The Washington times., 1917-08-23
SUMMONS TO FLAG
THREATENS TEAMS
i NOW OMNIPOTENT
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.


Making soldiers out of big league
baseball players threatens to change
the complexion Of the American
League by next spring. For one
thing, it is more than likely to break
the Boston Red Sox machine, a ma
chine that has triumphed only too Of
ten for the welfare of the league.
Ernie Shore, Charlie Shorten, Jack
Barry, and Duffy Lewis have already
enlisted and expect to be called for
service in the navy before winter
comes. If any more of the cham
pions cast their lot with Uncle Sam
before the team reports for spring
training in 1918, Harry Frazee may
rue the day he gave Joe Lannin a
tub Of money for his collection of
athletes.
The passing of Lewis and Shorten
will leave a sizable gap in the cham
pions' outneld- It Is doubtful II
Lewis can be replaced. though
Shorten Is not so valuable to his
team
Ernie Shore cannot be replaced by
Eny pitcher now on the ball club
The Red Sox will simply have to get
along without him.
Hal Janvrin. unless he Joins the
army, will hold down second base in
stead of his manager, Jack Barry, but
Janvrin lacks the qualities of leader
ship and the brains OF the Holy Cross
eollegian-
Indians Are Hit Hard.
The Cleveland Indians will be hit
hard, and whoever is called upon to
lead that team next spring will have
his hands filled. Losing two first
basemen, q third baseman, a first-class
catcher, and a pitcher or two, the In
dIans look to be the worst sufferers
IN the American League. From possi-
Bile contenders, the Cleveland bunch
may have trouble keeping out Of the
second division
Fielder Jones will lose a lot of his
1917 players, and has already begun
hlling vacancies. Bringing back Ray
Demmitt who must be at least thirty
six years old. and Grover Lowder-
milk, a pronounced failure as a major
Lacquer, indicates how hard put are
major league managers to 1nd capa- |
BILE players In these tough times.
White Sox Lose, Too.
The White sox will lose Jim Scott, |,
who goes into an officers reserve
corps training camp this week, and
very probably Buck Weaver, their
live wire thirdsacker.
1t is difficult now to say just how
many American Leaguers will be
wearing army or navy uniforms next
season. None can tell how many men
will be called into Government SER
vice before next March. If the Cow |
ernment hurries its first national
army to France by the spring, as
some predict. q second will very |
likely be sent to the cantonments, |
and this will mean that many base |
ball players not yet reached in the |
draft will have to quit playing ball |
for the sterner game Of war.
Veterans VIII Stay.
With all the younger men called to
the coIors, major league baseball will
be played wholly by veterans and by |
the few younger men unable to pass |
the physical examination or exempted |
for one reason or another.
Breaking down the machines built |
mp after years of toll will change /
major league baseball considerably. /
1t will be slower, for one thing, and |
its future will not be bright, for there |
will be few training schools. The |
minor leagues have vanished, save a
few big ones, and no new players will |
be coming up for trial
1t will be impossible, too, to dope
out the chances of this team or that,
for the bugle may disrupt present
winners at any moment.
Like TO own a baseball club now7