Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-09
M'GRAW AT IT AGAIN
SLUGS UMPIRE BYRON
Belligerent Pilot of Giants Resents
Insult With Fist-Leonard
a Credit to Ring.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.
Muegsy is at ii again.

Muegsy is at ii again.
Yesterday in Cincinnati John ]. Nc
Graw. manager of the New York Ma
tional League team, after losing a close
game to the Cincinnati Reds. resented
what he chose to consider an insult
from Umpire Byron and slugged that
worthy in the jaw with his fist. The
fact that the incident occurred under
the grandstand and that but few per-
sons saw it makes it of far less i'm
portance than If the mix-up had been
staged on the diamond in view of the
assembled fans. but for all that 1t Is
matter that should be carefully inves-
tigated by President Tener.
McGraw surely is belligerent soul
His whole diamond career-and II has
been n long one-has been punctuated
with brawls and fights of various de-
scriptions. Yesterdays mix-up is re-
ferred to in the news dispatches as the
first time in his twenty-seven years in
base ball that McGraw ever has struck
an umpire. 1t probably just had to
come. He has been periously near to 1t
on numberless occasions. Regardless
of whether he had sufficient provoca-
ton for walloping Byron, the fact re-
mains that the game is not helped by
such incidents. If Mcfiraw had elected
League he either would not be in the
game now or would have changed his
ways. as Ban johnson never would
have stood for Muggsy's rough stun.
In Benny Leonard, who acquired the
title of lightweight champion of the world
by knocking out Freddy Welsh. the United
States seems to have a champion deserv-
ing Of the name-a red looded man AS
well as a clever. ring general. Leonard.
who has been in this city for the last
three days. sightseeing. with a party of
friends, expects to return this evening to
his home in New York and enlist in the
navy Being twenty-one years old and
eligible, he registered June 5, but declares
he will not wait to be drafted.
II have had several offers for stage
work and fights since I won the title"
Leonard said today, but will not con-
enlistment is settled. l expect to enter
the navy as soon as l return to New
York. After ! have Joined the colors. II
! can obtain leave to train, will go on
with the bout against Johnny Kilbane.
featherweight champion, who yesterday
signed for match with me for July A.
Under the terms of the proposed bout I
will get $4,000 for my end and kilbane
$4,000 for his. If I am unable to get
time off after joining the navy, however.
the bout VIII not be held. unless it is
staged after the war"
Leonard last night gave an exhibition
of his skill for the benefit of the mem
bers OF the National Press Club. With his
brother Charley as sparring partner both
in their street clothes, he illustrated the
blows he employed in accomplishing the
downfall of the former champion, Welsh
Sam Rice yesterday reached the half
century mark in base hits. when he
poled single to left off Benz in the
fourth inning. Sam has taken part in
all but two of the forty-six games
played thus far by the Griffmen and
his fifty hits in 1853 times at bat give
him an average of .297. If there Is one
member of Griffith's team who has
bright prospects of finishing the sea
son with a batting mark of more than
300 it is Rice. Sam not only is a nat
ural hitter, but he has developed speed
of foot that will aid him in boosting his
record by beating out inf1eld hits.
George Burns, accounted by many as
one of the best outffelders in base ball.
game for the New York Giants, the
Burns has missed only two contests in
the last sos. taking much needed
rest on the last day of the season in
1914, when the Giants played a double
header, after participating in 1874
straight games. Burns became regu-
lar with the Giants in 1913. He was out
Of the lineup six times that year.
With the two he missed in 1914 there
have been only eight games out Of the
last 662 played by the Giants that he
has not figured in. Burns mark Is a
National League record. according to
Statstician Elias.