The Washington times., 1917-01-29
One Sends in Signed Contract
and the Other Agrees to
Terms Offered.
RAPLEY LIKES THE CAMP
National League Has Fewer
Players Satisfied Than Has
Its Rival.
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

Two more OF the 1916 Griffmen
have got into line for the coming
season,
One signed contract was found in
Manager Griffith's morning mail and
q letter from another player, accept
ing terms. The Old Fox Immediately
forwarded to the latter a contract
containing the salary agreed upon.
Six unnamed 1915 players are now
sure to be ready for the ringing of
the gong. Adding tos them Flaherty.
the local twirler; Mike Moran, the
sandlot innelder, and the four ath-
letes running along on wartime
contracts. the Washington club has
twelve players available already.
AS these contracts come along,
muses. Grill II have to grin at tho
loud outbursts from Dave Fultz. He
says I'm the big laugh does he?
Well when L get through he'll have
few good laughs coming to him.
likes Training Camp.
Harry Rapley, the Washington clubs
treasurer. has just returned from a
short visit to Augusta. Ga. and he
has only good things to say Of the
1917 training camp of the Griffmen.
He says that conditions are excellent
in the little Georgia city, and that
with any kind of weather the boys
should. be prepared for the opening
OF the season.
Mike Martin, mayor of cherrydale.
Va, made plans for furnishing show
er baths a-plenty at the ball park in
mill h. Nvofff1o
for the FIRST bunch of players March
l. Martin expects to reach Augusta
a few days before the pitchers arrive,
IN order to have everything In ship
shape condition.
,<NatieaaI Hit Hard.
II TIT players do go through with
their proposed strike, the National
League will be hit hard. Unless the
American League Is in a pact to sup
port the older organization to the
end, the fight may develop. into one
against the Tener tribe.
AZ least two American League
clubs, Philadelphia and Cleveland, are
without Fraternity members. Three
OF the Indians, Gandil, Speaker and
Roth, are members, but they Joined
before becoming Indians.
Chicago and St Louis have few
Fraternity enthusiastic Washington's
players are coming into line before
becoming goats" Little is known
of the remaining clubs, though sew
eral Tigers have forsworn allegiance
to the Fraternity.
Only Two Are Out.
Only two OF the Giants. Hoelke
and Robertson, are unsigned. but the
Giants alone OF the National League
Club are as prepared for eventuali-
ties
The PhilIies' star. Alexander, is
hold-out unless salary demands are
granted. Brooklyn has at least
eleven rebels. The Braves are in
eirnilar condition Pittsburgh has
three men In line. The Cardinals
have one and the Cubs and Reds one
or two each.
The Cubs are due to leave for Cali
fornia February 20. II the players
refuse TO report by that date, the
baseball world will know what to ex-
pect.
Crane Starts Talk.
The acquisition of Sam Crane by
the GrIffmen in exchange for Barber
E3GnLlCgs anu I" AAAAolhSt No' 49, 49, -
lot Of talk in town. Many believe the
newcomer will be q regular from
the jump.
When with Dunn's Richmond Inter
nationals in 1915 Crane did not i'm
press one as q hitter. He was given
a short trial with the Mackmen and
then returned to Dunn, who had gone
back TO Baltimore. However, Cranes
lameness had much to do with his
FIRST failure as Q big Lacquer.
The newest Grinman is rangy
chap, has q good whip, is fast on his
feet, and may hit 1t Is this last
''may" that causes all the talk among
the local fans. To make a successful
battle for high rank in the American
League, a club must have pitching and
hitting. Washington now has the
pitching. 1t needs the hitting. II
Crane can hit for $50 and equal Nc
Bride at ehortstop, he will hold his