New-York tribune., 1916-01-01
Not Even a Rumor Able to
Exist Along the Old
RiaItO Of Sport.
ONLY J. B. FOSTER
IN TALKING MOOD
Giants Secretary "Slck and
Tired" Of Denying That Team
Is on the Market.
BY FRANK O'NElLL.

You know the old jingle about the
night before Christmas, when al
through the house? Well. yesterday
was the day before New Years. and all
through the town there wasn't even
respectable rumor. Harry Sinclair
hadn't bought the Giants. Jim Gilmore
was not elected president Of anything,
and by and large i: was a hard night
along the Rialto.
But news was not the only thing
missing. There was long-haired
goat which answers 20 tho name o.
John B. Foster. When last hen {. was
running westward. blesting; The
Giants have not sold" John says ttst
he has contracted sore throat, lsryn-
g!tis and kindred ailments from deny
ing that the Hampstead interests had
! passed into the control Of Sinclair.
I'm sick and tired OF denying the
/ reports that the Giants have been sold
and are going 70 be sold" said Foster.
When the Feds were alive II vas nat
ural for them 70 get after e little
publicity by buying the New York Ma
tional League club every other day or
so, but now that peace is established
and We have assured every one that
the club is not for sale | can't under.
stand IL. But you can say or the best
authority that they are NOT 10 be
sold, and that's all. Goodby, boys,
and wish the fans a happy New Year
for me-" He closed the interview abb
ruptly.
In the absence of Captain Til Huston
and Colonel Jacob Rupert, Harry
Sparrow Is facile princeps az the Offices
Of the Yankees. He finds little diff
Guilty in filling the Office. There is ab-
solutely nothing 70 10. We found
Harry playing solitaire, but the game
broke up In an argument. He found
time 70 breathe a word Of optimism
about the coming season, referring es-
pecially to the corps Of young pitch
ers.
Sparrow is certain that out os the
nine or ten youngsters who will mako
the trip 20 Macon, a couple will stick
with the team and be Of assistance %
Caldwell, Fisher and shawkey. There
Is not solitary one OF the youngsters
wht is less than six feet in height.
Slim Love, who stands feet 7izinches
on the hoof, is the giant of the lot
Dazzy Vance, George Morgridge, Cliff
Msrkle and Allan Russell are promising
boys. Russell attracted attention by
his clever work with the Richmond
Colonels. He is a right-handed spitball
pitcher, who has everything in the
world TO recommend him 20 the fans.
Morgridge worked with the Yankees
last fall. and made a favorable impres-
sion.
Charles W. Somers. owner OF the
Cleveland Indians, has relinauished
control OF the club. The bankers who
handled his affairs decided that his
baseball interests could most easily be
sacrificed, and they ordered the sale OF
the Cleveland club 70 satisfy creditors.
Every effort was made 20 keen Mr..
Somers in the game. Several club own
ers, including Cap Huston and Colonel
Jacob Rupert, offered 20 loan him sus-
icient sums of money 20 float the club
for another season, but IL was finally
decided that such a course OF action
would be detrimental 20 the best in
terests OF Mr.. Somers.
Dir. Somers has been one Of tho Dill.
lars or the American League. In the
e.rly days of the war with the Natlonal
League he hurled his millions into tho
fight, and was largely Instrumental IN
making the Johnson circuit the grea.
institution 1t is to-day. The war with
the Feds hit Somers heavily. His stars
jumped, the team declined and the
money realized az the gate was hardly
sufficient 70 pay travelling expenses. A.
an election of officers held recently MI
Somers was elected vice-president o.
the American League.
Somehow or other the boys ius-
won't stop picking on Jack Coombs. A
player who made the trip with the all
star teams is credited with saying tina,
Jack Is on his last legs and will not
last another season. Jack is said 20
have shown flashes OF form. but b.
and large he had nothing" Il Is prob.
able, from our knowledge OF JACK
Coombs, that he made no great effort
to pitch his head Off in these same
games.
Word comes from Fitchburg, Mass.
the home Of Pat Moran. that the leader
OF the Phill.es has gone through the
formality Of affiXing his signature 20 a
contract to manage the Qusker City
team through 1916, 1917 and 1918. Now
let the rabblirr fans De still