The Washington times., 1915-05-22

cent attempt Of Benny Kauff, the out
laws greatest star to get under cover
with the Giants.
think that organized baseball players
generally have come to the conclusion
that their best interests lie in faithful
service to their present employers. that
the term contracts must expire sooner or
later, and that hope for favorable re-
newals lies chiefly in hustling through
out the life Of the present documents.
The players have realized at last the
jeopardy in which their cupidity placed
the promoters; that steel and concrete
stands are not mints: that only the
heartiest cooperation on the part Of the
players to provide revenue OF return
for the promoters can hope to establish
the present generous scale of salary
against the readtustment that Is bound
to come sooner or later. The handwrit-
ing on the wall has been shown in the
strict minimum roster limits adopted
by the National and American leagues.
One other thing seems to have spurred
the players Of the two big leagues to get
back into the fight with the spirit of the
days. That is the lure Of the world 8
series pot. The spectacular finish OF the
Braves through the last half OF the 1914
season, with their consequent triumph
in four straight games over the pre-
sumed irresistible Athletics, was an ex-
ample that will not soon be forgotten.
There Is little comfort any more in So
called city championships The big
money lies in the recognized classic, and,
after Boston's experience, no team Is
likely to give up hope till the last chance
has nown.
As far as am concerned. the old con-
ditions of intense rivalry. with every
man playing his heart out, cannot come
back too soon In all their ancient glory.
without the least spirit OF bragga-
| aNatn hot
fight of my life this year to retain, the
laurels that / have come to regard al
most as personal property. The general
uplift Of enthusiasm threatens a num-
| her Of titles OF which ] am Jealous.
There Is a new rival for the batting
crown in Jacques Fournier, just now a
greater menace than Joe Jackson-al-
ways a troublesome fellow 10 beat-eVer
| proved to be thus early In the race.
| iris Speaker has not hit his batting
form. hut he will be after me. too, be-
! fore the season is much older. Little
Fritz Maisel had a taste of fame through
| leading the two leagues In stolen bases
last year and he Is boqnd 10 give me the
ors Eddie Collins Is after my scalp for
run scoring renown, but with the mighty
sam Crawford behind me I think will
have the easiest task in suppressins
| Eddie.
Year nv year the old champions find
It harder to keep the spotlight, for the
mi fIry Of rival attack Is directed
against aga them. Take, for example, the
case of Walter johnson. Griffith's great
star, Walter has lost lot of well-pitch-
ed games so far because other man
Rest nitchers. Every time Johnson goes
to the front nowadays he draws the
yery heaviest pitching opposition pos
sible. There was time when. rival
clubs rne w,,h o Conceded victory to U' wash. ash,
ington But that day has passed. II
is Just one further illustration, Of the
! hetierrent in baseball induced by Ros-
TONS triumph Of a year ago.
| Rafting 60 far in our league mas been
| ,,r,,swsIiy heavy This, I think, is due
more 70 tbs tact that the old pitching