Evening star., 1915-11-13
COAST STARS NOT
OF HIGH CALDER
Raid Conducted by Feds Not
Apt to Strengthen Gil
more Circuit.
CAPT. HUSTON OF GIANTS
DENIES OFFER FOR CLUB
Sinclair Has Not Opened Negotia-
tions for New York Team.
Base Ball Gossip.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Much ado is being made of the raid
the Federal League has made on the
Pacific Coast League teams. Some six
or seven players are said to have been
signed by the Independents. and it is
figured that these players will do much
to make the Federal League teams
more formidable
But those familiar with the class of
the Pacific Cost League insist that
none of the players said to have been
league caliber.
To support this argument it is point
ed out that Brief. the first baseman
who was an absolute failure with the
White Sox last spring, failing to hit
over the 100 mark, went to the coast
league and set it afire hitting for over
400.
This should give a pretty good line
on the so-called stars of that league,
which probably Is even weaker than
the Feds.
If the Gilmore circuit is to be built
up with minor league stars it will be a
long while getting its teams on an
equal basis with the major league ag-
gregations.
The report that Harry Sinclair, owner
of the Newark Fed club, had opened
negotiations for the purchase of the New
York Giants is vigorously denied by N.
Ashley Lloyd of Cincinnati, a stockholder
in and treasurer of the New York club.
1t was limited that sinclair's trip to Gin
cinEati was for the purpose Of feeling
out Mr. Lloyd as to the sale of his stock,
but Lloyd, who was in New York the
ether day, made an emphatic statement
that he had never been approached by any
one from the Federal League and that
chop nf In
his interests in the New York club.
Sinclairs visit to Cincinnati, together
with Weeghman of Chicago, probably was
for the purpose of consulting with Garry
T. Taft with reference to selling the Chi
cago Cubs.
The passing of the Buffalo and Kan
was bitter pill for the new league to
swallow. 1t was an admission that the
past season was a disastrous one for
nearly every club in the Gilmore cir
cult. Base ball undoubtedly would be
benefited by peace pact being adopt
ed, but there is less, chance now of an
understanding being reached than ever
before.
There are SO many angles to be con-
sidered and SO much opposition to
overcome that the peace advocates are
almost certain to give up the task
There are those magnates who claim
that the Feds can do no further harm
to organized base ball. This is a
rather optimistic view of the situation,
however, and there is little doubt that
the continuation of the war is not go
ing to be relished by either side.
Claude Berry. catcher for the Pitts
burgh Feds, tells this one:
One day while 1 was catching for
the Dallas (Tex) team a runner on
| first started to steal second. 1 pegged
toward the base, but our pitcher
Walker-had moved out of the box
after he delivered the ball, and walked
right into the throw.
The ball hit Walker on top of the
head. and as he dropped to the ground
the ball bounded high in the air The
! runner had reached second by that
time. and. not seeing the ball in play,
raced for third. But our shortstop
saw the ball. caught it as it came
down and whipped it to third in time
to put out the runner
The official scorer credited three
men with am assist. He gave me an
assist becauseNI had made the original
throw; he gave one to the pitcher be-
cause his head had DETECTED the ball
to the shortstop. and, of course, he
gave one to the shortstop for making
the throw to third"