The Washington times., 1917-06-24
BOB THAYER'S GOSSIP
ON SPORTING MATTERS

Now, Ban johnson has a case on
his own hands. It's dollars to wooden
doughnuts that he will not handle It
as Tener did his squabble with Nc
Graw. Babe Ruth, for assaultinE an
umpire on the field. will probably
draw a months vacation and suffer a
heavy fine He's to get this punish
ment, even II It causes the defeat OF
the Red Sox in the pennant race. And
there won't be any scandal arising
from the affair, either-no hot air
from Ruth or Barry or France. II
there is, out OF the league will go the
three OF them
Ruth's fiery temper will very likely
prove most costly to the champions.
The Red SoX need him on the slab,
not on the bench. II is true that the
rumpiring this season Is worse than
merely bad. but the players should
remember that they cannot win games
while sitting on the bench. The UNI
pires will Danish them on the slight
est provocation. Manager Barry has
but three pitchers left for q series of
double-headers requiring twice that
number. It's safe to say that one
such act by Ruth will be his last. He
will have plenty OF time to think
things over-after he has paid his
fne.
With baseball players not exempt
from the selectiYe draft, we are GER
tain to see some funny looking ma
jor league outfits in another year.
Some OF those now in the lineup ere
sure TO be taken. Their places will
have to be filled, and flled with the
veriest bushers. With many minor
leagues going out of business next
month, the country will be flooded
with baseball players of a kind.
Some will be drafted into the army
and the others will be knocking at
the door of the big leagues. And II
the baseball becomes poor enough,
interest will die down and the cir
cults will quit. Nice outlook for the
magnates. whose real estate taxes
will continue on just the same.
Tom Jones opines that his dis
charge by Jess willard may have
been sheer penuriousness." Riley
Wilson. Washington's greatest funny
man, never told Demon" Church one
as funny as that. Jones has been
mixed up with wrestlers and boxers
for many years. yet in all that time
he has yet to part with his original
thin dime willard may not be a
spendthrift, but he has Tom Jones
beaten TO death for blowing in money.
Hear how Alex Cunningham, OF
Wheeling, W. Va, lost out in the
open tourney at Whitemarsh, though
his "a for the first round led the field7
Too much news of what the others
were doing is blamed for Cunning
hams defeat. Alex started OF on
the second round in good style, but
pretty soon well-meaning friends
tipped him that Eddie LooS formerly
OF Charlotte, n. c., was breaking all
records behind him. Alex had a
three-stroke edge over Loos at the
beginning, but this margin rapidly
dwindled and dwIndled until IL was
gone. When the match ended Loos
led Cunningham. 1t doesn't pay In
golf to know too much about what
your opponent Is doing.
II you study the team batting in the
American League II must dawn upon
you that the teams that hit generally
take the honors. For instance, this
past weeks figures show the White
Sox in front, followed by the Browns
and the Red Sox. New York IL
close fourth. Combining FIELDING with
hitting, and It is seen why the Brown
les, tied with the Red SoX at .240 in
hitting. are far down in the race.
Their nelding mark Is absolutely
last. On the other hand. the Boston