Evening star., 1917-12-20
GR|FF SPIKES YARN
OF SH|F TING GAMES
Says Story That Local Con-
tests viii Be Transferred to
Toronto Is a Joke.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.


club of the International League Il
provide major league base ball for th'
fans of the Canadian metropolis at th'
expense the patrons OF the game il
this city is foredoomed to failure, ac
cording to the emphatic statemen
made today by Clark Griffith.
The scheme. as outlined in a dispatch
received today from ottawa, Ont. in.
wolves the transfer of games scheduled
for this city to the metropolis of tn,
Dominion.
Toronto fans are laying plans to see
several famous American League teams
playing there next summer says the
story sent over the wires today. 10
Solomon of the Toronto base ball club
is quoted as saying. The experience OF
the Chicago Nationals. Detroit, Cleve-
land, St. Louis and New York Ameri-
cans in Toronto last summer has caused
the club TO be deluged sby applications
for exhibition games al the island sta
dunn in Toronto next year
Should the International magnates,
at their scheduled meeting on Febru-
ary l., decide that it would be mad :
visable to play ball during the 1918
season. it is proposed to bring the
Washington team 10 Toronto for an
entire series with the western teams of
the American League versus the world
champion Chicago White Sox, Detroit
Tigers. Cleveland Indians and st. Louis
Browns.
The proposal is for sixteen consecu-
tive games at the island stadium. each
of the western teams playing four
Toronto instead of at Washington. The
Toronto and Washington clubs are now
negotiating to this end
Manager Griffith when shown the
above dispatch. said emphatically that
there was no element of truth in the
story as far as it affected the trans
ferring Of games from Washingt to
Toronto. and asserted there was abSo-
lutely no possibility of any such thing
even being considered
1T is a yarn. pure and simple said
the helmsman of the Nationals after
reading the telegram. This is the f1rsI
intimation l have received that such q
scheme has ever suggested Itself to
anybody. No negotiations are on now
between the Washington and Toronto
clubs regarding any subject. and none
ever will be entered into in reference
to the transfer to Toronto OF cham
pionship games scheduled to be played
here The proposal is joke. The
Washington club will live or die right
in this city. and it is my opinion that
1t Will enjoy a prosperous season next
year. 1t will never consent TO do bust
ness in any other town. anyhow-that's
certain. You can spike. that Tortonto
yarn once and for all right now. There
is absolutely no truth in it,
President Baker of the Philiies,
through the deals he has engineered in
guiding the fortunes of the Quaker
city club. has earned the reputation of
having a great business head. but ac-
cording to reports emanating from
Chicago, he overlooked cool $4,000
In arranging for the swap whereby
Alexander and Killefer became Cub
property. President Weeghman. in as
serting that he has couple more deals
under way, through which he hopes to
hn Nfcf fTora faf
two of the greatest players in the
country" declined to answer questions
as to their present affiliations.
Il can't give you their names now"
. Weeghman informed the Windy city
= scribes, but l will say that the bank
roll is only slightly dented.
Il went into the New York meeting
last fall and made this speech to my
fellow magnates in the Nationa1League:
II have s250,o0e to spend for ball
players. If any of you are in need of
money and have some players to dis
pose of. you know where you can
That was the bait. In a short time
Mr.. Baker of Philadelphia nudged up
to me in a dark corner and said:
Charlie. F6 like to see you for few
minutes
IF you VIII consider deal for Alex
ander and KilIefer I will give you FIVE
minutes. as / am very busy. Don't
waste your time on any other sugges-
fions.'
TIL see you later said Baker He
did. and he mentioned price the next
day. which was s25, 900 less than l stood
ready to pay for the two men. We
shook hands on II. and ten days later
Baker came on and we closed the trans
action in less than two minutes. There
you have the history of the whole deal"
Weeghmans team may or may not
win the National League flag next sea
son. but IL is assured the Cubs will not
suffer for the lack of publicity Weegh-
man Is overlooking no bets to keen his
team in the iimeiight. AS an advertis-
ing man he is distinct success.
Bobby Wallace. the daddy of all
major league ball players in age and
the point of length of time he has been
In the harness. seems likely to go on
forever. This veteran of veteran in
nelders. who is forty-three years old,
has been in the game for twenty-four
years, and next season will wear a ST
Louis National League uniform an
nouncement that he has signed a Car
dinal contract having been made by
President Branch Hickey Wallace
made his debut as professional with
the Clarion team in 1893 as a pitcher.
. In 1894 he was with Franklin of the
/: Iron and Oil League until he was pur-
chased late in the season by the Cleve-
land club. Until the spring OF 1897
Wallace had never played third base.
in that position. and in a short time
was ranked by many critics as being
the best third baseman in the business
with Jimmy Collins of Boston When
the Cleveland team was transferred to
81 Lopis he went with it. and in 1902
ne went over to the then new ST
Louis American League club, where
placed at shortstop. he made as grea,
reputation as he had previously
made as a third baseman Now he re-
turns to the St. Louis National League
club again. after an absence of fifteen
years.
President McGill of the indianapolis
. club OF the American Association has
withdrawn his offer to give up title
to his manager. Jack Hendricks for
$4,000. Negotiations for the release of
Hendricks have been under way for
: some time. the position Of manager of
the ST. Louis Cardinals having been
offered him.
The option given a syndicate of In
dianapoits men for the purchase of
the Hoosiers also has been withdraw n
oy McGil1, who says he intends soon
TO start building up a winner for In
ofanapoifs unless some attractive offeY
shouId induce him to sell the club.