Evening star., 1915-12-05

times the old league had during Freed
mans advent into the game. Freed
man wanted to run the ball club, and
the league as he had his other bust
ness affairs. and this, Of course, did
not work very well. The result was
that the Giants were tailenders most
| Of the time and the league was in hot
| water all the time that Freedman had
la hand in its meetings. It was John
T. Brush who managed to get Freeu-
| man to sell the club to him, as a re-
suit Of which McGraw went there to
manage and a most successful career
| for the Giants followed
There will be three winter race meet
ings in operation before very long, and
the chances are this will result in the
supply exceeding the demand. Juarez
now is the only track in operation, and
there is no telling how long it will
continue to run, because of present
conditions in Mexico. New Orleans
opens the first Of the year, but Decem-
Der 16 the Havana meeting, which
seasons ever held during the winter
| months, will open and be continued for
eIghty-two consecutive days, closing
March 10. The very fact that this
| Chris Fitzgerald, one of the few men
| identified with racing whose reputation
| has never been blotched, means that
1.-THE game will be clean there. And
be a victim Of the pari-mutuel betting
system, for the old books will be in
vogue there.
| With the improvements which have
been mace in the Havana track, and
| with the chance of normal weather
prevailing, the meeting promises to be
| one Of the most successful that any
| winter race track has ever experienced.
| Nothing would be more surprising
hov AHnA oh htrv "a
controlling interest in the Cleveland
] ball club. Last summer McAleer fre-
quently ran up to Cleveland when the
Nationals were playing there just to
see some of his former charges in ac-
tion. and at that time it was frequently
said that McAleer might be considering
interesting himself in the Cleveland
| club. This, however, he denied most
emphatically, expressing great relief
that he had gotten out of the game
when he did and declaring he never
would get into 1t again. Now, simply
because he visited Cleveland for a few
days and. of course. was around with
Charley Somers. the old story Of Nc
Aieer buying the club was revived.
1t Is not revealing secret to say
on speaking terms. 1t was due te
Johnsons stand that McAleer got Out
OF the Boston club a couple of years
ago. His release of Jake Stah1, 8
friend of Johnson's. got him in ba6
with the head OF the league and he was
perhaps forced to sell his interests
there and then. II the Cleveland club
is sold 1T is quite likely that johnson
VIII have his say as to whom 1t shall
be sold. He always has directed such
| league affairs and now while the wal
Is on with the Feds he is sure to ex-
ercise more care in this respect than
| ever before.
4 McAleer is in prosperous financial
! state, and he could easily offer to buy
the Cleveland club, but, as said before
there are reasons for believing he IL
out OF the game for all time.
i According to a special form Cincin-
natl, it is by no means assured that
1 Charley Herzog will succeed himself
as manager OF the Cincinnati Reds
next season. Rumor has it that the
members Of the team are bit sore at
their manager because he made II
hard for them to get along with him
ball, he did not prosper as leader
and that the players are objecting to
his appointment.
that Is true, to retain Herzog. for 1t II
high time that some one should be
backed up In the handling OF the Gin
cinnau club. The players always have
been able to lodge complaints against
their manager with those higher up
which is not an ideal condition.
manager must be In full charge OF thu
team IL he is to have success, and while
Herzog may have been little mex
managing. he surely y entitled 70
=