New-York tribune., 1917-12-21


i,b Of the American Association.
.,.s,ion for several weeks.
hendricks. IN fact. was announced as
,.ccessor Of Miller HugCins some
-,.,s AGO. Bat after tho announce
-.r, came hitch. The leader OF the
u.os,rs. laboring under a false inn
....;or declared himself free TO 10
s,.;,,.s and Hickey, under that under
...,3irc. engaged Jack to succeed Mil
-, Vurr.ns. called to the Yankees. jim
v,Ciu and Al Smith. owners OF the
,,s;sDspo'is franchise, then lot out =
,.,, They claimed Hendricks had not
=, s-cc 10 negotiate for his services.
T,,v asked $4,000 for Hcndricks's re-
l,ss,.
(, Louis. very naturally, refused %
nav such a sum. The market was more
A. less cIuttcd with IT ajor possibilities
hendricks. OF course. attempted to Kick
Enself foot loose. lie was ambitious
and sspired 10 higher things. He IN
.,,osted himself in both ends Of base
h,u rolitics and for a syndicate OF
l,disrspoli, sportsmen secured an op-
ION on the holdings Of Messrs. Smit1
and McGilL
Little Chance for a Hitch
Said option cxpired yesterday. With
il. ,.,iration Wild Bill Donovan was
-otfed 10 name terms for the current
..sson. Hickey and Donovan have beCh
fsst friends for years, There Is niue
sbsnce for hitch as regards salary
New York friends Of Donovan ana
,bsv are legion arc pulling Tor inc rave
loader Of the Yankees 10 eaten on WIN
tho Cardinals. Wild Bits failures III
New York might easily be attributed %
ne most provoking luck IN inc matter
of injuries and sickness tnat nave eyer
bsfsli a major leader. Donovan 1or
almost twenty years has oeen an 'uol u
The two big leagues. o.-- III, bo
able TO develop twiriing stan OF iReIlo
N the Mound City and that pl'chins
,,1l Offset a lot Of common errors. lie
4 ready 10 bank on defensive skiil 70
tho uttermost limi.. taking a chance on
hat fate which m6y call the Weai'h OF
,slert Of other teams 10 the colors.
Bin Donovan could not be found IN
is usual local haunts yesterday. IL
. believed he has gone west 10 confer
with Hickey. One Of Wild Bllls best
hoostcrs is Colonel Jacob Rupert,
president Of the Yankees. The colonel
4 returning to-day from vacation,
,orncwhat crestfslleR at having Ialleo
70 land ono or two American League
,tsrs who were juggled about at the re-
cent annual meeting Of the Johnson
circuit
The management of the Yankees IS
not a whit crestfallen over disappolnt-
ments. A stupendous campaign Is
Planned IN the matter of spring tram
ng. All Of the material garnered by
the scouts will be taken South ire
spectiye Of the future Of the minor
leagues. The various candidates Will
have every opportunity 10 prove their
worth.
viii Get Early Start
The fact that the season opens
week later than usual will not affect
Yankee plans for spring training IN
1918. There is no time limit Tor
training iu the American League.
Miller Higgins purposes 10 20 South
FOR long drill. He viii have his kld
talent in Macon, Ca, by the middle
Of February, so that he may have
definite line on their respective sblil-
ties By the time the regulars report
early IN March.
II looks like a case Of Higgins build
irg from just wnat he has. The Amer
can League is not giving New York
tumble. Colonel Rupert, in the
narke. aCr talent of value, never dld
get a nod while trades were flying
fast and thick His brightest hope is
The possibility of holding what he has
while rivals disintegrste. SO far the
Yankees have lost only two players,
both Of them pitchers. Pitching is one
Of the least worries Of the team. Ray
Fisher, a veteran, has enlisted. Walter
SmallwoOd, q recruit, was taken by the
draft
By comparison 10 what has befallen
Chicago. Boston and Cleveland, the lot
Of New York is easy. The world cham
plons are shot 10 pieces and will likely
be further handicapped by the absence
of EDDIE Collins. The Red SoX have
only Scott 70 represent them IN last
seasons veteran infield layout Frazee's
outfeld is riddled in a measure by the
absence Of Duffy Lewis and Harry
Hooper. Strunk goes to the Hub, but
shorten. utility outfelder. has gone IN
for the bigger game Of war.
There seems little hope for Miller
Higgins now. except 20 develop an out
field. His infeld lacks only second
osseman TO put il along the truly great
Of the game. This second baseman IS
likely 70 come from the st. Louis
Browns in the person Of Derrlll Prat'.
The deal is still on. Phil Ball wants
the earth; but American League senu-
ment is pressing him to accept less.
Beaten TO Bargain Counter
President Jacob Rupert OF the
Yankees comes home to-day prepared
70 accept gracefully what is open IN
The matter Of trades. Rivals beat MN
10 the bargain counter at the Chlcago
meeting not because New YORK was
backward with its bankroll, but be
cause the chief Of the Yankees would
aot be imposed upon. In trades they
ak thousands 10 others, but milliohs
70 the colonel, just because they kno"
ae has the dough.
Colonel Rupert returns somewhat
rteved al having failed TO strengthen
ais club. But he has not given up
fope. Del Pratt is only one Of several
'taletes he hopes 10 acquire before