The Washington herald., 1917-02-25
Star Performers Do Not Ap-
pear on Roster Of Major
Teams Going South.
By BOHEMIAN BUIGER.

New York, Feb A-with the departure
OF baseball clubs for the South. which
begins today. 1t is noticed with sad
dening regret by old-time fans that the
names of at least five former stars are
missing from the rolls. This Is the first
time in decade Of stirring diamond bat
ties that the names of Lajoie, Mathew
son. Bender. Miner Brown and, maybe,
Jimmie Archer do not appear as active
participants.
Lajoie will no longer throw terror into
the hearts of young pitchers, Matty and
Miner Brown will never again fight one
OF those duels between the Cubs and
Giants, and that cruel grin of Chief
Bender will no longer be a disturbing
factor in a worlds series. Those boys
are DONE
OF these baseball immortals Matty will
remain in the limelight as manager of
the Cincinnati Reds. but he has given Up
all hope OF being able to pitch again.
The arm that in the past. has been worth
as much as half million dollars to the
New York club. will act merely as
semaphore/on the coaching lines.
This is the first spring in sixteen years
that Big Six has not gone South with the
Giants as player. In the camp at Mar
lin he will be sadly missed
bajoie Is also a manager, but his
activities are limited to the International
League and he will not even have the
chances of talking back at his old as
sociates. He says that he intends to
play few games for Toronto, but the
! chances are that he will change his
mind when some youngster comes I'D full
of enthusiasm and on a fast pair of legs,
1t Is the one great regret of Lajoie's life
that in all his days of glory he was
never so fortunate as to be on a cham
pionship club. On several occasions he
came close Ollie with the Cleveland
club, but. like Nap Rucker. he was never
! able to make his efforts count for q
championship.
Of the great ones who will not show
up for training. This famous left
handler has decided to retire from base
ball altogether rather than to take his
chances in minor league.
Another source Of regret shared by
Matty and Lajoie alike is that In all
their experiences circumstances never
wilied it for them to face each other
While in New York the other day
Lajoie declared that he had often wanted
to hit against Matty and Matty. who
was present, came right back with the
remark that he always had wanted to
face Lajoie just to see what kind Of
balls the Frenchman preferred to hit.
Jimmy Archer is not exactly out of
baseball but he did not 60 away with
the Cubs and he has been given per-
mission to trade himself to some other
club II he can do so to his own ad-
vantage.
The announcement of Chief Bender's
unconditional release came on the very
day Of the departure South. 1t is likely
that the crafty Indian will get place
with some minor league club. Several OF
the bush managers have been after him,
and he will probably take one of these
Jobs. The Chief is not any too well fixed
in the matter of finances, and could use a
good job very handily now.
In his day Bender has been one Of the
most skilful OF all pitchers, and his work
for the Athletics was largely responsible
for their several championships. He not
only had tremendous speed, but had a
most disconcerting way of locating the
weakness of batter on very short
notice. He was a complete puzzle to the
Giants and the Cubs in two worlds
series, notwithstanding the fact that the
hitters were strange to him.
Another old-timer, in fact, the veteran
OF them all, Is still in the game, but real
izes that his pitching days are numbered.
That man is Eddie Plank. This marvel
lous left-hander, though in his forties,
pitched some great ball last year, but It
was easy to see that his arm was weak
ening. Recently the st. Louis Browns
have tried to trade him, but other man.
ayers are hesitant about taking a chance
Two years ago McGraw wanted Eddie
Plank for just one year, and II he had
got him the chances are that the Giants
would have won last season.
The players leaving with McGraw to-
day are mostly youngsters. but the vet
Grams will report a week from now and
complete the roll OF the camp.