Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-16
SPENCER SIGNS
WITH NATIONALS
Young 0utfieIder Has Been III,
But Says He Will Be
Ready by Spring.
NO HOPE FOR SECOND
CLUB IN WASHINGTON
Scheme of International League
Does Not Meet With Favor Here.
Gandil Starts Training Soon.
BY j. ED GRILLO.

Ben Spencer. one of the Nationals
young outtielders. walked into Manager
Gritfith's Office this morning and signed
his contract for next season. Spencer:
health is not of the best He suffered
from malaria last summer. which un
doubtedly interfered with his playing
and he told Griff this morning that h,
had been ill most of the time this win
ter. and he looked it He is improving
rapidly, however, and expects to be il
good shape this spring.
According to those who saw much Of
Spencer in the Virginia League last sum
mer he is much better ball player thar
he showed himself to be during his shor
time with the team. though he hit rather
impressively. Griffith proposes to Civ.
Spencer every chance this spring. for he
has been led to believe that he can bt
developed into a real star.
Griffith expects to have nearly all his
contracts in within the next week or So
The scheme to have the International
League place a club in this city for the
purpose of giving that league a major
league aspect is not meeting with favor
In local base ball circles. To begin with.
1t is not likely that such change could
be made in time to be in effect next sea-
son. Before the International League
could change its circuit it would have
to obtain the consent Of the national as
ISOLATION and organized base bali in gen
eral. Furthermore. it could not change
the draft rule. as is suggested. without
the consent of the pig leagues and the as
ISOLATION of minor leagues. 1t would not
only require lot of time to have such
changes agreed upon and granted, but it
is questionable whether majority of the
powers that be would look with favor on
such a move
The international League. three OF
whose cities are to be invaded by the
Federal League. fears that it will lose
prestige because the outlaws will have
ma jor league cities in its circuit To off
set this it is planned to change the In
ternational circuit and put in a major
league city or two for effect. OF course
the caliber of ball would not be raised in
that organization. 1t would still be a
minor league Notwithstanding the fact
that it numbers among its cities some
which are represented in the big leagues.
So far as Washington is concerned a
minor league team would not flourish L,
could be arranged to play here during the
absence of the Nationals. but the chances
of being success are rather slim.
Manager Griffith said this morning that
he had heard indirectly of the scheme, bu,
that he did not believe there was a chance
for it to go through.
Chick Gandil has made all arrange
ments with Manager Griffith to leave here
February 20 for West Baden Springs,
Ind, where he will remain for ten days.
Gandil is in better physical shape this
winter than he has been for several
years, according to his own statements,
and he figures that by taking the pre-
liminary training at West Baden that he
will be on a fair way to have the best
season of his career
1t seems that some of the players who
played in the Federal League last season
did not get all the salary due them. Dea-
con Philippe, who managed the Pitts
burgh Feds, says that he will attach the
gate money this year to recover S1,IOO
in back salary. Pitcher Knetzer, a twirl-
er from Brooklyn who jumped to the
Federals last season. is another with a
complaint about not getting his salary
in full.