The Washington herald., 1915-12-19
Nationals Pilot Returns from
Baseball Peace Conference
Held in New York.
RAPS FEDERAL LEAGUE
Orsanized Ball to Do the Debating,
States Local Leader-Other
Sporting Gossip.
BY WILLIAM PEET.

BY WILLIAM PEET.
Mad as a hornet and stung to the quich
at the report published here In the shapt
of a New York dispatch to the enec,
that the Washington club would be solo
and merged with the Brooklyn Federals
Clark Griffith pilot of the Nationals. who
arrived from the peace conflab last night
said:
There is absolutely no truth in this
report It's a lie from beginning to END
The idea never was suggested or ever
hinted by the Federal Leaguers, who are
suing for peace"
Washington is one OF the best cities
in major league baseball today. Its fans
are the most loyal and. considering the
size of the population, the National Capt.
tai draws bigger crowds in proportion
than any city in either major league.
The report that the Washington club
would be transferred to Brooklyn and
our players sold, is joke. Some space
writer who probably knows nothing OF
baseball conditions is responsible for this
yarn and it's a malicious piece OF work.
So bitter was Griffith in his denounce-
ment of the reported transfer that he
took occasion to fire voliey after volley
of scathing comment anent the Federal
League. a subject that. as a rule. always
gets rise out of the old Fox"
Until the true facts are learned. il
they ever are made public. nobody ex-
cept those familiar with conditions Will
know how badly the Federal League has
Jared and how complete has been the
victory of organized baseball during the
two years war. which is about over.
The Federal League is absolutely
through-most OF its club owners are
dead broke financially and are willing
to accept anything organized baseball
offerssin the way of opportunities to re-
coup lost coin.-
Its joke to read what the Fed
ersl League intends TO demand when
the committees get together.
Federal League club owners will take
what is offered them. Peace terms will
be dictated by organized baseball" de-
clared the old fox.
In discussing the possibility of taking
back Pitchers Groom and Ehmke. Catch
er Owens and Infelder Laporte. Man
ager Griffith made himself perfectly
plain on this subject. saying:
81 don't want any of them on my
club. The players who stuck to me are
the men l snail stand by. 1 doubt II
any member OF this quartet will be
seen in a major league uniform next
summer
Griff would not discuss probable trades
he had in mind further than to add that
he had done no business while attending
the American League meeting.
The Old Fox has several trades in view
and it is not at all unlikely that one or
two will be consummated before the 1916
season opens. Just the players involved
will not be known until all details are
completed
Small colleges in this vicinity have
queer eligibility rules.
In a basketball game played here Tues
day night between Georgetown's basket
ball Quint and the team representing Mt.
St Joseph's. of Baltimore. Louis Malone,
a professional baseball player and a
member of Connie Mack's Athletics play
ed guard on the Mt. St. Joseph's quint
Georgetown did not protest Malone. al
though the authorities know before the
game that he was going to play.
We do not question the eligibility of
opposing teams players. but such a man
as Malone would not be permitted to play
on any Georgetown athletic team" was
the only comment made by Physical Dr.
rector o'Reilley.
The bigger they come the harder the
public falls in the fight game. Since the
Willa.d-Fulton articles were signed in
Chicago three days ago We have heard
strange noises about the battle for the
championship Willard will begin train
ing at once for his So 800 purse and Full
ton has decided to get into condition by
accepting an offer to 80 on the vaude-
willie stage As the battle will be STAGED
In New Orleans on March 4. the chal-
lenger should be able to perform several
weeks behind the footlights and make
enough money to retire after the fight.
Tom Jones. Willard's manager, Is wor-
ried over the outcome of the battle. He
is sorry his man was not able to meet
Jim Coffey or Frank Moran. He knows
what these men can do. but F>ulton's
record Is shrouded in mystery. Tom Is
right about this. because Fulton has nc
record. Neither has Bud Wilbur. of Con-
shohocken,, or Hi Harvey. Of Oskaloosa,
Iowa All that MIR. Jones knows is that
Mr.. Fulton is six feet six inches tall,
weighs 20 pounds and is in good physical
condition. Yet he is willing to risk the
worlds heavyweight championship in a
battle with a perfect stranger. And he
says the 52.5oo is only a minor considera-
fiOn-