The Washington herald., 1914-12-13
EDDIE COLLINS
WELL WORTH
THE PRICE PAID
Comiskey Landed Prize, Who
VIII IN Time. Repay Every
Cent of $4,000 Spent.
OTHER SPORT COMMENT
Grifmen Sure to Train in Charlottes-
vile Next Spring -Vigilants
Disband After Today.
BY WILLIAM PEET.

Fifty thousand dollars in these hard
times is whole lot of money TO pay for
q ball player, yet Charley Comiskey,
owner Of the Chicago White Sox, made
an investment last week that win eventu-
ally justify his Judgment in forking over
this vast sum for Eddie Collins, the best
second baseman in the business.
When the announcement was made last
week that Comiskey had bought Collins
for $4,000 from Connie Mack and signed
him to a five-year contract many shook
their heads, declaring that no ball player
vas worth all that money.
There Is no doubt that If any player is
worth this amount Collins is the man.
He Is an aIl-around star. has no weak
hess. and is a brafny infielder.
For six consecutive years Collins has
finished the season with a batting record
around $50, and can hit left-handers
about as easily as he can the orthodox
hurlers.
Walter johnson really feared Eddie Col
Inns more than any other member Of the
Athletics johnson told the writer on one
occasion: That fellow Collins is tough
customer UP there at the bat. He refuses
to go after bad balls, makes a pitcher
pitch all the time, and is just as apt to
drive the ball to left field as to right or
center"
There is no doubt but that Collins will
eventually become manager of the Chi
cago White Sox, possibly not this coming
season, but before the term of his five
year contract expires, and when this Is
taken into consideration the price paid
for him and the salary he will receive
makes him a cheap man in comparison
with the money expended by other man
ayers for many so-cailed stars Of doubt
full ability.
That the Nationals will train in
Charlottesville next spring is virtually
assured, although Manager Griffith has
not made Ohcial announcement to this
effect
1t was learned through a source
which cannot be questioned that the
Nationals will hit the pike for the col
lege town about March 1, and will
spend five weeks in preparation for the
1915 season.
Grihth figures that conditions down
there were abnormal last spring, and
that good weather is sure to prevail
this year.
No independent football game in re-
cent years has attracted as much at
tention as the contest which will be
staged in Union League Park this aft
ernoon between the Vigilants and the
Engineers, and it is probable that this
staged in the District owing to a re-
cent ruling by the courts declaring it
illegal to hold sporting events on the
Sabbath.
Rivalry between these teams is in
tense and it is to be hoped that no
rowdyism crops out The officials are
competent men, who will insist upon
clean football
THE Vigilants as an independent foot
ball team, will go out Of existence after
today's game. They owe II to them
selves to continue playing the clean
hard game which has characterized
their work in seasons past
Nobody seems to really know whether
or not Lee Magee, the st. Louis Cardi-
nails star, has Topped over to the Feds.
He is quoted as saying that he would
lump to the outlaws only in case he
was given a managerial berth, but at
present there seems to be no such OPEN
ing.
BuiIding up new baseball patronage
NAV be difhcult, but it is not more so
than constructing team, says Spick Hail.
Of the Philadelphia Ledger. Connie Mack
NAV have lost a portion, even a large
part Of his followers by permitting four
of his former stars to depart from the
ranks, but he is just as capable Of re-
placing those fans with others as he is
Of making another championship team.
Without Bender, Plank and Collins it is
rather hard to see how the Athletics have
better than fighting chance for the pen
nant in 1915.
That Mack will eventually turn out
another great machine is not a matter
Of supposition-it is certainty. Mack
Is the greatest baseball taetician and
keenest judge OF the possibilities of a
player that ever adorned a bench. He
may get rid Of still more Of his players.
In that case the reconstruction of his
team will be retarded, but it viii ulti-
mately develop into a reality
In the same way he can count on in
creased patronage as on his new machine
TO show championship caliber.
There will be more than one fan to
Fevise those well-known melodramatic
;Tm not going out to National Park.
"'cause they amt done right by our
Walter"