The Washington herald., 1916-01-25
CATHOLIC u. HAS REAL QUINTET:
SOUTH ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP
is ALREADY WITHIN ITS GRASP
Brooklanders Have Beaten
Virginia and All Other OPP
ponents Except Navy.
GOSSIP AND COMMENT
New Workers Cannot See Why Griffith
Should Claim Joe Gedeon,
the In6eIder.
By WILLIAM PEET.

Although 1t comes rather hard at
times to wax enthusiastic over basket
ball, there is one college team in our
midst which deserves more than passing
notice.
Catholic University. of Brooklsnd. has
virtually won the South Atlantic cham
pIonship. defeating the University of
Virginia on its own gymnasium floor in
Charlottesville, playing the Navy to a
by the scant margin of one point, and
humblins all other auints with whom II
has come IN contact.
College basketball IL 30 per cent skill
and 70 per cent spirit. Any time
team wins a basketball game on a
foreign floor II must be at least Is per
cent better than its opponents.
Catholic University not only possesses
the material but also the spirit or pep"
as baseball players would say.
Fred Rice, the veteran player. coaches
the Brooklanders and ever since he has
been at the helm Catholic U. has made
a noise like a real basketball team
II is perhaps unfortunate that Catholic
University and Georgetown do not meet
on the basketball court. but taking
comparative scores into consideration.
Georgetown does not look to be in quite
the same class with the Brookland
bunch.
Coach Rice has under his wing a team
which is aggressive. plays the way he
tells them. and Is obsessed with the idea
that nobody in this neck Of the woods
can beat EN-
1t looks very much from this angle as
Il Catholic Uniyersity's claim to the
South Atlantic basketball championship
would not be disputed when the final
curtain is rung down
Manager Griffith last night forwarded
his evidence in support Of his claim for
Joe Gedeon to President Ban Johnson, OF
the American League, and the "Old Fox
Is confident he will get this player for
the local club despite the fact that Joe
Villa. the well-knOwn New York sport
writer, takes a different view Of the case,
his opinion being as follows:
Although Clark Griffith, OF the Wash
ingtons, and Pat Moran. Of the Phillies.
are crying out in protest against the
purchase Of Inielder Gedeon by the
Yankees, there is no chance for either
of them TO secure this brilliant young
player. When the peace agreement was
signed recently by leaders of organized
Baseball and the Federal League, Gedeon
was among the players who were turned
over to II. F. Sinclair for disposal
salt Lake club TO the Newark Feds until
after the bail season was over. But he
actalyy signed a three years contract
with the Newark Feds. with the ten
DAYS release clause erased. The contract
called for a salary Of $4,000 this year,
$500 In 1917 and $500 in 1918, and Gedeon
received 81 90 for signing. This all hap
pened before the warning magnates got
together ard agreed to eliminate the
Feds Sinclair therefore, had full au-
thority to assign Gedeon's ironclad con-
tract to Col. Rupert and Capt Huston.
and, IL necessary. the deal will be con-
irmed by the national commission"
Mr. villa probably has not been in
formed OF the fact that Griffith has al
ready paid for an option on Gedeon's
had no right to do business with the
Feds.
Rules which will be more strict than
usual and which managers will insist
upon being obeyed will be read to the
PLAYERS OF various major league clubs
when they get to their training camps in
the spring.
For two years discipline has been rather
lax among the major leaguers. There was
less fear than usual of being punished
for ipfractions Of the training rules and
the managers were forced to remain silent
and bide their time. Now, with so much
competition for places on the various
teams, II will be necessary for the play
ers TO watch their step and they will
be held to a strict account.
The wise player will see how the land
lays and act accordingly. This should
result in better playing and the public
win be the gamer by seeing better games
NJ