The Washington times., 1915-05-20
Denies Rumors of Probable
Trade With st. Louis Nine,
But He Is Still on Hunt for
Player.
Hickey Unwilling to Let Pratt
Go, But Old Fox Is Thought
to Have Eye on Another
Brownie.
By LOUIS A. DOUGHER.

CLEVELAND, May 9o.-That rumor-
ed four-cornered trade kept the
Old Fox busy all yesterday af-
ternoon i'm st. Louis, but nothing came
Of 1t. at least from the Griffmen's boss.
Indeed, he even denied that It was in
the air or worried him in the slightest.
However. from other sources 1t Is
known that a deal is being engineered
that will land at least one hitter for
the Washington club
Manager Griffith Is desirous Of getting
Derrill Pratt from the Browns. but
Branch Hickey can't see that at all
Pratt is the apple OF Rickey's eye, being
a PLAYER of estimable habits off the
field. 1t Is almost unlikely that the
Browns hard-hitting second oaseman
will be obtained by the Grifrmen. Just
what player they are to get remains
mystery yet. but some action is ex-
pected in q few days. 1t may come De-
fore the Griffmen leave Cleveland.
Colonel Hedges Is badly in need Of
Q real pitcher. a man who can step right
into the harness and win games for the
Browns. He wanted to obtain Dac aac
Griffith yesterday only to nave II
turned down. The Old Fox wants play
ers. not money. and wanted to discuss
Perrill Pratt. He me met WITH VIII f,rs1l1 sGl1
Hedges asked him what he wanted for
Doc Ayers. Griffs price was too steep
and the negotiations came to nothing.
The whole team came here intact.
Manager Griffith was inclined to put a
big price on his players. remembering
tho lemons handed him In the past by
and Barney petty cost the Washington
sither was worth. The Old Fox had
that in his mind. and thought he m ght
get back some Of that lost coin If he
pitchers named In the negotiations.
ut Is wrong" explained Hedges, after
the meeting with Griffith. that l want
ed Joe Engel: ! want wan .su3t pitche, nSst.o who
greatest success has been against my
own club. and 1 can't see what good he
would be to me. With the others.
though. they have shown enough to
need a man to step right In now, and
Ayers is the best one available. How
ever. Griff wanted the United States
Treasury for him. and I'm not that
wealthy"
The Old Fox seems convinced that his
team is not vet out of the race. He
says that though they are not hitting
team right up around the top. How
ever. he is in the field for dependable
batsman. and he Is expected to b: an
to obtain the man he wants.
"Just because we're down In the list
now means nothing to me-" said the Old
Fox. We're near enough to leap
to the top, II we happen to hit winning
streak. You never can tell when We'll
get going at our right speed. 1t may
begin today or tomorrow. That's one OF
the strange things about baseball-you
tAh -k.1 n1Nt to oNTf 1ttaty
or a winning streak will begin: 1t
comes In a minute. ! don't quit fighting
for a pennant in May. All I want Is
my share of the luck in this game, and
ting 1t now, with half dozen regulars
batting below .25o But they'll change
for the better. soon. Then we'll d."
some climbing
Asked II he intended benching any Of
his hitless regulars, Manager Griffith
said that he had no such intention. He
explains that benChing them would take
'em. stay until they find out them
selves" says the Old Fox. They'll get
started"
The two vacation stunts in ST Louis
will hardly have a beneficial effect on
the Gritfmen. So far they have laid off
seven days since leaving home. On one
OF those days they held batting drill
in Chicago, but they wasted the other
y.
his chances to get started up the lad
der. but he doesn't complain much.
Twelve games have been played to
date on This trip. OF these. four have
been victories, winning percentage OF
1893. Such baseball. II continued much
longer. will bring the team pretty well
down 10 the cellar. However. the boys
think they will Gtten on the Indians
here and at least break even with the
Tigers. That would make a very re-
spectacle finish Of trip that has been
most disappointing so far. With no
more postponements twenty contests
Will have been staged Three out of
four here and two in Detroit would
make the standing OF the Griffmen nine
victories against eleven defeats, which
IL not bad on the road. Any time a
team breaks even when on the road for
a month, it Is doing well. The Old Fox
won't be bit peevish II he can return
home with nine victories on this trip.