New-York tribune., 1918-03-25
.arsans Gives
Huggins Cause
For W Worri1nent
Cuban Stars Strange Behav
ior Has Entire Yankee
Camp Flabbergasted
By Wood Ballard

MACON, Ga, March 24:-Mystery
stalks within the camp of the Yankees
while an outfielder stalks without
When Armando Marsans failed to ap-
pear on the day named in his report
ing orders, little attention was paid to
his failure to arrive.
"Those Cubans always report late"
explained Miller Higgins, who has had
experience with players from the sunny
isle before coming to the Yankees.
AS Higgins figured that Marsans
would arrive in few days no impor-
tance was placed on his failure to
report on March ID. Ten days have
gone by, and as nothing has been heard
from the feet outfelder the Yankee
manager is beginning to wonder what
all this absence is about
"A notice in st. Louis paper that
Mike Gonzales was due to arrive at San
Antonio Saturday led Higgins to ex-
pect that Marsans would be in Macon
about the same time. He figured that
the two Cubans left Havana together
Tor New Orleans, but it is evident now
that If Mike arrived at the Cardinals
without Marsans.
Marsons Drops Out of Sight
Inquiries about Marsans develop the
information that no word of any kind
has been received from the Cuban since
he left New York for home last Sep
tember. He spent many weeks in the
hospital after breaking an ankle at
the Polo Grounds, and from all the
news heard from him during the win
ter the club officials are led to believe
that he has been suffering from writer's
cramp. They do not know whether he
is holdout, whether he plans to re-
tire from baseball, whether he is in
the army, or what has happened to
him.
The contract sent to Marsans in
January was received and receipted for.
whether the figures proved satisfactory
or otherwise, nobody connected with
the Yankees seems to know.
That contract is still in Cuba or
perhaps with Marsans, en- route. He
has not signed for 1918, nor has he
complained about the amount offered
nm. He is simply annoying the club
with the thunder of silence" Hug
gins is not saying much, but it is safe
to assume that Marsans's delay in re-
porting is beginning to get on Miller's
nerves
If by any chance Marsans is not to
be member of the Yankees this sea-
son Higgins will have to do some
switching on his original plans. The
Cuban had been picked to hold down
the centrefield assignment, which fell
to him last July, when he came to the
Yankees in trade for Lee Magec.
Cuban's Speed Is Missed
AS a fly chaser the speedy Cuban
must be ranked in the top five of ma
jor league outfielders. His batting
last season was weak, but the Yankees
have no outfielder but Bodie who
stands high enough above Marsans to
crowd him onto the bench. Huggins
believes that Marsans can do much
better with the stick than he showed
last season, and as his presence adds
to the fielding and base running
strength Of the club the Cuban is a
much desired person at this time
Huggins is expected to send some
tracers out this week and get a real
line on the situation With both
Fcwster and Plank on the list of alb
sentees, Huggns's rather limited
squad falls three short of the number
which he planned to have in camp for
the training season.