The Alaska citizen., 1914-08-17

while his organization is out for famous players, it is not after any who seem on the decline. IL is for this reason that several reported contracts have failed of consumma- ton recently The Federals do not want players who have outlived their usefulness in other leagues. but men who are fresh and active as in their prime, so that they will be the same drawing card for the new league that they have been for O. b.
 Washington admirers of Walter Johnson are trying their best to explain his inexplicable slump. In 1911 when the Senators finished a bad seventh, Johnson won 23 games and lost l5 for an average of .605, In 1912 he won 32 and lost F for an average of .727. In 1913 he won 33 and lost for an average above 800. With Washington's up- lift he has added nearly 100 per centage points for three years.
 According to reports, the two major leagues. American and Ma tional have spent s2,074,961.75 on new ball players in the lst five years. Wonder who was the play CT purchased for the six bits?
 Joe Gedeon's career as mem- Der of the National has ended, for the time being at least. Gedeon has been turned over to the Los Angeles club of the Pacific Coast League and has joined the west ern club. If he shows the i'm provement which he needs he may be back with the Washington team next spring,
 Jimmy Duffy is quite an inter esting parsonage these days. He is said to be the only true light weight who ever won decision over Freddy Welsh. This he gain ed at St. Louis last February, so he is likely to be heard from again. There is some talk of Will lie Ritchie's having Duffy to help him train for the fight he expects to pull off with Welsh next No, vember.
 George Chips able fighting in California has made him hero in that country and though he in tends to do quite little resting during the summer, he is looking ahead for next season. The hlght fans on the Pacific coast worship Chip more than they ever did Jim my Clabby. who made several fights on the Pacific slope. Clabby was tdolized for his science in the be- ginning. but with his last bout with Billy Murphy his lack of punch took away a big portion of his pop ularity.
 Frank Chance is looking ahead to 1915 and wisely, By fitting ill new cogs now it is possible he may get a truer running machine before another season looms up, while no amount of experimenting can put his team much deeper in the mlre than it is at present The 1an- kees truly seem entirely out of the running for the rest of the season.
 MAKES SWIMMING RECORD.
 Although officials in control or swimming have for many years discouraged competition of women considerable progress has been made by the fair sex. The latest aspirant to fame is Miss Nora Leahy who recently swan eight miles through swirling Hell Gate, New York, in two hours. This feat surpasses those of many male swimmers who had tried to negoti- ate this difficult piece of water.
 Miss Leahy is practically novice in the art of swimming being only 19 years of age Hav' ing tasted of victory over the ele- ments she will now enter num- Der of long distance swims sched- uled for this summer The most important of these meets will be the swim from the battery 10 Coney Island, which feat was first accomplished by the worlds long distance swimmer, Alfred Brown The distance will be about lo miles.
 Besides being long-distance performer Miss Leahy is also an ex- pert high diver. and she will also be in many of these contests dur ing the summer.
 Should women continue to i'm prove in the art of staying afioat as we'll as to show speed the chances are that the prejudices 70 A~or;o.nc in women competing