The Detroit times., 1915-01-13
Just a Matter of Contracts, Law
yers and Smiling. Claims
Bill
DEAL FOR PIPP AND
HIGH is NOT CLOSED
Will Be, Though. Says Ex-Tiger,
Who Visited His Detroit
Friends This Week
BY HAROLD v. WILCOX.

BY HAROLD v. WILCOX.
"Mr. Wild Bill. what was your eS'
. perience In the gentle art of reclaim
ing prodigal ball players and saving
others who were on the verge of max
. Ing the fatal leap into outlawed re-
s lions? Were there scenes OF wild re,
morse, forgiveness and pledges OF I'M
dying allegiance. la Walter Johnson
and Clark Griffith? Just how did you
= wean Caldwell back TO the old home.
stead In little oil New York. and save
Peck from his contemplated folly"
Mr.. Wild Bill smiled rosily-thats
enough to let you know his other
name is Donovan told simple
4 tale that took all the romance out OF
the baseball war.
We'll. I just went down TO Cald-
wells home. in York state. and we re
newed acquaintance pleasantly, said
! Bill. Then, after we had decided
that we liked each other. We went
. down to see his lawyer, and the old
contract, with the Yankees was pro-
duced for. inspection. His lawyer told
/. Ray that the contract would stick in
\ courts. so he decided that he would
S play with the Yankees next year, and
that Is all there was to IL, except the
sending back OF the bonus TO the Bur
feds That has been done.
PERSONALLY, think that Caldwell
had been anxious to return TO organ
ized ball for some time. and think
that there are lot OF other hurdlers
who feel the same way They have
/. Jumped hastily. sometimes in anger.
4 and when they have had a chance to
cool of, they have been sorry. I
wouldn't be surprised If majority OF
the Jumpers would come back IL they
could.
"As for Peckinpaugh. that was easy.
i don't think he ever intended 10 join
the Feds although Tinker was az
Cleveland and had a long conference
with Peck while | was there. Peckin-
paugh had been promised some things
BY Farrell that did not know any
thing about, and he, of course, insist
ed that the promises be fulfilled. SO
we waited until we could get Farrels
sayso on the proposition. and then we
came to terms without trouble. That
Is about the extent Of my experiences
with the Feds.r
Some hofe qnestions were fired at
the new Raanager of the Yanks. who
was in rl3fr6it yesterday for probably
the last th1e before the season opens.
and the replies came back In ram
bling. genial fashion uRs street car
jolted him downtown, where he lunch
ed with his sister. resident OF this
city. just before he grabbed the rat
tier for Gotham.
NO. / didn't close the deal for Pipp
and Highswhile was comforting with
Mr.. Navin this morning. He told me
that Messrs Rupert and Huston had
the, conditions under which the two
Tigers were TO go TO New York. so |
Y will letst them finish the deal. 4 sure
want the two boys, High is a mighty
good performer. and | expect to see
Pipp playing first base regularly for
the Yankees next season. | don't
know just how many Of the other
players offered the Yanks by the 9th
er clubs will be accepted. have an
idea that several OF them will not be
purchased But I will know more
about that when ] get back to New
York. You see. I haven't been there
since the club has been actually trans
ferred. and have been on the road
SO much since have been appointed
manager that haven't had real con
ference with the new owners at all.
"All or the Yankees are now signed.
except Cole, Hartzell and McHale.
McHale wants TO go the Feds, hear.
y We viii not lose sleep over his hurd-
{ ling tendencies.
"Yes, the Yankees have about as
few players coming up from the
h bushes this year as any other club
A good many less than any other club.
3 1 guess. Farrell drafted only a cou.
pie. understand, and I don't know
who they are now. although I will
s find out as soon as I get back 10 New
Il York We have q lot OF material for
good team, though, and will proba-
\ bly, do some more purchasing before
the season gets well started.
Eyes, j understand that have moth
ing to fear IN the way OF interference
with the playing part OF the club. 1
hope that ! will be given full charge,
for believe that II man is hired to
run a ball team, he ought TO be allow.
s ed 10 run II. IL he gets into trouble.
4 let him fight II out himself. That's
what I want to do.
"That Is one reason why 7 would
have been glad to come back to De-
froit as manager. Mr. Navin never
interferes With the playing end OF the
(, club. He is d wonderful baseball man.
and always knows just what Is doing
and has splendid idea OF what should
be done. but he leaves the managing
10 HIS manager, and believe he finds
thft II pays.
II don't know, of course. where the
Yankees win land next season. |
don't expect 10 win a pennant. but I
honestly believe that we will land bet
ter than seventh, and that In a year
or two, IN the boys develop as they
promise 10 come through. we will be
up and fighting around the top
II certainly have had pleasant