The Washington times., 1916-12-09
Wants to Be on Ground Early
h When American League
+ Holds Its Meeting.
FEWER EXHIBITIONS HERE
National Commission In Earnest
Concerning Players Dis
obeying Orders.
NJ LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

Manager Clark c. Griffith leaves
today for Chicago In order to do a lit
tie trade talking with American
League msgnates and managers be-
fore the annual meeting OF the or.
ganization convenes on Thursday at
Ban Johnson's offices. However. he
has little hope OF arranging any deals.
Returning to Washington around
January I, the Old Fox plans to get
busy on his 1917 contracts, and to
Scmpls.e, all ss IRA 2, for a HIS
IL In unlikely that the battery men
will go South before March !, while
the remainder of tho squad will hard
" report until March 10. Three weeks
are expected to put the PLAYERS In
shape. for the exhibition games be-
fore the campaign opens.
Few Contests Here.
There will bee fewer exhibition
games here next spring. Georgetown,
Of course. will open the series, but the
Phiilies and Braves may be the only
other clubs to face the 1917 Grinmen
IN the Capital. The Phillies VIII be
here April 9. Z, and y. but the other
dates are yet to be settled.
Practice games will be played N
Gssrs clubs Bso srsnns mn IN that SECTION
Spring exhibition games have never
drawn large crowds at Georgia ave-
nue., and the danger OF cold, rainy
weather. here may compel the oid
Fox TO delay his return from Augusta
until the last mipute.
Commission In Earnest.
The national commission shows II.
self very much In earnest by lcvying
fines on nfty,one major league play
ers for engaging In post.season geInos
contrary to orders. ana ths otn, ,sn
Members of thirteen OF the sixteen
big league clubs have been nned from
s2b TO 300 each.
Henriksen, Janvrin, shorten, Hob
IttxeI, Lewis, Mentally, Scott, Cady,
Ruth, and Barry. OF the worlds cham.
pions, have been fined 800 apiece for
playing a game At New Haven conn,
and Ty Cobb must hand over 500 for
appssring against them. s,u.,. and
Harry Davis, Connie Mack's assistant,
must also fork up 800 each for play.
ING In New England cities against
johnson Suspended.
walter johnson, who pitched an ex.
hibition game at Kansas City against
Grover Alexander, has had a $50 hne
imposed, but suspended. Max Carey,
OF tho pirates, and stengei and Wheat.
of the Dodgers, played In that game
and suffer the same .punishment;
In all thirty.eight players had nnes
of s26 imoosed and suspended. Inc
commission soiemniy warns the play
ers that. II they break the rules again;
the suspended hnes Will be Collected
IN addition 20 sitter ones added.
While some think that the fratern'
ity may hight the ruling OF the com
n,ission, IL IL more probable that the
players nned will pay up, and the
other thirty-eight will consider them
selves fortunate TO get on with so
light n punishment.
Figures Don't Satisfy.
The official pitching avearge OF the
American League once more fail TO sat
ssfy the fans. No record Is kept OF
wins and losses. the pitchers being
ranked by the number OF earned runs
or them per game. The fans care little
for such figures. basing their opinions
wholly on victories and defeats.
Babe Ruth, the Red Sox southraw. IL
the leading pitcher. allowing INF. o1i iod W.
Waiter Johnson's lss gives him third
pdace.. Johnson pitched 81 innings; the
highsst total for The league .or, Harry r
worked in ga Is innings. and Ruth in
80 IS innings.
Harper L. EiEhteenth.
Harry Harper. with AS. ranks eight
zenith in a total OF sixty pitchers. Jim
Shaw Is twenty-hfth. Gallia thirty-nrst,
Dumont forty-frst and Doc Ayers nifty
sixth.
Elmer Myers, OF the Mackmen. passed
1853 batsmen for. the record.
Johnson famed 22S fatsmen, which Is
some record.
Thomas j. Hickey. OF Minneapolis, has
been elected president OF the American
Association, succeeding Tom Chiving'
ton. whose career has been stormy for
the past three years.