Evening star., 1915-12-29
GRIFFITH HAS HOPE
. OF BOOSTING TEAM
Expects to Be Able to Make a
Trade or Two Which Will
Strengthen Nationals. =.
MAY ACQUIRE MATERIAL
FROM FIELDER JONES
Sinclair Probably Will Have Hard
Time Getting Rid of Long-Term
Players-Base Ball Gossip.
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

Manager Griffith has not given up
hope of being able to make a trade or
two which will benefit his team before
the winter is over. If Fielder Jones
makes arrangements to take charge of
the reorganized Browns he may have
players that he can spare. For in
stance, he is quoted as saying that
more than go per cent of the Browns
would be made Up of players who
played for him on the Fed team This
will undoubtedly let out some of the
Browns players and there are one or
two of them that Griffith might be
a BILE 10 use
What is more. the major league meet
Ing to be held in February may de-
velop a deal or two. for by that time
the clubs which have trading material
will be in better position to do busi-
ness than they have been at any pre-
vious time. Griffith realizes that with
all the clubs which finished below him
in the race last season strengthening e
from one source or another. it will be
we'll for him to be on the lookout and
try to help his team also.
a delayed telegram from Charles
sible for Manager Griffith to get a
train which would have put him in the
Ohio metropolis this morning. Somers
wired him to come on. but the wire
did not reach here until after the train
had pulled out
Griffith and President Minor got to-
gether. however, and fixed up list
of players that they could let Somers
have TO help out his team. They wired
him to this effect. but of course would
not give out the names of the players
they mentioned. but they are undoub4
edly some of those which Griffith hal
had on his trading list ever since tn =
season closed.
The New York Yankees are not going
to hesitate about using Federal League
players to build up their fences. Bill
Donovan will try to get any OF the
Fed players who look good to him. and
many of them do not belong to those
who hold long term contracts.
1t is said that konetchy is wanted
by the Yankees. for he is figured to be
one of the stars of the Feds and a
much more experienced and better man
than Pipp. who did not finish very
strong in the last campaign. though
he played brilliantly during the early
part of the season.. when his timely
hitting was one or the features OF
the Yankees squirt.
Several of the players who will not be
included in Harry Sinclair's long list OF
players with long-term contracts are
the property of the Chicago and st.
Louis clubs. which merged with the
Cubs and Browns. In this lot are Eddie
Plank. Babe Borton. Chuck Deal; Dave
Davenport of the st. Louis Feds and
Mann of the Chifeds. Big Ed konetchy
of the Pittfeds has a contract which
does not expire until the end Of 1917. as
has also Rocey Roach and Chief Bender.
late of Baltimore. AS Sinclair will not
be apt to want to go to court with
Bender it Is likely that some sort of q
compromise will be made with the In
dian pitcher.
Among the players who have con-
tracts extending for one more year are
Tom Seaton of Newark, Jack Quinn of
Baltimore. Rollie Zeider of Chicago.
Mike Doolan of Baltimore. Bill Raridan
of New York, Ward Miller OF st. Louis
and Hendrix of Chicago. All these play
ers deserted organized base ball in the
winter of 1916, and they received
three-year contracts at the time. They
have already served two years in the
Federal League.
Hal Chase. who jumped the White Sox
during the season of 1914. has a con-
tract which expires in 1916. Jack Dali
ton and Frank Allen, who disregarded
the Brooklyn clubs option year ago.
got only two-year contract. they
are sure of salary for another year
Other prominent players with contracts
extending over another season are
Schults. Anderson, Bedient, Laporte
Mckechnie, Rousch. Kaiserling, Knabe
Walsh. Evans. Crandall, Groom, Kores
Packard, Cullop, Chadbourne and Ken
worthy.
There is not much chance of the ma
tor leagues taking care of any of the
Federal League umpires. From what
can be learned of the intentions of Ban
johnson and President Tener, both will
stand with their present staff of off,
cials. Both have added man or two
johnson having signed Brick" Owens,
while Tener expects to have Hank
ODay back on his staff, and they fg-
ure that this will make the two staffs
satisfactory.
Fielder Jones was given q block of
stock in the Federal League club of st
Louis when he consented to take Nor
cecai Browns place as manager of that
team. The stock, of course, did not paw
any dividends. but now that the pur-
chase of the Browns has been accom-
plished, Fielder will undoubtedly want
the Fed stock exchanged for the stock
OF the new club. or else he will not ia ke
the position of manager, II is said
Jones Is very independent about such
matters. and there is apt to be a row
when he arrives to talk things over
with Phil Ball and Otto Stifel. new
owners of the latter club. this week.