The Washington herald., 1916-01-06
Old Fox Would Not Sign Any
Of SoJCalled Outlaws
for Washington
GEDE0N FOR SECOND
Pacific Coast Younsster Slated for
Keystone Sack This Season.
Other Sport Gossip.
BY. WILLIAM PEET.

BY WILLIAM PEET.
"Not a Federal League player will 1
have on my ball club. 1 wouldn't pay
a nickle for one of them-dont want
'em around, and whether We finish In the
first division or last place this season.
I shall not look to the defunct outlaws
for material"
Manager Griffith, of the Nationals. made
the foregoing emphatic statement to the
writer last night adding-"rm going to
stick to the men who stuck by me. Most
of them turned down Federal League
offers and strange to relate did not hold
me up for fancy salaries.
'As a matter of fact / doubt II there
are more than possibly two Fed players
who could strengthen my club and to
be perfectly frank would not care TO
buy them at any price"
The Old Fox from start to finish has
been bitterly opposed to the Federal
League. He claimed two years ago that
the so-called Outlaws did not belong in
organized ball and would never be able
to stand the gaf.
Naturally Griff Is elated because peace
has been declared because conditions are
bound to be improved, this. incessant
chatter in the newspapers about high
salaries, etc. viii hereafter be reduced
TO soft pedal, the players will buckle
down to business in order to hold their
Jobs, and the public will once more take
fervent interest in the national game.
On top of the announcement from
Grin that he will have nothing to do
with the Fed players and is not in the
market for them, comes the statement
hold down second base for the Nationals
this season.
Griff is sweet on Gedeon, believing that
the youngster has all the ear marks of a
star. but admitted to the writer that
thus far he has been unable to sign up
the Pacific Coast lad for several reasons
In the first place Gedeon refused to
sign Washington contract last fall
and put his name to Federal League pa
pers for reasons best known to himself
Naturally the player will be claimed by
the Feds and the Old Fox for self-pro-
lection must appeal to the National Com
mission for decision.
Signing a Federal League contract
shows that Gedeon was probably infiu-
enced by some of his friends and a none
tary consideration sufficiently aIluring to
cause the act.
Griff believes that Gedeon has been ILL
advised and that II the younEster is
shown the light. he will return to Wash
ington and play good ball. .
Referring to the possibility of Ray
Morgan again holding down second base,
the Old Fox had little to say on the SUBJ
tect. IT don't know what l WIFI do with
Morgan. 1 don't know whether he will
keep in condition / have not sold or
traded him as yet and don't know wheth-
er 1 will have him with my club this
season or not"
From Griff's statement it appears that
Morgan must show a decided change of
heart and a determination to put forth
his best efforts II he is to be considered
as a second base possibility.
Manager GrifTith goes to Charlottesville
next Monday to settle the training camp
problem.
It appears that the members of the
Greek letter society, who for three years
past have turned their fraternity over to
Griffith during the month of March. will
hold a meeting Monday and decide
whether or not to move out again for the
accommodation Of the Washington ball
club.
The fraternity has grown in point of
membership, and according to reports
does not need the money, consequently
there is considerable opposition to rent
ing the house to the Nationals.
Grifr, on the other hand, believes that
when 1t comes to a showdown the boys
will move out for the month of March,
and then he can announce definitely his
spring training plans.
It looks as II the Phillies would have a
tough job repeating their success of win
ming a pennant last year.
Billy weart, the veteran Quaker City
scribe, says:
Pat Moran, manager of the Phillies,
is now shaping up his preparedness pro-
gram for the coming season. The indi-
cations are that Pat will have harder
time plotting the Quakers to a champion
ship this year than he had in 1915. 1t
was no easy Job to make a pennant win
ner out of the Phillies last year, and the
task should be far more difficult during
the next campaign for the National
League nag. 70
. There are several reasons for this con-
dition of affairs. Despite the fact that
the Phillies would be considerably
stronger individually and collectively
than they were at the start of the race
last spring. its strength will be needed.
because other National League teams
are expected to bolster up weak spots
by the addition Of players from the Fed
eral League and by trades with other
clubs. Then there should be a different
spirit shown by the players of other
teams in 1916. Competition for places on
the clubs is going to be harder than ever
Federal League offers to cause players
to take life easy and not give their best
efforts to their employers"