The Washington herald., 1916-01-26
Nationals Second Baseman Is
Interviewed and Gives
His Side Of Case.
EXPECTS TO BE SHIFTED
BY WILLIAM FEET.

Baltimore, Jan. $50 they figure that
I'm through as big leaguer-all the
clubs have waived on me. have they7
well, that isn't worrying me a bit.
I'll be in shape to play ball when the
season opens, and incidentally / might
add that am sNn under contract with
the Washington club. and this contract
has two years to run"
Ray Morgan, the Nationals second
baseman, thus unburdened himself dur
ing conversation with the writer here
this afternoon.
do you expect to be with Grln again
this season." / asked.
ITO be frank with you, I do not.
have been expecting every day to hear
that I had been transferred to some other
club.
'T had a talk with Grifith last fall
and he made 1t plain to me then that
might not be with the Nationals next
season.
do you think you gave the club your
best efforts last summer?''
mo. I admit that I was partly to
blame for allowing. myself to become
I overweight, but my suspension without
pay was long one, and l was punished
for failure to observe training rules"
What the future would bring forth
Morgan was unable to state. but declared
that was to put himself in first-class
physical condition, so that by the time
the 1916 season opened he would be ready
to play ball somewhere
Morgan is one of the most likable fell
lows on the Washington club. He u al
ways frank and above board. and nobody
on the team has ever tried harder to win
than the Baltimore youngster.
II would be crazy not to get myself
into shape to play ball, for the reason
that whether or not / am with Washing
ton intend to follow baseball as bust
ness, and know very well that no mana
ger will pay me a salary unless I am
physically ft," .vouchsafed the infielder,
''and you can take It from me that I will
be ready when the bill rings"
Morgan is today about twelve pounds
over his playing weight and has more
than two months time in which to get
rid of It. He is not as heavy by several
in Charlottesville with the Nationals
last spring.
According to plans mapped out, Ray
intends to work each day in the Y. NJ.
c. A. gym here, playing handbalL He
also proposes to take long walks In the
morning, and believes that by March
he will be only a few pounds over his
normal weight.
The writer has been scored by many
Washington baseball fans for trying to
give Morgan a helping hand-in other
words, refusing to help kick the young
ster out of the league.
II It is true that the majority Of local
fans have soured on Morgan. then Rays
days of usefulness in the Capital are
over, and Griffith could hardly afford to
keep him on the ball club.
The fans are the Judge and the Jury
when it comes to ball players, and no
wise baseball manager tries to force men
on them who are not wanted.
Unless Grifr negotiates a trade of some
| sort the Nationals are likely to be found
with nobody but Morgan for the second
base job, for 1t looks now as II Gedeon
was lost to the club, and Morley Jen-
nings. the Minneapolis recruit. is not Of
| big league caliber. for competent judges
| proclaim him only a fair minor Lacquer.
There is much to be favorably said
| about Morgan. He seldom plays his best
game in Washington. In fact, the whole
| club plays better tall on the road, and
| II Ray reports IN good condition for
spring training Grifith may be forced to
play him on the keystone sack and keep
| him there, for Morgan Is a better ball
player than any of the recruits who are
| booked for trials in Charlottesville.