Evening star., 1918-02-03
Contract Not Signed Yet.

Contract Not Signed Yet.
No contract binding the persons in
charge of the property to fulfill the ooll-
cations assumed by the Augustans has
been signed as yet. but Griffith regards
this as mere formality and is assum-
ing that the assurances given by Messrs.
Loyless and Bell will be lived up to in
every respect The manager was as
s,,red by his visitors that the business
men of Augusta are exceedingly anxious
to have him return there with his team
thie year. the Washington players haV-
ing made a very favorable impression on
the citizens of the city last spring by
their quiet demeanor.
The only remaining factor necessary
to a decision by the local pilot to again
visit Augusta was the receipt yester-
day of a telegram from the management
of the Hampton Terrace Annex setting
forth terms for rooms and board Grin
said the figures quoted were entirely
satisfactory, and that first-class accom-
modations in every respect had been
guaranteed.
The hotel is in suburb in South
Carolina known as North Augusta, and
is some two miles or more distant from
the ball park. Griffith regards this as
an advantage rather than drawback,
however. as he plans to prescribe walk
ing to and from the hotel and park for
MS dtnleteS as d means OF net etplnS get
them in condition. The hoStelry is situ-
ated on high ground overlooking the
Savannah river, the boundary line be-
tween South Carolina and Georgia and
the city OF Augusta proper. The place
is patronized as health resort and the
nights are cool in this region even in
the hottest of spring weather.
All of the pitchers and catchers on
the roster Of the Griffmen. with the ex-
cepuon of Walter johnson. who needs
but little work to make him fit, will
leave Washington for Augusta the
night of Saturday, March 3. Griff an
nounced resting over Sunday and
starting their loosening up endeavors
Monday. The battery candidates will
be followed southwark about March 20
ny the other players, to remain until
April 4. when the squad will pull up
stakes and HE to Chattanooga, Tenn.
where the first of the spring exhibition
games will be played April and :.
Three or four exhibitions with the
Phliadeiphia Nationals at the Army
camps in the south then will be dis
posed of before the squad comes to
washington for its only local pre-sea-
son contest with the Boston Braves
Yesterday Manager Grifs tn compIeted
the task of sending out one hundred
outhss of ball and bats to various mill
tary organizations that had filed re-
quests to be supplied with diamond
pararhernalia. The packages of equip
-
comments have been going forward a.
rapidly as the material could be coll
lected and shipped. but the goods sent
yesterday were addressed to indiyjduaI !
organizations and units. which desired
the material to enable them 10 COM
pete in intercompany and interreCi-
ment games Nearly all the units out
ntted yesterday are expecting orders
shortly to sail abroad and it is Grif
nths intention. as far as is possible 10
see that no organization desiring il is
sent 10 france without base ball goods
John A. Heydler. secretarv-treasurer
OF the National League. announced last
night that an amendment TO the con-
sutution would be offered at the spring
meeting of the league in New York
next week to make possible the play-
ing OF double-headers at any time dur
Ing the season. HeydIer cites the fact
that at present the constitution spe-
cih1cally provides that no double head
ers shall be played on the first visit
OF team to any city. and that this
rule causes double-headers to nile nm
In midsummer. fifty-eight of the ninety-
seven double-headers played in the
Tener circuit last season having been
disposed of in the month of August
Another amendment to be offered will
hN minimum waiver price of 81 800
on any player who Is purchased from
a minor league or who is a free agent
when signed. The procedure hereto
Tore in vogue has been for the presi-
drnt of the league to fix the waiver
price on such a player when Interested
clubs were unable to agree upon an
equitable figure.