Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-18
M'GRAW'S LATEST SCRAP
MAY CORRECT AN ABUSE
Denying Interview Epidemics Has
Had Its Day in Both
Big Leagues.

That John J. McGraw should be the
means OF correcting an abuse which
has been part of the national game for
over generation probably was never
dreamt of when he repudiated the in
terview criticising President Tener, his
umpires and the National League in
general.
Muggy's denial that he ever said it
made liars out Of four reputable New
York newspaper men. one Of whom at
Now comes the fire-eating manager
of the Giants with another statement
in which he repudiates the repudia-
ton In this he practically asserts that
he was forced to sign statement re-
tracing all that he said.
He strongly intimates that the state
ment was not of his own making, but
just manufactured for the occasion.
Still there is no question that McGraw's
signature is appended. so it makes no
particular difference in regard to his
own case as to who wrote it,
Any base ball writer who has been
in the game long enough knows that
the one besetting sin of base ball mag
the reputation of interviews which did
not look as good in cold type as they
sounded in words. Time and again
those who have been assigned to the
interviews of base ball celebrities have
been left to hold the bag. This has not
been confined to individuals. but has
even touched upon seemingly official
statements issued during different gath
erings of the magnates.
He Wanted to Leave.
Although President Tener was the
asgrieved party in the present contro-
versy. there are some indications that
John McGraw was also "placated" de-
spite the seemingly AFFECT reputation
of the statement rejecting on others.
1t is known that McGraw has been try
ing to get out of the National League
for two or three years. as he had bet
ter business opportunities elsewhere.
For the sake of his future he could
not very we'll afford to quit the Giants
cold. and thus there remained tho only
alternative of being forced out That
he overreached himself in the present
case is probably true. That he made
liars out of those who have been his
friends for years is a corollary.
McGraw is given the credit for being
smart both in base ball and In other
lines. and that is why 1t is hard to I'm
derstand his latest break in besmirch-
Ing the reputation of his best friends.
When he reflected on the honesty of the
game in the New York Brooklyn series
last fall all except his most intimate
friends insisted that he had pulled a
boner. Nothing of the kind. so far as
he himself was concerned. 1t was SIM
ply little inside work, that's ALL
McGraW at that time did not repudiate
what he was quoted as having said about
his team laying down to the Dodgers.
He was willing to go before the National
League and repeat his remarks. but he
was never given the opportunity. He
was simply waiting to get the hook by
the National League, but instead his
him the opportunity to boast. in his
repudiated interview, that he was get
ting twice as much as manager Of the
Giants as John X. Tener is getting as
president Of the National League, and
Tener Is drawing down $4,000 a year.
It Still Is Tainted.
In his cryptic counter denial McGraw
asserts that in time 1t will be proven
that his reputation of the interview
which he gave out in Pittsburgh will
be shown to have been for the best
does not remove the faint Of untruth-
fulness from those who. In good faith,
recorded what he said. and that is prob
ably why New York Will be warm
place for John when he returns
Practically every sporting writer In
Gotham has risen in defense of those
libeled by McGraw as takers. From
being regarded as a high type of sports
man. even though turbulent on the field
Of battle, he has been raked over the
Goals as no man in base ball has ever
been before
1t has been a common practice of
base ball magnates in the past to brand
every story which did not square with
a second sober thought the day after
as a fake, and for the most part they
have been getting away with it. The
fact that the writer's have been vim
dicated in due time has been discounted
by the lapse intervening between the
denial and the confirmation.
If the McGraw expose should have
the effect Of encouraging truth in base
ball and bringing the game back to the
high plane which it once occupied, the
present ruction will have served its pur-
pose in the opinion of those who have
the sport most at heart.