The Washington herald., 1916-01-23
JOE GEDEON MAY BE "a LEMON
BUT GRIFF WILL PUT UP FIGHT
FOR PLAYER SIGNED BY YANKS
Old Fox Discusses Case Over
Long Distance Phone with
Huston, Of New York.
OTHER SPORT GOSSIP
Few Major Leagues Buying Fed
Player-Why Johnson Is Sore
on Hermann.
By WILLIAM PEET.

By. WILLIAM PEET.
ANY time they try to steal one of my
ball players from me I'm going to tight
Joe Gedeon this season may turn out
to- be lemon but he belongs to me
. by right OF civil law and II necessary I
tect my property.
Il had a talk over the Iong-distance
telephone with Capt. Huston, part owner
OF the New York Yankees, yesterday
morning and explained my side OF the
case in detail
When New York bought Gedeon Cap
tain Huston informed me he believed he
had perfect right to his services! Ged-
cons name was on the Federal League
list and marked for sale
Captain Huston added that he was not
familiar with Washington's claim to
Gedeon's services and did not know that
the local association considered Gedeon
as its property, he went further saying
that he would investigate the matter
thoroughly, and impaired the impression
that both he and his partner Col. Rup-
pert, intended to do the right thing"
The foregoing in substance Is a state
ment given to the writer last night by
Manager Griffith, Of the Nationals.
The Old Fox is considerably "het UP"
over the Gedeon affair and declares that
necessary to restrain the player from
playing with the New York Yankees or
any other club in organized baseball.
On top of all this comes, story from
Philadelphia that Pat Moran, manager
of the Phillies, also had an eye on Ged-
con and proposed to put in a bid for
that player.
Here's the story:
he
Donovan. of the New York Americans.
was a blow to Manager Pat Moran. of
the Phillies. The FItchburg genius
counted on Gedeon being the Phils' sec
ond-sacker next season. Moran thought
that everything was arranged for the
transfer. but in some way Manager Dono-
van was able to block the deal and get
the player for the Yanks.
Without a doubt. Moran will be great
ly disappointed. The events of the last
few weeks have been tremendously favor
able to the Yanks. In addition to Cullop
and Gedeon, they also have signed Lee
Magee, strengthening the Yanks in many
departments Cullop is promising pitch
pr and Schaefer will be a good coach
line attraction for the Yanks"
While the baseball war was raging the
big leaguers refused to go after the Feds
players. They said that it was best to
allow the Feds to do all the raiding, in
asnuch as the public would refuse to
patronlzs contract jumpers In this con-
tentiOn. the major league magnates were
partially right. but the fact that som,
OF them have gladly welcomed jumpers
back into the fold shows that the policy
pursued by orga nized baseball for two
years was a serious mistake. II there
Is no harm in taking back deserters and
contrsct breakers now why was it
wrong to win them away from the Feds
i'm 1914 and 1915?
John McGraw tried to knock the props
from under the Federal League last
April when he signed Kauff. If th.
powers that he had decided that KaurY
was eligible to plaY with the Giants on
April .. there isn't a doubt that fifteen
or twenty of the Feds best players
would have followed Kauf's example
in which event the outlaws would have
collapsed in midsummer
The odd part Of the big leaguers' watch
full waiting policy was their WILLINGNESS
10 play such men "a Marquard. wlngo.
Perrit. Marsans and others who jumped
TO the Feds during the winter months
and then Jumped back again in the spring.
II the big magnstes had treated the
Feds from the outset of the baseball war
with doses Of their own medicine the
struggle would have been short and de-
cisive.
Joe Villa. Of the New York Evening
sun, takes a hot shot at Garry Herr
mann. chairman Of the National Com
mission. as follows:
Although Garry Hermann will remain
chairman Of the National Commits sion
until January. 1917-unless he sends In
his resignation before his term Of office
expires-Ban johnson. president Of the
American League. is determined to have
his scalp. Hermann and johnson, life
long friends. have reached the parting
OF the ways. Johnson has come to the
conclusion that two Of the three mem
bers of the commission cannot be Ma
tionsl League men, When the commits
sion was organized johnson named Herr
mann for chairman, in spite of the fact
that Garry was the president of the Gin
cinnati club. For a dozen years there
was no friction. Johnson and Hermann
worked together like business partners.
They controlled the baseball situation.
When Hermann. a year ago last fall,
began TO hobnob with the Feds. however.
Johnson expressed his displessure. The
American Leagues boss believed that the
Feds were not entitled to recognition of
any kind. Furthermore, Hermann, as
chairman of the National Commission,
created the impression that his pow
vows with the Feds were inspired by
organized baseball Again last summer
Hermann riled johnson by holding
more conferences with the Feds. John
son wanted to carry the fight to finish,
and so did the American League.
1t Is possible that Hermann exceeded
his authority in negotiating for peace
and also failed to let Johnson know
what was being done until the National
League had arranged terms OF settle
ment- As Hermann and Gov. Tener
both were prepared to vote in favor of
this arrangement johnson was forced to
yield, in spite of his desire to drive the
Feds on the map. In short. johnson
feels that Hermann did not protect the
interests of the American League In his
easerness to clear the atmosphere.