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

Though it was scheduled for to-
cay in Cincinnati, the ''peace meet
ing" of the baseball rnagnates 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 a week
or ten days, 1t is possible that, be-
fore the peace negotiations are COM
pleted, the moguls will hold a ses-
sion or two in New York. Harry
Sinclair's efforts to purchase the
New York Giants is the reason Cor
this postponement, the magnates
not wishing to conclude their duties
until this monentous 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 Hempstea ad' =
holdings in the New York club. The last
ofer. according to Homestead himself
was N.26o,ooO. and the National League
maEnate is considering II seriously. The
Oklahoma oil man has made 4 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.
II 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 oP
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 hnd a suitable
training camp have so far been futile.
but before he decides on some other To-
zion he will make a trip down to the
leEe town himself. 'N
ne plan of Clark Griffith for the
WlnG OF lots for players about to be
nsferred In the big leagues comes in
praise by writer in the Rochester
NJ Pest Express, as follows:
no PETER baseball reform ever has
sn suggested than that fathered by
clark Griffith which would bar the
sale or trade Of players during the
playing season.
The practice of strengthening a pen-
n2nt chasing team by robbing a medi-
oere club Of its stars is a blot ON the
escuteheon of baseball. And it hurts
the gAme as no other trick can hurt II,
me lslo season FURNISHED an excellent
example of this evil
Joe Jackson was the only real star
on the Cleveland roster. 1t was Jack
sons presence in the lineup that drew
the bulk Of the small crowds that saw
the Indians in action. In midseason the
White Sox were in the thick Of the peri-
nRnt hght. Comiskey needed an out
nelder Of the slugging type-and Jack.
son was the man. He knew the Cleve-
lapd club needed money and so he play.
ed on its weak spot-money-made a
&e,@0 offer-and got Jackson.
Whqt happened? Jackson strensth-
ened the White Sox: yes but his going
soured the Cleveland fans on the club.
the home attendance dropped almost to
nothing. and on :he road the Jackson
less Indians played almost to empty
seats.
"Hughie jennings Tigers also Mers
that If they could get one or two good
pitchers Immediately they might Mn
the flag. So HuShie secuted round AMI
found the men he wanted on the paN roll
OF the Browns. Those men were Pitch
ers James and LoudeTmilk. The Tigers
made a huge offer 20 the Brownie 3
owners for those two plscherg-nEd they
got them because the Browns needed
the money.
I'm mid season the Red sox nae.led q
frst-clHss second oascman. Jack Barry
was the man they wanted. Conni9
Mack had saved Barry from the wfacL..
age of the Athletics 1914 machine, but
the lure OF Joe Lannin's gold was TOO
stronE-and Barry went to the Red SoX,
bolstered UP the infleld and set the pace
that shot the Red Sox under the wire
ahead of the held.
And then there's another side -one
which a wealthy club can take advan-
tsge of a poor one. Suppose the Red
SoN in 1915 had not been we'll equipped
hranciaily. They couldn't have pur-
chased Barry, and without Barry they
cause the purchases of the White Sox
and Tigers had strengthened those
teams TO a point where they were
stronger than the 1915 team that Lam
min put into the field.
"a club ought to be forced to 90
through a season without outside aid,
and here's the hope that Griff can put
through his resolution at the Ameri-
can League meeting! 1t would help the
/gams."
Before peace comes upon the baseball
world. the magnates will have to get
tegethsr upon the standing of Federal
League players. To-day at least three
diferent views are known TO the pub
Every Federal Leaguer is thrown on
the market to the highest bidder.
Those clubs purchased by Federal
League owners OF 1918 may hold ell
FSdtral LeaSue players taking part in
60 waiver rule must be used before