The Washington times., 1915-06-28
LEM OWENS DENIES
Recent CHARGE Of
UNDUE INFLUENCE
Refutes Statement Made That
He Was Restrained From
Pitching for Navy.
BY BRYAN MORSE.

Lem Owens, crack pitcher for the
Aggies in the Departmental League,
who was in hot water with Leander
Fl. Herman, manager Of the Navy
team of the Government League, for
which Owens also hurls, comes for
ward with a statement in refutation
of Herman charges today.
/ Herman directly implicated Owens
with Manager Williams, Of the Bu-
reau team, of the Government
League, in alleging that Owens was
restrained from pitching for the
Navy against the Bureau nine.
/ Owens letter explain itself.
The controversy arose over the fact
that Navy, scheduled to meet tho
Bureau team. was expecting to pitch
Owens. The Aggies in the Departmental
League, across :he Ellipse, were in a
tight hole playing Treasury, and Owens
might have been needed for the battle.
Manager Herman, of Navy, charged
, that Owens was Influenced by Lemeric
and the Bureau manager to go over to
| the Aggies.
1 Owens letter follows:
| 10 WHOM II may concern: TntS Is
to certify that /, Lemuel Owens, was
not Influenced in any way by Mr..
| Williams, manager OF the Bureau
team of the Government League, or
| Mr.. Lemeric, of the same team, from
pitching for the Navy team against
Bureau. The fact is that Mr.. Will
liams told me to go ahead and pitch,
in the presence of Mr.. Dougherty,
the official scorer of the Government
| League.
| MIR. Ward. manager of the Agri-
culture team OF the Departmental
League. OF which I am member,
refused to permit me to leave his
team and play with the Navy team,
stating that l was second choice for
pitcher in his game against Treasury
on the same night, and that he could
not afford to jeopardize his chances
by not having relief pitcher on
hand II needed.
Il might add that I am employed
in the Department of Agriculture,
and have been a member Of the team
for the past few years, and therefore
consider. it my duty to give them
hrst call on my services. believe
l am giving both teams of which
am member an absolutely square
deal.
II make this statement in all fair
, ness to Mr.. Williams to show that he
in no way had any influence over
me in keeping me from pitching
against the Bureau team.
i Thanking you for this valuable
"LEMUEL OWENS"
Thirty-four players are cast adrift to
catch on with amateur teams this week
by reason of releases owing to disband-
ing the Holy Name team and the War
team.
The Holy Name players are Edgar
Behrle, Joseph Dillon; Joseph Fitzgerald.
Neil Mcdonald. Ralph Murdock. Mat
thew Noone, Lawrence n. Nops, Ed
mund inland. Jack Nolan. James A.
99,Learyi 9Iday Robert NJ o,Lonei, William
The War players are James F. Oak
ley. Francis G. Miller. Frank s. Hud-
son, William Hoek. Paul Clark. John L.
Blair. P. J. Hassenstab. John McCor-
renee y. Nops, James NJ. O'Connors, G.
r. Rawlings. Herbert Steed. Harry
Stgourney, Gates G. Rapp. Stuart L.
. Hayes. ]. Holloran. and c. W. Fenwick.
The Machinists, of the Potomac
? League, has corralled Forest Thompson
q who is expected to add strength 70 tn
) pitching staff. Claire Johnson. former
signed by the Library team. Of the
Government League.
The Lincolns are known as the
former Independent champions now
). and have been dropping games with
frequency The Rex A. c. team hand
ed the I.incolns a 6 to beating yes.
terday, despite the fact that RAJ
Bischoff was in the box for Lincoln.
! The Government Printing Office
team journeyed to Herndon and wor
"A to battle yesterday. Ebert
l. pitched creditable ball for the print
ers.
The Marines will journey to MAJ
= tinsburg, w. Va, next Sunday for
. battle with the team in that town
according to the present schedule.