Evening star., 1915-02-19
Griffith Convinced There Is No
Chance to Get Connie
Mack's Great SIugger.
LAJOIE SHOWS AMBITION
SINCE LEAVING THE MAPS
Rube Marquard Endeavoring to
Patch Up Difficulties With
New York Giants.
BY ]. ED GRILIO.

Clark Griffith is not going to make an
effort to obtain Frank Baker Not that
he would not be willing to pay a fancy
price for the Mackmens great slugger
and increase his salary, too. but he does
not believe there is a possible chance
of Connie Mack selling or allowing any
one to take Baker from him, even
though the player should be willing.
Il think Baker is sincere in his state
ment that he does not want to play
ball any longer" said Griffith.
Incidentally there is nothing Mack
can do to persuade him to come back
to his fold. But Mack cannot dispose
Of him to any other club even if Baker
were willing. and 1 don't think he is.
Having sold Collins. Mack would not
dare sell Baker, even if he could de-
liver him, for it would kill the game in
Philadelphia SO far as the American
League is concerned.
IL would be glad to have Baker, but
1 know there is no chance to get him"
Manager Rowland has managed to
make Il good impfession with his ball
players. according to the reports which
the war correspondents are sending
home en- route to the coast. Malcolm
Mclean. who is travelling with the Sox,
sends this back to the Chicago Even
ing Post:
1T is surprising to see how much
Rowland knows about each player He
must have been following their careers
for Years. He knows them from A to
the last letter of the alphabet.
Il don't want to say what | think
viii happen so early in the game" said
mapped out campaign Of action for
the spring work. and don't believe it
differs from those usually in force.
Don't ask me who is going to play
first or third base. for I really can't
answer that. My understanding is that
the battle for first will be between
Brief and Fournier. They are both
great hitters a number of fellows are
after third base.
we won't go in too hard right at
to take any chances before we get
really started. The gradual working
up is tn ebetter system. 1 think"
Rube Marquard. in company with a
lawyer, called on President Hemp
stead of the Giants the other day to
try and find out just where he stands.
Rube has signed two contracts. one
with the Giants and another with the
Feds. Richard seems to have found
1T will be physical impossibility to
fulfill both agreements this year. 1t
was the first call the New York official Is
nave had from Mdrquard since last De-
cember, when he tried to negotiate a
salary advance, which was referred TO
Manager McGraw.
A little matter of $1,000 bothered him
then and it is bothering him now.
Just what happened is not known, but
it is believed that Rube is willing to
go to work for the Giants if the club
will send the Wards the $1,5O0 they
advanced Rube. which the club Is not
willing to do. 1t is charged that Rube
got the money under false pretenses,
and it has been suggested that the
New York club let the law take its
course.
Jack .Coombs has notified Manager
Robinson Of the Brooklyn team that
he will be physically fit when he re-
ports to the Dodgers this spring. The
veteran is confident he has entirely
recovered from the ailment which kept
him out of the game for several sea-
sons, and that he will pitch as effect
lively as ever in the coming campaign.
Coombs has assured the Brooklyn
club that unless he can make good he
will not want to be carried, and he
agreed to have ten-day release clause
in his contract.