Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-26
Y EECHMAN DID
NOT MAKE HIS
ANNOUNCEMENT !
Was Confident That He
Could Give Lineup But
Deal Was Queered.

Chicago, Dec. 26.-When Branch
Rickey of the st. Louis Cardinals re-
fused to let go Of Roger Hornsby. he
spoiled a Christmas greeting or Cnas.
Weeghman. The boss of the Cubs had
large plans for a surprise present to
the fans. He was anxious to hand to
rooters a completed lineup for mex
season, and he wanted to spring it
yesterday morning. Along came Rick
ey, aided by Harry Hampstead of the
Giants and Charley Ebbets OF the
Dodgers, and refused to join in the
affair.
Lineup Planned.
Here is what Weeghman wanted to
announce yesterday:
Larry Doyle, first base.
Buck Herzog, second base.
Roger Hornsby, third base.
Zach. Wheat, center field.
Last week Weeghman was positive
hat he. would be able to tell the fans
that the pennant was theirs. He had
planned the details so that h fans
could wake up yesterday morning.
peruse the papers and give three
cheers and a tiger. With Alexander
m Killifer already deposited in the
stockings, he figured that the boys
would have something to talk about
during the holidays.
Sur
There would also have zone some
figures with the presentation. 1t
would have been shown that the Cub
team represented more actual cash
than any club in baseball. The Alex
ander-Killifer pair would have had a
price tag or 100000. Hornsby as
much, Wheat $4,000 and ,Herzog
$4,000. This would hav made it a
total Of $165, 900 and broken all rec
ords in expenditures of money.
An added explanation would have
gone with the gift. 1t would lave told
that the Cub stockholders had decid-
ed hat profit would not be looked
for al the North Side plant for some
time to come, but instead they want
ed to give Chicago a pennant winner
as a sporting proposition. Those who
were back of this besides President
Weeghman himself were William
Wrigley, A. D. Lasker, w. A. Walker
and j.. Ogden Armour. That is and
was the secret of the s250,O00 bank
roll which few believed was really
meant, ~ ~.
The action as outlined was taken
at the Chicago Athletic association
shortly after the season closed. Two
of the stockholders demanded a pen
nant-winning team regardless of cost.
President Weeghnan as responsible
head of the club told the rest IF the
deficit last season and the one sure to
come nex year unless conditions
changed radically. The following was
credited to Mr.. Wrigley.:
"Buy Players Now"
Now. when everybody is panicky,
Is the time to go cut and buy the best
players lin baseball"
But we had a deficit this year and
may expect one mex year unless con-
ditions change" it is said was the ex-
preston rof Mr.. Weeghman.
Again Mr.. Wrigley spoke:
well, what's the ODDS! Let's do
something, h a has never been done
before. Let us present a pennant to
the fans, even if we don't get the
money back in the next ten years"
Everybody present agreed, the
$25o,OOO was put in the banks, and
the deed was done.
Then Weeghman began to show his
speed. He landed Alexander and Kill
Ilfer. and ten days ago was absolute
~ positive Herzog and Wheat had
been booked. He was doubtful about
Hornsby but figured that the roll
would daze Hickey and to the Mound
City he vent. There is a possibility
that he may still drag the shortstop
into his net. but the announcement
Will not be made his Christmas.