The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-07
The Most of the Palyers Of This
Club Are Not Subject to Draft
Some Too Old, Others
Married.
SOLDIER REAL ATHLETE
Personnel Of Club Fixed With One
Exception-Herzog May Play
With Some Other Team
Next Summer.

J ALEXANDER dlu Wlllldul hAAllSA W
the Chicago Cubs, it is likely the
Giants will go to the post at the start
of the baseball season of 1918 favored
| to win the championship. The Giants
are what has come to be known as an
old club in baseball. Because OF this
| 1t is improbable that the team will be
materially affected by the national
army draft.
The majority of the players are
married and have families dependent
upon them for support, and not few
of them are more than thirty-one years
of age. Furthermore, 1t is known
that several of those who are more
than the draft age or who have fami-
lies to support, have tried to enlist
and have been rejected because OF
physical disability.
This may sound strange. To see
the athletes on the ball field it may
appear to the layman that they are
physically perfect and could pass any
physical test that might be prescribed
by the government, but the fact re-
mains several OF them have been re-
jected.
Baseball VS.. the Army.
1t seems-or rather, it has recently
been forcibly impressed upon those
on the inside-there is a deal OF diff
ference between playing baseball and
being soldier physically fit to go
."over there and help in the biggest
game of all time. To be soldier one
has to be a real athlete, even though
he may never have shown on grid
iron. diamond or track. He must be
able to Withstand the rigors of war,
and the game of war is not measured
by two hours work on the diamond or
sixty minutes play on the gridiron
1t entails long marches, long hours in
the trenches and hardships that are
not known in any other game.
1t seems that an athlete may be
strong enough to play two hours Of
baseball every afternoon for period
of six months or SO, but certain physi-
cal defects that do not interfere with
his fielding or his batting or his base
running prevent him from serving in
the army. They are such that ex-
aiming army physicians have de-
cided the players, if passed into the
army. would only become a burden
instead Of an asset.
OF all the players who last year
helped the Giants to win the cham
pionship Of the National league there
is but one who is unmarried or of mill.
tary age-Benny Kauff. Heinie Zim-
norman Is more than thirty-one, and
therefore is not subject to the draft
All the others are either married and
have families or they are past the age
limit.
Case of Herzog.
OF all the players on the roster of
the New York National league club
Herzog alone Is doubtful He has
publicly announced that he would
welcome being sent to Cincinnati, Chi.
cago or Boston to play, but none OF
these clubs has yet signifed any in
tention of entering into negotiations
for the player. It is reported that
John McGraw has decided that Her
zog will either play with the Giants
or he won't play at ALL
Herzog is dissatisfied He was
fined $500 in salary last season for
leaving the team and going to his
farm in Maryland to recuperate. At
the time HerZog seemed to be pretty
much hors de combat, but McGraw re-
sented his leaving the team without
permission and decided, for the sake
of discipline, it would be necessary to
punish Tue captain ana second base
man Of the club.
HerZog resented this and during
the annual meeting of the National
league in this city announced that
McGraw had promised to return his
fine If he played in the world series.
There has been some hitch about the
money and Herzog announced that he
was through with McGraw
Whateved the outcome of this case,
1t seems the Giants are sure to be
favorites when the next baseball sea-
son starts. So far as the loss of
players is concerned the Giants have
been hit less hard than almost any
other club in baseball, and the club
officials are of the opinion the team
will parade to the post almost intact
in 1918.