Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-10
iris" SPEAKER TO CLEVELAND
CLUE, FOR PRINCELY STIPEND
--CARRICAN ANNOUNCES DEAL
News Acts Like Bombshe ong Teammates, Who Regret
His DeparureTransfer Wo ud Indicate That the maps
Will Spend Some Money to Strengthen Team

New York. April 9.-Most Of US
were standing around the lobby of the
Sherman Square Hotel Saturday after
noon waiting to hear what news Eddie
Riley had to offer from Bridgeport.
Eddie and Bill Carr;gan were trying
hard to convince the Bridgeport man.
agement to call off today's ball game
and thus allow the Sox to rush off for
home at o'clock.
Finally Manager Bill came down in
the elevator. One look at his face and
we knew the early home going was
all off.
Bill Carrigan's News
well, boys" said he, Iris Speaker
has been sold to the Cleveland club.
It's big deal and Pres. Lannin, be-
sides getting a tremendous price, gets
a pitcher, Jones, and his choice of a
bunch Of others"
Bills remark was the signal for
smiles, and most Of them far from in
audible.
stop your kidding, Bill; do we go
home tonight or don't WEI" was the
sally.
mo, boys said the manager, Il
mean it; Speaker has been sold to the
Cleveland club-hoaest he has"-and
then we knew that Bill was passing
out the bad news straight from the
shoulder.
Could Hardly Realize It
No aeroplane bomb could have start
led the little coterie of worlds cham
rions more than Manager Carrigan's
announcement. Bill, Pres. Lannin and
even Speaker himself, only the night
before, had told us that everything
was f1ne-all except signing the con-
tract.
Carr1gan's news was unbelievable-but
it was true The proverbial pin could
have dropped million times in the hotel
corridor and it would have made a noice
like the sudden bursting of an automo-
bile. Everyone was speeches..
To the Red Sox the effect was like that
Of the bombshell that was suddenly toss
ed into the midst of the dressing room
in Chicago in 1918, when Jake Stahl came
in to tell the boys that his term as lead
er of the champions was at an end. Sat
urday players timply looked at each 9TH
er and then turned away.
For the moment the idea Of going out
into the rough and tumble of the season
that is coming without Speaker was
something they could not contemplate.
And they are still pinching themselves
to see if they are awake or only dream
ing.
BY and by iris himself came along and
told us that the news was true.
Players Hate to Lose "Spoke"
EYES," he said II belong to the Cleve-
land club now, but 1 have not come to an
agreement on terms. I'll go where the
money is.'' and something that looked
like a smile passed across his counte-
nance.
Then in the next breath he said, but
believe me, l hate to leave these boys"
1t was after 8 o'clock when Manager
Carrigan made the announcement to the
players and the newspapermen who are
here with the club. Carrigan and Rob-
ert Mercy, formerly treasurer of the
Red Sox. had been closeted upstairs talk
ing the matter over and had all but
signed the papers whereby Speaker was
transferred from the Boston to the Cleve-
land standard.
In the midst of their conversation the
telephone bell rang, and representa-
tive of news bureau asked if there was
any truth in the report that Speaker had
been sold to Cleveland.
''He has not" said Bill, and Carrigan
was right-for the papers had not been
signed McRoy and Carrigan looked at
In a few moments they signed their
agreement as representatives of the Bos-
ton and Cleveland owners. and then Car
rigan rushed down stairs to tell the
news, the effect of which has been to
cast a funeral gloom over the Boston
camp. The ball players have talked
of nothing else all afternoon and even
ing. But they haev said nothing to
those outside. What was there for them
to say?
They simply realized that 1t is now up
to them to go out to fight even harder
as the result Of having lost player
who was such big factor toward last
years success. They are bitterly dis
appointed that Speaker is not to be with
them again this year.
i
1t has set them thinking. But there is
no JOY for them in the prologue Of their
Fenway drama for 1916.
Bid Made by Cleveland Club
The deal was worked out in rapid-fire
fashion Friday night and Saturday. Aft
err Fridays game at Brooklyn. 1 came
back from Ebbets Fild with Mr.. Lam
min and was informed that the Speaker
situatio was no different than it had
been-that Speaker would play ball with
the Red Sox this year and that while
no contract had been signed the player
and the management were not at serious
odds.
Even Saturday morning, when
Speaker started downtown for his con-
ference, Iris said everything was go
ing to be fine. And there seemed moth
ing else to do except to sit about and
wait for the hoped-for news that the
Bridgeport game Sunday had been call