The Washington herald., 1915-01-31
Past Week Is Busy One for
the "OId Fox" Who Dis
poses of Many Players on
His Club Roster.
IS ON EHMKE'S TRAIL
Rippy Williams Asked to
Bring Youthful Hurler Into
the Fold Other Sport
News and Gossip.
By WILLIAM PEET.

During the week just closed base
ball has crowded everything else OFF
the sporting pages, and the hungry
fan must almost have had his fill
you know the dyedin-the-wool fan is
never really satisfied.
Old Fox Griffith started cleaning
bright and carly last Monday by turn
ing a couple of young pitchers loose.
lie swapped Tommy Long for a finger
named Booth Hopper: sold Barton and
HedCcpeth to Scranton; Wally Smith
TO Minneapolis. and shipped Mike
Mitchell to Richmond. cleaning house
with a vengeance and cutting away all
. his dead wood.
Just to wind up the week OF excite
mout Eddie Foster brcczcd into town
from the Pacific slope, where he has
been playing ball for a couple of
months with Rippy Williams in jerk
water league.
Williams is still in sunny California
lingering a few days in order to fulfill
a mission or rather to help Griff sign
up young pitcher who is kicking over
the traces. threatening to jump to the
Feds or quit the game for good. just
because he did not fancy the contract
Itcrms offered by the Washington club.
Whether or not .liams will be able
to persuade this young man, who bears
the name of Howard Ehmkc. that Wash
inEton is a rafting good city in which
to display his wares, and Grin regular
Cuv for boss. remains to he seen.
The writer happens to have good
line on Ehmkc, who took flying jump
unto the Hall o, Fame early last spring
while a member Of the Los Angeles club,
Of the Pacific Coast League, by winning
seven games in a row
After his victory string VAS snapped
little vas heard of Ehmko. for he failed
to make good the things predicted by
Coast sport writer's
Griffith has A working agreement with
tbe Los Angeles club and claimed Ehmke
AS his prize but the kid, for he is only
a nineteen-year-o boy, appears to have
an exaggerated opinion of his own worth.
re has refused TO sign Washington
contract. making dema nds for more
money than Griff cares TO pay
In discussing the Ehmke matter
with the writer, Griff said: Il don't
object to paying Ehmke big money II
he is worth it. but let him come East
md show me something first
My ball players are all treated
fairly. ! pay a man what he is worth
but he must deliver the gooos.
=, Arthur DevIin, who was at the
holm Of the Oakland club in the Pa
cffic Coast League early last season.
has seen Ehmke work and gave as
his opinion that the yOungster needed
,,,ore experienCe before attempting to
mitch in the major leagues.
Others from the Coast have made
similar statements
Ed Reulbach's unconditional re-
lease from the Brooklyn club, accord
irr to several Gotham baseball
scTibes was a direct slap at the Play
.prs' fraternity. Of which Reulbach was
treasurer.
Tbis is all rot. Stars who can pitch
winning ball are not cast adrift. rather
,bev are urged TO stay in organized
baseball.
Reulbach simply failed to deliver the
rrods with the Brooklyn club last sum
NOR and Manager Robinson on account
ur the new player limit ruling was forced
,n cut down. Reulhach had to go to-
make room for a younger pitcher.
Rculhach was with the Cubs when
Frank Chance was manager and when
I'm, Chicago Nationals were winning pen
uaufs. He belonged to the famous staff
which contained Mordecai Brown. Over
,U and others. With the possible eN-
crptiun Of Brown none Of the twirlers
did more to win championships for the
cubs than ReulbaCh. The latter was
let go to the BROOKLYN Club and now
he has been UncOnditiOnaly released.
report from Brooklyn says that Rcul-
borts by flirting" with the Federals,
and also bv the fact that he was a
member Of the Executive Committee OF
tho PLAYERS Fraternity.