONES LIKELY TO
SIGN WITH PITTSBURGH
Has Federal League Contract
That Suits If He Can Get
Satisfactory Guarantee
BY RALpH L. YoNKER .

BY RALPH L. YoNKER.
Eddie Cicotte, one OF The leading
pitchers OF the American league last
season, will leave Detroit and go 10
the White Sox training camp at Paso
Robes, Cal, on the 18th OF this month
without signing his contract
Cicotte has been termed holdout
because he refused to put his sigma
ture To his contract as sent him by
Secretary Gardiner or the Chicago
club.
Gardiner refused 10 take upon him
self the responsibility OF signing CT
cote to the kind OF contract he
wanted, so Eddie will wait until Co
! 1uiskey and Callahan get back from
their worlds tour before he makes the
final deal. That he has no doubt but
that he will be able TO come TO terms
Is indicated by his willingness 70 take
the spring training trip.
Comiskey and Callahan viii be
home with the tourists along about
March 7.
Davey Jones, former Tiger last year
an outhelder with the Toledo club
In the American association. today
sent his contract back TO the Pitts
burgh club OF the new Federal league
with request for certain changes, In
Guiding guarantee, which he Will
sign II the request is granted.
Jones was one OF the men inter
Viewed here recently by Doc" Cess
Ter. former Washington player and
present manager OF the Pittsburgh
Federal outfit. Gessler paid Detroit
flying visit some time ago, his prin-
cipal object being To sign up Memo
Leibold OF the Cleveland Maps and
Fred Banding, OF the same club He
succeeded in getting Banding to hold
off. but had no luck with Leibold.
Jones announced some time ago
that he was not satisfied with the
contract sent him by the Toledo club
and he held out for better terms.
Davey is the class OF player to
whom the Feds can make the strong
est appeal and from whom they can
derive the greatest benefit. Jones
major league days are over. but he
still has lot OF good minor league
baseball in him as long as his legs
hold out and keep him speedy.
The Federal league picked out fine
time 10 start their war against the
major leagues and IL they don't sue
coed in putting across their project
this coming season they won't be able
10 do Ii for many years TO come.
Conditions could hardly have been
more favorable for them. The de-
mands OF the Baseball fraternity and
the order OF President Dave Fultz thas
the players should refrain from sign
ing contracts until they received per
mission from MIN was a great aid 10
the new league.
Had IL not been for the fraternity
doubtless the major league magnates
would have been busy signing their
men before the old year ended instead
OF waiting until the middle or January.
( 1t Is true that tue majors signed their
men no later this season than usual,
but at the same time It IL equally true
that they would undoubtedly have
signed them d great deal earlier II
they had had the chance.
The major league owners admit that
they were unprepared for the present
war. OF course they have a war fund
that they can draw on IL the skirmisn
proves 10 be serious and all that. but
they had not fortified themselves az
well as they might have If they had
had any idea that trouble was coming
so soon.
The general opinion among owners
is that the new league cannot possibly
succeed They believe that its sue
cess In getting publicity Is due 70 the
fact that the newspapers are willing 10
write about fits doings merely because
there is always a dearth OF live news
at this time OF the year and that when
spring training begins the Federals
will sink into obscurity. That may be,
but IL they actually send teams 20 the
south and make II easy for the papers
TO secure news FROM their spring
camps. the owners may have another
surprise coming
Baseball players believe, or profess
10 believe, that tire rruw fr'sfrTits= IT
succeed Those who are signing up
with Il certainly believe In its future.
Others, while rot Wishing to be quot
ed as long as they are In organized
ball. think that the newcomers can
stick IL out
but they believe, on the other hand.
that after the new league has remain
ed for a few years II will unite with
the National and American league and
that there viii be three big organiza-
tions. Then, they say, the prices paid
K to players Will take "A slump again
Just as they are taking leap upward
now. Under these circumstances the
men are getting all they can while the
getting is good
Whether the new league really
wants To break the reserve clause
even though they are disregarding II
IL a question. 1t IS undoubtedly tbs
backbone OF baseball To break II
means that another similar agreement
would have 20 be entered into I'm order
that the game might continue TO Ot
prosperous. III Will affect the minol
Z leagues more than IL will the majors
a. far as the till IL concerned, for nc
major league owns twill pay any fame,
prices for minor leaguers unless be Is
sure OF his property.
M On the other hand, there seems e
ne no chance for the new league Q,
net players unless II does break that
reserve clause.
w gusas~r s<enrhs took another lickius