The Washington herald., 1915-02-14
Are Watching Recruit Players Who Will Soon Leave for Cam
Eyes of Capital Fandom Are on Recruit Players
] Who Will Soon Leave for Spring Training Camp

lowing story about Larry Lajoie:
No baseball deal made this winter
has caused-more discussion than the
one which, brings Napoleon Lajoie
back to the Athletics. Whether the
big Boy will be able TO spring
come back" after dropping out OF
the 800 class last season is giving the
managers of several clubs in the
American League considerable con-
cern.
The general impression appears to
be that Lajoie will do far better work
this season than he did the last couple
of years that he was with the Cleve-
land club, and that he will ht in be-
tween McInnes and Barry in fine style.
Ivan Olsen. who played shortstop for
the Cleveland team and who was
roommate OF Lajoie for several years,
is one of those who is confident that
Napoleon will, and Is not all "in" by
any means.
In discussing Lajoie, Olsen said:
You fellows seem to think that
Lajoie Is all in. and should be placed
on a pension. Shake that idea out of
your bonnet Place him on another
club and he will earn every dollar of
that fat salary. He has been in Cleve-
! land too long. Give him a change,
place him under more congenial con-
ditions, and IL he doesn't hit 800 or
better for, the next two years I will
gladly admit that 1 am dead wrong"
On the other hand. Ty Cobb Is of
the opinion that Lajoie will not be
able to make up for the loss of Eddie
Collins. Ty believes that Collins will
make of the Chicago White Sox real
championship contender. and that even
with Lajoie the Athletics will be far
less formidable than they were with
Eddie at the keystone sack. Ty says;
You can say what you like, but
the loss of Collins will be felt in Phil
adelphia. He was the brains of that
infield. There is no such infield asset.
anywhere in the game. His transfer
to Chicago will help the White Sox
greatly and make of that team a real
pennant contender. But Lajoie at his
best could not have replaced Eddie
Collins. The shift of McInnes to sec
ond base Is bound to handicap Mack's
infieid. Larry Lajoie may take a new
lease of life in Quakertown, but 1t
must be remembered that he is very
old in the game Apparently he has
been slipping for several years, and
he is not likely to improve, even with
change of scenery"
Then there is Billy Evans, the
American League umpire, who says:
In many cases the spirit OF the
team has its effect on the individual.
Placed in a lineup that includes some
of the greatest hitters IN the game,
Larry is soon likely to get the habit
and start clouting them as of old.
Every condition on the Philadelphia
club should be helpful to Larry"
After all is said or written 1t will
have to be Lajoie himself who will
settle the question. The alacrity with
which Lajoie signed his contract with
the Athletics is a pretty good indica-
ton that he is mighty glad to get
back to this city, and that IL such
thing is possible he will deliver the
goods in a style to make the fans
whoop 1t up with delight
Time works some curious changes
in baseball, and one or the most curl
Gus of recent seasons is to find two
of the heroes OF a game in last falls
worlds series slated to play on the
same team in the Federal League next
season. These men are Eddie Plank
and Charlie Deal Both have signed
with the st. Louis Federals, and will
start training for the 1915 season at
Havana. Cuba, the first of March.
Just before they took of their uni
forms at the end of 1914 season Plank
and Deal were on different teams in
lhe oAssesI eNeht VI nv 70 -
son. 1t was in the second game OF
the worlds series at Shibe Park,
Philadelphia, that Plank held the
Braves runless inning after inning.
Then Deal, whose speciality up to that
time had been to hit into double plays,
banged the ball TO deep center field.
The drive started Deal to the making
of the only run scored during the
game.
Now Eddie and Charlie are to be
pals on the same team in league
which doesn't figure in the worlds
series.