The Washington times., 1916-02-03
Ban Johnson Reported To Be in
Sixth City Today to Assist
in Closing Deal For the
indians.
Ward interests, Of Brooklyn,
Deny That They Have De.
signs Upon Troubled Club Of
American League.
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.
The Cleveland club may be sold
today. Ban Johnson, boss of the
American League. is reported to be
in the Sixth City comforting with
the bankers committee in charge Of
the financial affairs of the vice
president of the American League.
Roger Bresnahan, former manager
of the Chicago Cubs, is said to be
in the field to become manager of
the Indians instead of the Toledo
club. This rumor is thus far un-
supported, however.
The Wards, OF Brooklyn hasten to
deny that they have any designs on
the Cleveland club. 1t had been report
cd that they were interested in the ef-
fort to buy out Charlie Somers' inter-
ests. Ban Johnson Is working in perfect
harmony with the bankers committee,
in Cleveland, and some way out of the
present unsatisfactory situation is eX-
pected,
The Baltimore owners OF the Federal
League franchise have about concluded
that they arc done. so far as major
league baseball is concerned. They have
sent out letters to all players of 1915,
telling them that they are free to
seize jobs wherever possible. The men
they have notified are Manager otto
Knabe, Catcher Pip Owens, Pitchers
Jock Quinn, George Suggs, and Rankin
Johnson: Infielder Enos Kirkpatrick
Evans, Jack McCandless, and Dave
Hickman.
Eddie Plank, the veteran snuripaw
pitcher las, stirred up q fuss by APP
his desire to be declared free aE,nt.
Ban johnson. OF Eeinc asked to eX-
rlain the official status Of PlarN. says
that he iS'tile property cf tie st. Lc uis
club throu"h tho reserve rule. Dr2an
i""d baseball, in other words las
agreed to respect th" reserve rule of
the. dctunct Federal League.
Flank r,cciNed E<.'W from tn 81.
Louis Fed, in l@l5. and. it is sNiI has
been rendered Il sI,un contract this year
by Fielder Loncs. Plank has d.cIucd
to sicn p l?lG contract md has ,,llied
Jcncs' ettention to his position 1t the
head Il the Federal L"seue ritcher-
last season. lie claims that his Fcdaral
League contract ended last October
and tHi when he signed with the m
derendents. every ma'"r league club
had waived or him. Lan Johnson cor
lects this statement, saving that Gin.
cinnati and Eoston in the National
League. had not waived.
RI Plank wants tc Ilsv bail this sea
son ho will have t. accept trr 81.
Louis offer.
In discussing former Federal Lea
Guers, Ban lohnsou iS rerol'od 70 hnvo
said that neither Ifat Chase nor
George StoEal, + hlacklISted by Amer
There is NJ hlnck list" Johnson is
credited with saving hat stovalI aNd
Chase arc not tho kird OF men the
American LeaCU" wants"
II is barely noss'hle that Chase may
find "lace IN tho National League
though there IS no certainty OF this
hut Stovall seems doomed He has
slowed NJ too much 70 hold his own in
"a ST. comoany. 4 few days ago IT was
whispered that he might become man,
aFer % tho Cleveland Indiana. II Ed
Gwinnor purchased Somers' club. But
Gwiuncr Tailed to buy. and now BaT
Johnson Skaters whatever hope Stoval
had of returning to Cleveland az ar
American Lacquer.
JacF Lelivelt former National. Is r.
play 'he outfield for Kansas city neXt
summe". He hold down first ba 80 "
1915, h'.' with Fred Beck and HARRY
FinchT = on the team. he will have Al
opportur..y to so hack to the garden.
-
tho Bost Red Sox, Cleveland Nan
and Cinci 1at Reds has obtained Nil
release from Vernon in the Coas
League. Hnd will retire. In ten YEAR
on the diamond Nc has invested hi
money 50 wNll 'hqt & IS reported tina
h" Is worth $1,000.
-
Connie Mack tried TO si~n un Emmon
HcweN. of Holy Cross College. ycstFr
day, and H'NS TUNED down Bowen plo-.ot
tho ou'feld for tho New Haven Colo
n,sls last summer n Federal LcaEu
'farm." Tho Braves have been afte
Rowon swithout success. and now Conni
Mack has lost out
As a legacy from the recent damon
warfare. FIELDER Jones doesn't kno'
what to do with Jimmy Austin. tn
corner. Jones wants to play "Chuck
Deal at third. hut Jmmv Austin own
a double-ri"eted contract for 1916 cal
inP for $500 No minor league clu
paior league clubs want Austin, an,
way. with or without that contract. S
Jones Is worried bit.
Austin is the second hiThest nricr
player on the brownies Earl Harli'
ton il collecting $500 thus getting N
Roth these PLAYERS succeeded in get
ting these salaries beCaute they jumT
ed 70 tho Feds and then hurdled hac
agPin. AUS'ir honred 10 th" Fed 'us
onel Hodge,. l"ft NJ the post. Nad {
dig up thc $3.50 n set his third haS,
mnn and Sundey manager back on m
fob.
eran and nat Charlie Deal a third r.
~AAr sArtsIR 70 AhlnS In the big SHOW