Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-11
SHOULD LET CLUB
DEAL WITH HENRY
If Catcher Merits Punishment
Griffith, Not League, Ought
to Administer It.
CASE LESSON TO PLAYERS
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

y
one that should cause ball play
ers carefully to consider wherein
their best interests lie before ex-
tending their activities in base
ball beyond the field Of play. The
athletes should bear in mind that
they are able to command exceed
ingly remunerative salaries solely
because of their prowess on the
diamond and that any attempt on
their part to usurp the privileges
of the men who have their money
invested in the game is bound to
be resented and more than likely
result disastrously for them. as
: the present case of Henrys
promises to prove for him.
President Johnson has an
nounced that the club owners, at
/ their meeting in New York next
Thursday, will act on the proposal
to pay the Washington club sum
commensurate with Henrys
worth and order the immediate
release OF the player. This being
the case, it must be assumed that
Johnson has some information
not known to Clark Griffith or
the other club owners, otherwise
he would not propose lnfiictlng
such severe sentence upon the
backstop.
Should Let Club Decide.
1t would seem, however, that if Henry's
work for the fraternity has made him
persona no grata to the league, the
facts should be laid before the Washing
ton officials and that club be permitted
to deal with him rather than that the
league should order the club to release
the player and then serve notice on the
other clubs that they were not to en-
pioy him.
Termination of Henry's base ball career
as punishment for his activities in con-
nection' with the Instruction against
organized base ball undoubtedly would
have a great moral effect upon all profess
sional ball players: would be calculated
to make them think long time before
doing anything that would lay them liable
to similar punishment. But it is assured
that Clark Griffith will not permit Ban
johnson to make an example of Henry
for 1.-THE good of the game without
strenuous protest on the part of the WASH
ington club Griff is looking after his
own interests as we'll as those of the
L. 81 hAyr,
deprived of his f1rst-string backstop un-
less the enormity of Henry's crime war
rants such drastic action as Johnson has
proposed.
In any event. if Henry is debarred from
further participation in professional base
ball he will have no one but himself to
blame. Several weeks ago when reports OF
the players strike first were heard. John
son threatened to drive Henry out of base
ball if he continued his activities with the
fraternity. under the direction of FultZ
Henry. at that time, was quoted as being
amused at JohnsonS threat and was
sure he wanted to remain in Bans circuit.
as he was no longer dependent upon base
ball.
Henry was pointedly warned of the fate
he might expect If he did not cease the
Objectionable practices he now is charged
with having continued. He apparently
Is genuinely I'm dutch with Ban Johnson
If this is the case his prospects of wearing
the uniform Of any team under the juris-
diction of organized base ball this year
appear mighty slim to those familiar with
Ban johnson and with what usually hap
pens to persons who earn his displeasure
Henry's Alleged Activity.
According to the Los Angeles Tribune
Henry wrote letter to a certain
american League player" residing in
that city, telling him that if the play
ers would only stick together they
would win in the long run" This pub
llcation says: That all the players of
the big league who are winterinr in
Los Angeles have received q copy of
the letter is certain, for Henry says in
the note that he is appealing to every
big league player
Henry yesterday specifically denied
he had communicated with any players
except those who are members of the
Washington club and il is believed his
ultimate fate may rest upon whether
this is fact However. the Los An
geles paper says:
The Senator vet brought up the case
OF the actors union. which he claims
has made the actors Independent and
not dependent on the managers of the
theaters. Henry says that the actors
union when started was much weaker
than the players fraternity. but each
year IL gained strength and is now n
strong organization"
This paper then gives the following
alleged excerpts from, Henry's letter:
We Will win If you fellows stick by
us. We can't lose. and it's only case
of you fellows sticking with Dave
Fultz. 1t will be the best thing for the
ball player that has happened in the
history of the game. We have
1000 men in the fraternity. and if only
one-third of them go out on the strike
well win. So don't sign your contract
until you hear from Dave Fultz."
Fourteen men now are under con-
tract to the Washington ball club for
the coming season, one additional
signed document having been received
by Manager Griffith yesterday after
noon. Griff declined to make any com
Inent further than the bare announce
nient, except to say that the player in
question is one who should hold down a
regular berth with the Nationals this
year.
Eddie Foster seems likely to follow
in the footsteps of Billy Sunday. The
Nationals infielder today is scheduled
10 address the Stevenson Bible class ri
Bethany Baptist Church. Foster is
expected to tell his auditors the bene-
fits to be derived from healthful exer-
else and clean living. We never have
heard Eddie make an address but il
he acquits himself as well as he is
capable of playing ball his talk should
he well worth while. All men are in.
vited.
Announcement is made from the
headquarters of the Chicago Americana