Evening star., 1914-11-24
JOHNSON WANTED
100000 SALARY
Demanded Entire Amount Be
Deposited in Bank to
His Credit.
FEDERAL PROMOTERS
STUNNED BY PROPOSITION
Local Officials Satisfied Star Pitcher
Would Not Jump Unless
He Got Fortune.
BY J. ED GRILLO. .

President Gilmore's announcement
that the Federal League had dropped
all negotiations with Walter Johnson
was not surprising news to Manager
Griffith, who has contended from the
outset that Johnson would not join the
Federals unless they guaranteed him
a fortune.
The story from Chicago came from
The Stars correspondent. George fice
/ of the Journal, q reliable source, who
is in touch with every angle of base
ball in the Windy city, and has had
many years of experience. None OF
The. Washington club officials has had
any word from Johnson for weeks. but
it is believed that il due time che Will
be heard from and signify his willing
ness to sign with the Nationals.
Judged from a statement made by
Fielder, Jones, who carried on negotia-
tions with johnson some time ago, the
big pitcher demanded a five-year con-
tract calling for $4,000 per season,
and SO framed that the money was as
sured Johnson regardless of what
might happen. He demanded that the
entire amount of the contract be
placed in bank, subject to his order
from time to time. Jones and the other
Federal Leaguers We're stunned by this
proposition, and after several confer
ences with Gilmore and other Fed Of
ficials it was announced that 10 further
effort would be made to sign johnson.
Johnson wants to remain with the
Washington club and only in the event
of the Feds guaranteeing him 100000
would he have taken the jump. He
intimated to his friends last season
that if he went to the Feds it would
be at 2 figure which had never been
equaled in base ball, and probably
never would be.
Johnson got his idea of his value to
the Feds last spring in New York
when he was taken by Bill Bradley
Wards. owners Of the Brooklyn Feds, n
visit. He was given to understand at
| this interview that money was no OBJ
ject. and that whenever he vas ready
to sign he could name his own figures
But the Wards dropped negotiations
with him during the summer, and the
next effort to get him into line was
| made by Fielder Jones, with the result
already stated.
Sid Keener Of the ST. Louis Times
condemns Lee Magee for jumping the
Cardinals. but he will not stand for
star ball player. Here is what he says:
IF Magee jumps he's an migrate.
and he does not deserve to succeed
on the ball field. He was handled
fairly by President Britton he signed
the two-year contract at his own terms,
! and. legal or illegal, his contract
should be respected.
We are opposed to Lee Nagee in
his threat to jump. but just because
he has served Britton with his ten
day notice we will not join the sour
grape class. Lee Magee is one of the
greatest ball players in the National
League-if he jumps or if he reports
| to the Cardinals next spring
| 1T is foolish to even imagine that
Magee's absence will not crimp the
club next year. Do those who now
| hand Jeers at Lee remember how often
, he raced back to the center field fence
! for wonderful catches: how he poked
out timely base hit for run? How
frequently he turned something unex-
pected on the bases. and how willingly
| he tossed aside his outfield glove for a
| first basemans mitt and handled the
initial sack as brilliantly as any ex-
perienced first baseman in either ma jor
| league?
| Lee Magee is a star, we'll have to ad-
nit that. If he could master Cose
| Do1ans base-running tactics he would
be the Ty Cobb Of the National League.
In base-running alone does Lee show a
| weakness. He's fairly speedy, but he
can't get that start away from first
base.
However. bunch Lees ability to hit
EN- on the nose, to bunt for sacrifice,
| to play any outfield position, to cover
first base. to cover second base. and
where is his superior" Maybe a few;
but how many?
! Yes, well all miss Lee Magee at
Robson Field in 1915.
} But in base ball it's the dollar sign
/ and not the mans character. his word
| or his signature that carries"
-S------