Evening star., 1918-01-27

Only few weeks ago the magnates
were credited with feeling great con-
Germ over the prospective shortage of
players for the approaching campaign.
Stories were circulated to the effect
a boatload Of Cuban players to fill the
gaps to be caused in ranks Of the big
league clubs by enlistments and the
Army draft. The expected shortage
has failed to materialize, however, and.
judged from the large number of play
ers being placed in deferred classiica-
tions by the exemption boards, there
will be none, even after the call to
arms for the second National Army.
The fact that a great majority Of the
minor leagues have been forced out OF
business has placed a regiment of play
ers on the market, and the problem
that will confront major league own
ers when the teams return from their
southern training camps will not be
where they will get sufficient playing
material to round out their squads.
letes.
The fact that players are available
in ample numbers and that none OF
the managers need worry about find
huenced the members Of the local club.
not to the extent of influencing them
to sign their contracts promptly at
any rate. However, there is a good
few of the Nationals who have not
been asked to stand for more or less
healthy cuts in salary. Conditions de-
mand this, and the players should be
able to recognize the fact. but 1t is
hard to convince the average ball
tosser that he is not entitled to at
least as much as he has been getting.
il not more. regardless of the extent
to which his club failed to prosper
last season. 1t is known that some of
the hieher-priced athletes who last
year did only mediocre work in return
for their fortnightly checks have had
the figures in their documents boiled
down to half their 1917 size: AS mas
these chaps see the why of the whit
tlinR process but it can be done. and
that is the work Griff is engaged in
now. Much postage. many telegrams
and considerable conversation Will be
called into play before all have been
made to see the light. but 1t Will oc-
casion some surprise II there ls more
than one member of the 191 : Nationals
performers to Augusta or Tampa or
wherever he decides to go next March
Tampa fans have by no means given
up hope of having the nationals go
standing Manager Grif1th's seeming
preference for Augusta. According to
the Tampa Times. Jack Mahoney, sec
retary of the Tampa Base Ball Train
ing Association, has made definite
OFFER to the Washington club. but no
guarantee for the expenses of the trip
there. as the association already is in
a hole and not in a position to guar
antee the Washington club anything.
The Tampa Times does not set forth
the fact that the association demanded
a fat sum of $3.50 as rental for the
ball park, and also asked 40 per cent of
the Washington clubs share of the re-
ceipts of the proposed exhibition games
with the Phillies there. Payment by
big league clubs for ball parks used
for spring training Is not being done
nowadays The Tanpa associations
treasury may be depleted. but the
washington ball club did not bring
about the deficit. and it is assured that
il the Tampa business men look to the
Nationals to make amends for their
mistakes of the past and replenish the
Golfers of their association they will
look in vain.
Although it is considered doubtful
that the International League, which
is composed of cities in states on or
near the Atlantic seaboard. will vote
to resume operations when it holds
| its meeting in New York next month.
| base ball probably will not be without
! an international circuit this year, aE
| the Northwestern League has made
| plans to realign and will be known
as the Pacific Coast International
] League. Owing to the transfer OF the
Portland" Pacific Coast League fran-