The Washington times., 1915-07-22
EmphaticaIIy States That Home
Run King Can Never Play on
His Team Again, As Good As
He Is.
Also States That Neither Of the
Three Leading Clubs Can
Have Services Of Former
Athletic At This Time.
By LOUIS A BOUCHER.

DETROIT. Mich. July 22.-The pos
sible efforts Of the Nationals to
obtain Frank Baker looks all the bet
ter with the announcement of Connie
Mack here that under no circumstances
VIII he sell Baker. his hard-hitting
third baseman. to any Of the three lead
ing ball clubs. II the Washington CLUB
really wants Baker to I'LL that big hole
necessary m money n s and i he ~ will become ONE the
property Of the Nationals At any rate,
that is the inference to be drawn from
Connie Macks statement:
II don't want Frank Baker for my
Mack yesterday after his team had
Won the final game Of the series from
the Tigers. Il don't want a player Of
value to any team Of which he is a
member A number Of clubs are seek
iLE his services. Well. three Of them
can't have him: shall not sell him
cago or Detroit. That would be almost
the same as fixing the race. and I shall
never consider such a thing"
Further than that Mack would say
nothing. He. refused to say whether
or not Clark Griffith had made an
offer for the slugginE third baseman.
asking to be excused from speaking
Of such a matter. Griffith also re-
Ban Johnson left Detroit before he
1uid be cornered. 1t was ,rumored
offices in obtaining Baker for the
White sox. 1t is most unlikely that
he would do such thing. for that
would practically assure Comiskey's E
team Of the final honors in the pres
that he merely conferred with Connie
Mack to find out just what he would
40 with his rebellious slugger. Mack
Is said to have told johnson that
clubs below third place in the race.
President johnson denied that he
was here for anything save a de.
Tigers. That explanation does not 60
down very we'll. He conferred with
Connie Mack for more than an hour
at the Cadillac Tuesday. altheush
four days stay in Chicago. Fol-
lowtns that conference Johnson met
Frank Navin, the Tiger mogul. and
had a long talk with him: Nsvin Is
Frank Baker. II he did so Connie
Mack must have TUNED him down.
When he sold Eddie Collins to Chicago
for 5000 Connie Mack . vas was reported d.,S 70
quite as much. If Mack was correctly
quoted. he will now sell Baker for sJ0."oo
to New York. Washington. Cleveland or
St. Louis. New York is l. not; not in n, need ne e .
his best ball: Any Of the other three
could use Baker very we'll. 1t Is doubt
full If Cleveland can afford the money
argument is narrowed down to St. Louis
or WASHINGTON. II either club is willing
to pay the price. it may be able to have
Baker in its lineup within few weeks
The Washington ball club is not given
the single exception OF Gandil. not one
M mueh the his Ras o ' boast et
the club owners. Third base is now
vacant with the injury to Ray Morgan
t needs a hard hitter. one to put the
club in the race. all it needs to do is tc
hustle around and find the purchase
money for Frank Baker. Apparently
Rfer hs is nf sas anohsr Hs Sesr
run. He is hooked UP for three years
:or s20ooo. or almost 5000 year. When
some of the Griffmen are considered by
son. it NAV be easily seen that Bake,
would be worth that price to the Wash
.ngton club.
If Baker is obtained, Foster may re-
main at second base, where he is star.
ing. and organ traded or sold to some
other club II is generally thought thai
,lub has ended. If Baker Is turned
1own by the Washington club merely
5ecause of the high price asked for on,
# the best hitters In the game, tn,
,lub will have it's troubles explaining 1T
action. If Mana ger Griffith is right IL
saying that all he needs is just b
more hitting strength. and no effort il
made to obtain Baker II will be confes
,ion of lack of money or lack o
iesire to achieve the utmost glory OF
he diamond for the Capital
The Old Fox is confident that his team
will take at least three of the fou
games to be played here. How HI
'easons this out cannot be traced.
S lust fiat statement However h,
S greatly given to making such prophe
les, and so not much weight is attach
ID to the last one. While the Griff
mems pitchers are doing good work tn
est of the team is not supporting them
particularly with the bat Hughey Jen
,ings intends using all his best twirler
this series opening today, and 1t ma,
,e difficult for the Griffs to break even
)auss Coveleski Dubuc and Steen max
formidable quartet to oppose the Ma
ionals The Tigers have won Ave o
heir eight games with the Griffs so ia
his season, and the outlook on thi
eries Is not bright by any means from
Washington viewpoint.