The Washington times., 1916-01-03
Until Sinclair Settles Efforts to
Purchase Giants, Magnates
Will Not Confer on Details
! of Peace.
Clark Griffith's Scheme for
Drawing Lots for Players
Looks Good to Sport Writer
in Rochester, N. Y.
By LOUIS A. DOUGHER.

Dy LoOlo "A. bo
Though it was scheduled for to-
cay in Cincinnati, the "peace meet
ing" of the baseball magnates has
been indefinitely postponed, accord
ing to information from Chicago,
the Ban johnson headquarters. Be-
fore leaving for Redland, the boss
Of the American League announced
that it would not be held for week
or ten days, 1t is possible that, be-
fore the peace negotiations are com
pleted, the moguls will hold ses-
sion or two in New York. Harry
Sinclair's efforts to purchase the
New York Giants is the reason Cor
this postponement, che magnates
not wishing to conclude their duties
until this momentous proposition
has been settled one way or the
other.
Despite denials for the past few weeks
on the part Of John B. Foster. secretary
Of the Giants. Sinclair has made several
tentative offers for Harry Hempstead's +
holdings in the New York club. The la st
offer. according to Hempstead himself.
was $1,25o,ooO, and the National League
magnate is considering 1t seriously The
Oklahoma oil man has made A most
favorable impression upon the big
leaguers. and they are willing that he
Join the organization. il he can find a
suitable opportunity. He wants the
Giants and looks likely to get it.
1t 10 expected that. IL Sinclair pur~
chases the control Of the Giants, Jim
Gilmore. who was president Of the Fed
eral League. will become president OF
the club and official representative of
Sinclair.
MANAGER Clark Griffith expects to visit
Charlottesville some day this week with
plan Of looking over the situation
there. His efforts to find a suitable
training camp have so far been futile,
but before he decides on some other To-
lion he will make trip down to the
lese town himself.
he plan of Clark Griffith for the
wing Of lots for players about to be
nsferred In the big leagues comes in
praise by writer in the Roche 81
No better baseball reform ever ha.
IN suggested than that fathered by
Clark Griffith which would bar the
SAFE or trade OF players during the
The practice Of strengthening a pen.
nant chasing team by robbins a medi-
oere club of its stars is a blot on the
the game as no other trick can hurt it
The 1915 season furnished an excellent
example Of this evil
Joe Jackson was the only real sta,
sons presence In the lineup that drew
the bulk Of the small crowds that saw
the Indians in action. In midsea son the
White Sox were In the thick OF the pen
nant fight. Comiskey needed an out
felder Of the slusGing type-and Jack
SON was the man. He knew the Cleve
land club needed money and so he play
ed on its weak spot-money-made q
$4,000 offer-and got Jackson.
ened the White sox. yes but his soin,
soured the Cleveland fans on the club
the home attendance dropped almost Il
nothing. and on :he road the JACKSON
less Indians played almost to empty
seats.
"Hughie Jennings Tigers also Mrr,
in the pennant right. 1t was nghreC
that If they could get one or two goo,
pitchers Immediately they might VI.
found the men he wanted on the pay ror
of the Browns. Those men were Pi;"h
ers James and IoudcImi!k. The 't!~c,
made a huge offcr 20 the Brownie
owners for those two risChers--aCd tho
got them because the Browns net,:r,
the money.
I'm mid sea son the Red SoX not',cd
Nrst-class second oascmam. Jack Gar'
was the man they y.anted. Cr".'.i
Mack had saved Barry from the w..
age of the Athletics 1914 machine, ",
the lure of Joe Lannin'E gold was, 20
strong-and Barry went to tho Red SoA
holstered UP the infeld and set the pac
that shot the Red Sox under the wlr
ahead of the field
And then there's another side on
which a wealthy club can take advan
tage OF poor one. suppose the Re
financially. They couldn't have pur
chased Barry, and without Barry the
might not have been able to win. be
cause the purchases of the White SO
and Tigers had strengthened thos
teams to a point where they wer
stronger than the 1918 team that Ian
min put into the field
"A club ought to be forced to g
through a season without outside air
ana here's the hope that Gritf can pu
through his resolution at the Amer
can League meeting! 1t would help tn
game.
world the Enates will have to ~
together upon the standing OF federS
eskue players. 1odsI at least thre
different views are known to the put
lie Here they are:
Every Federal Lacquer is thrown o
the market to the highest bidder.
Those clubs purchased by FEEDER;
League owners OF 1918 may hold q
! FEDERAL League players taking part
aAs waiver rul. must be used tefor