El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-16
johnson Tells Why He Jumped To Feds
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Hurdle Back To Senators Also Related

would renew their old contract &C
cording TO option.
Thought johnson Cinched
Tt has been said that there were
thinking of. He had read president
Gilmore's statement and about that
time there was a general rumOr that
the Federal league would 20 under
He thought 7 had no chancce to play
anywhere else. and that he had me
where he could dictate terms. Now
I don't mind saying that nobody ever
had me where they could dictate terms,
and I don't think they ever Will ] can
make living If never Play any more
baseball
1t might be said that I ought TO have
been satisfied with $4,000, and that
lots of people would nave been glad
TO get that much money L was my
self. when 1 got IL, but ] had Just
turned down an offer Tor S2O,Uuv and
had a previous offer from Washington
for $4,000 and a good hope Of getting
$4,000. So, in my situation, coming
so suddenly and Unexpectedly. the let
ter made me sore. and I resented it.
Not very long after this occurrence
7 received a letter from Charles
Weegham asking me if I was in posi-
tiOn to talk business, and suggesting
that if 7 was. I make a trip 10 Chicago
and talk things over. 1 wrote that 1
was in position TO talk business, but
that I had q garage To look out Tor IN
Coffevvflle and couldn't very well get
sentative to see me I would talk with
him. So Joe Tinker came down TO
Coffeyville. It didn't take us long to
come TO terms-about twenty minutes.
I guess. He offered me a three years
contract at S17,5O0 a year with $4,000
advance money on my salary This
was less than Fielder Jones had Of
fered me, but at that time 1 fully ex-
pected TO go to Washington. When I
received that letter from Minor it put
a different appearance on the case. and
I signed with the Federal league.
Then Griffith Came
Some time later I heard from Griffith
He said he was coming down 10 see me
and wanted me TO meet him in Kansas
City. I could not very well refuse to
accommodate him to that extent, and
I met him as he suggested, at Kansas
It has been said that there were
lawyers at this conference who argued
me into resigning the Washington
contract There were no lawyers there
But Griffith himself sh owed me where
and by my old club He had worked
hard and invested all his money in try
ing to make Washington a winner. and
succeeded more than anyone thought
possible when he went there He told
me that my going out wrecked his
pitching staff and put the club that he
hoped might be a pennant-winner into
the second division He said that he
from me. as he had always done well
by me. 7 cannot tell here all the ar
guments that he used. but I will say
he convinced me that 7 ought TO have
remained with Washington and ought
10 return even then. 7 said to him.
Griffith. don't see how I can do such a
thing. / have signed a contract IN good
faith with this man in Chicago, and T
couldn't break my word TO him. But
Griffith argued with me on that point.
He admitted that I would be doing an
injury to the Federal league. but his
argument that il wouldn't make mat
tiers any better TO injure Washington
seemed TO lie. Which ever way
turned was wrong. I had unwittingly
got myself into a position where I had
to choose between two evils. Either
was bad, but I had to decide for my
self which was the least Of the two
And I did decide that question to the
best Of my ability It was humiliat-
ing position 70 be in. and has no doubt
hurt me with the public / will accept
their judgment willingly. admitting
that I no doubt deserve a good deal OF
criticism. But I do not think deserve
TO be called mercenary. for I actually
went back TO Washington for less
money than the Federal league had Of
Tered me And ] do not think deserve
to be accused Of lacking loyalty to
Washington, for all the way through
1 tried to give Washington every
preference
I did not treat the Federal league
right I broke my contract with them.
But I broke il only because I was con-
WINGED that by not doing so 7 would be
doing an even greater injury to Wash
lngton Uerhaps I was wrong. but I
at least acted fOrw hat I considered TO
be the best