Evening star., 1914-05-10
Crack InfieIder of Southern
University to Join Team
in Short Time.
HAS REPUTATION OF BEING
COLLEGE BASE BALL STAR
Jack Ryan Secures His Signature
and He Will Confer With
Griffith Monday.
Special Disrat,h To The star

CHARLOTTESVILLE. Va,
May o Jack Ryan of the Wash
ington base ball club and coach
OF the University OF Virginia
team the past season. made 1y
ing trip to Charlottesville this
afternoon to have his picture
taken with the college team. and
incidentally added a new member
to the Nationals forces. The
name OF the latest addition is
Douglas Neff. captain of the
Orange and Blue nine
The team was scheduled to
have its photograph taken at )
clock this afternoon, and Just
about that time Ryan appeared
unexpectedly at the gymnasium
and got into the picture. After
the snap shot was over Jack was
seen in earnest conversation with
the Virginia star for about halt
an hour. and it was certain that
there was business in the air. By
10 o'clock Ryan was making his
way toward the homeward-bound
train with Neff's signature in his
pocket and only few particu-
lars left to be completed.
Will Report Soon.
| Neff, Of course, will not report until
after his final examinations at the uni
versity but Will make a short trip to
Washington Monday to have confer
ence with Manager Griffith of the Ma
tionals He takes his degree in engineer
ing this spring and will likely attend
the Massachusetts Institute of Tech
] nology for postgraduate course next
fall. He completed his fourth year OF
base ball at Virginia this year. and hence
could not play college ball In the future
had he cared to do SO. The present
season was one of the most successful he
| has experienced with the Orange ana
Blue, despite the fact he was handicapped
by being captain of the team and carry
| ing quite bit of responsibility. lie LED
the squad in hitting well as run get
ting winning all three prizes onered oS
the Athletic Association for the leader
| in these departments and for the captain.
! His ability as a fielder is already well
known to Washington fans. He can
play the outfield as well as shortstop.
and made record at virginia the nrst
| year he was a member of the team, pE
going through the entire season in the
outfeld without an error. This tact
should make him doubly useful to Man
ager Griffith. as there seems to be
/ imnroyemant the Ma
tionals' outfield at the present writing.
To Live With Brother.
Neff will make his home with his
| brother while in the capital. and the
fact that he could do this was one Of
the inducements that led him to make
his decision to play with Washington
Several clubs sent representatives to
interview him while the Virginia team
was on its northern trip last week.
and he was made some very natterlnS
offers
Risler. who signed Eppa Rixey for the
| Philadelphia Nationals. had a ions CON
| ference with him. in New York, ana IL Is
| rumored that Doom was willing to more
| than duplicate any offer that he had re-
| ceived Other scouts saw him in. New
| Haven and Boston, but he thinks a great
! deal of Ryan and Manager Griffith. and.
| in fact. the whole Washington team. 80
| as soon as he made up his mind to go
into professional ball il was easy to Sc
| lect the team.
| He said this afternoon that he was giad
| the matter had been settled. as II had
caused him quite little worry lately.
ind nov he could get down 10 work on his
| examinations. -
The figures were not made public but
he had on a broad smile and IT was
evident that he was well satisfied with
that end of the agreement. The Virginia
team was given banquet by the man
tonight and COacn Ryan A6
urged by all the members to stay and bt
the guest of honor, hut he said that
he had to return to Washington as soon
as possible. and was unable TO accept.
IL rndoubtedly had a great deal of in
1uence in securing Neff's consent to play
with the Nationals.