Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-27

The New York National League
Club pulled real "Merkle play"
when Secretary John Foster sent
] Chrlsty Mathewson a blank contract,
and now the great and only Matty,
the most famous man in baseball, is a
free agent. and he can sign where he
WILL with any club he chooses. and
with the OUTLAW Federal League, il
his taste should happen to run that
way. The blank contract was well
meant, perhaps, but it will not hold
the player. The laws of baseball say
that player must receive terms
not later than February 1. There
were no terms in Matty's contract. He
was offered the large sum of moth
ing. Now he can name his own
price. of course, and he will get it,
too, and get it from the Giants. Pres
ident Hampstead. of the New York
Club, is on his way TO Marlin TO have
talk with Mathewson. who seems
to be enjoying the situation. Matty
has been quoted as saying he was
considering an offer from the Feds.
That is cruel, indeed. The blunder Is
going to cost the Giants q lot of
money. It would not be surprising
if Matty asked for $4,000 a year. 1t
is said he is getting in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 at the present time.
Well good luck to Matty. We hope
he gets a fortune. But, as ! have
often mentioned in these columns,
while a player is worth all he can get
out of his employer, at the same time
he is only worth what his employer
is willing 10 pay him The whole
thing is mutual There isn't any
sentiment. Matty has been with the
Giants for years, and now that he has
the upper hand he viii likely work 1t
to the limit. If the Giants had Matty
on the run they would do the same
thing. Sport is sport. but the dollar
makes bad friends sometimes.
@
The reception in New York to the
New York Giants and the Chicago
White Sox and the other worlds
tourists, which is scheduled for Sat
urday. March I, at the Bitmore Hotel
has set the fans a-gossiping and the
demands for reservations at the ban
duet table have been so great that
even the mammoth dining hall of the
new hotel will not be anywhere near
large enough to accommodate those
who would like to take in the affair,
The postmaster for the dinner, Ed
ward Everett Mccall, gets the job,
Mr.. Mccall ran for mayor of New
York at the last November election.
He was beaten. but he will be a win
ner in this event. Other notables viii
also be present and there will be fans
and fans galore. IT viii be the big
gest thing of its kind ever conducted
by baseball men and for baseball men.
Fans from the American League and
from the National League will be
present. Frank J. Farrell, Of the New
York Yankees, is taking care of a
whole lot of his friends. He has
kindly invited me to be his guest on
that occasion. have made haste to
accept. Mr.. Farrells invitation fol-
lows:
New York, Feb. &c, 1914.
Mr.. j. P. Norton, Sporting Editor
Newark Evening Star. Newark,
n.
Dear Joe-We are TO celebrate the
homecoming of Mr.. Comiskey, the
White Sox and the Giants, from their
worlds tour in the form of a dinner
at the Biltmore Hotel on the night of
March Z.
would be pleased to have you as
my guest If this is acceptable kind
ly let me know. Sincerely yours,
FRANK J. FARRELL.
@
The worlds baseball tourists are
on their way home They played
their last game in dear old London
yesterday. The king was there and
from all accounts he enjoyed the
game hugely. We will like George
all the better for having liked our
national pastime. The English as a
general thing took kindly to the
sport They did not understand, as
we do, of course. and they laughed at
the wrong time and they applauded
when they should have Kissed. Yet
ii is believed that our foreign cousins
would eventually take TO baseball,
They were enthusiastic enough, and
King George. the cable reports say,
seemed to understand all about it.
The game. which lasted eleven in
nings, was played with exceptional
seriousness. All monkey shines"
were cut out and Germany Scraeffer
was not even allowed to show his face.
The big men on the tour, Charley
Comiskey and Jimmy Callahan, of
the White Sox, and McGraw, of the
Giants, were presented to his maj
esty just before the game. They
were dressed for the occasion and
witnessed the game from a private
box in the grand stand The king was