The Washington times., 1916-02-15
Joe Lannln's Physical Condition
Demands That He Drop
Cares Of Game.
NO PRICE is MENTIONED
American League to Convene In
New York to Adopt 1916
Schedule.
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

PI LOoA0 "a AfNg gC0@eA~A~s
The worlds champion Red Sox
may be "-id at the meeting of the
American League in New York this
week. 1t is said that Joe Lannin,
owner of the club, has been advised
by his physician to get out of base
ball, If he would prolong his life,
On this account he may accept an
offer from l.. G. Page. the Boston
publisher.
Just what Lannin will take for his
ball club will not be known until the
sale is made. 1t was said few
weeks ago that Page offered $4,000
for the club, but that Lannin asked
100000. With peace on the dia-
mond once more, the club may be
worth as much as 100000. =
Lannin Is q nervous man and follow
ing his club around the circuit has beer
one of his hobbies. But he has suf-
fered lot when his team was losing
and now his physician has told him
that running a hotel Is far easier or
his nerves than roofing for his bal
club.
The American League will meei
Thursday at the Hotel Wolcott I'm New
York. and tho National Commission will
meet there on Friday. On Saturday
the final session of the Federal League
viii be held In Chicago, and then the
fans will have no more worries about
tho magnates. The players will once
more step into the spotlight.
Beals Becker, the Phillies veteran
outfielder, has been Internationally re.
leased. After being with Philadelphia
Boston, New York and Cincinnati. h
of 1913 In 1914 he came TO life with {
.s26 batting average. Last season h'
fell down with the willow and was re-
placed by Whitfield Becker hit fol
.24e in 112 games last year.
Larry Chappell has been turned ovel
I othe Cleveland Indians by the White
Sox, thus completing the deal for Joe
jackson, Klepfer and Roth were tbs
other two men to go to Cleveland.
Lefty" George, the veteran south
paw released by the Cincinnati Reds
has signed with Columbus in the Ameri
can Association.
President Baker issues an official de.
NAL that any part of the PHILADELPHIA
Nationals has been sold 1t was said
that the interests of Charles w. Murphy
and Charles p. Taft were sold 70 a syn
dicate OF Philadelphia bankers.
In the first place." says Baker
there could be no transfer of stock
from Murphy and Taft to ANYBODY. for
the simple reason that they don't owr
any. Taft passed out OF the club com
pletely when Will Locke and myself
bought the club on January Ii. 1913
Murphy didn't figure in II. AS a mat
ter Of fact. Murphy never did own any
OF the PHILADELPHIA club.
Locke and paid 100000 in cash and
Taft took our notes for the rest. We
have paid these notes as fast as they
were presented. When Taft bought
tiahlc notes In part payment. That II
how Murphy presented these last few
notes to U.S.. But he never owned any
stock in the Philadelphia club
The grounds are owned Jointly by
Mrs. Helen Taft and G. W. Murphy
but in 1920 or 1921 we have the privilege
of buying them for price stipulated
when Locke and bought the club"
Umpires' salaries In the Pacific Coas
League have been chopped for 1916.
Despite James II. O'Rourke's strenu
GUS campaign against 1t, the New Eng
land League and Eastern Association
will be merged. Official sanction hal
been granted the merger by the Ma
tional Association of Minor Leagues
and the new circuit viii consist o
Lowell. Lawrence. Worcester, Lynn
and Portland. of the New England
Hartford. New London. and Springfield
of the Eastern Association.
II the American League meeting Il
New York Thursday fails to develo
anything satisfactory to the Balti
more Federal League stockholderI
Carroll Rasin and Ned Hanlon threat
en- TO institute a suit against organ
lied baseball, seeking to get bacl
whatever money the Baltimore folk
lost supporting the dictated ventur
headed by Jim Gilmore.
Just what will be done cannot b
foretold. Just who Will be called up
on to pay over the money to tn
Baltimore people cannot be foretolt
II IL possible that the national com
mission Will undertake to settle thi
trouble.
Bob Groom. who once performed o.
the hill for the Washington club wit
more or less skill. will not be retaine
by Fielder Jones for the Brownies thi
coming season, according to advice
from the Griftmen to the st. Louis Fed
and failed to achieve anything mar
velous under the Gilmore banner. Nov
he will have to slide back into the mi
nors.
Fielder Jones is going to have yer
fair pitching stan next summer, though
Sisler. Mccabe, Hamilton, Weilma;
Koob. Tillmann. Parks, and Baum
gartner. from the Old Browns, an
Crandall, Plank Davenport. Finohei
and Phillips. from the 1915 Sloufed
should offer considerable brllliancy {
the mound work OF the st. Louis tear
in 1916.
Gene Paulette and Babe Borton al
going TO be given trials at first bas
by Fielder Jones, unless SOM othe
better man Is found. Paulette was
bear" In the southern Association
and. with better health. might mAnae
to hang ON this time Paalctte lea
out with the New York Giants becaus
of frail health. Borton was with N
siOufeds IN isih and Y = slow. cum