Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-03
YANKEES ANXIOUS FOR STARS
 LANDED BY RED sox
By JAG RUPERT Pres N Y Americans

In the Baseball Magazine for June, Col. Ruppert, part owner of the Yankees, tells how he has tried to build up a winning club after having spent $200,00 with but little success
 For several years I have had my eye on Pratt of St. Louis. cannot say that he is a better player than Gedeon, but he has played better ball and we wanted him. Well, how did get him I paid fifteen thousand dollars in cash and gave away a number of good players for him. But what can you do? I needed this player, everyone knew I needed him. One thing was certain, I couldn't come back empty handed I had to do something to build up the club after the loss Of several valuable men to army service. And got what went after, though l had to pay out of all reason for him.
 There is deol which actually went through. Let me cite another deal | through, but didn't. For some time 1 have had my eyes on Joe Bush and Amos Strunk of the Athletics. Last l year I asked Mack if it would be pos 'sible to interest him in a deal for | these players. He said to me, T have sold my last player" All right, I said, if you change your mind let l me know. Will, said ne.
 Time went on and finally l received
 word that Mack would be willing to see me and talk things over. He didn't want to be observed discussing things with me in Philadelphia, because he was afraid some newspaper man would
 see him and start the story of sen
 sational trade. Neither for the matter of that, did he want to come to New York So he suggested that we meet
 and talk it over at Trenton. Nobody
 ever goes to Trenton unless he has inn lportant business to negotiate. But l
 met him at Trenton and we adjourned to a small hotel where we, no doubt,
 were looked upon as a, couple of gum men discussing future hold up game.
 T can't talk to you about Bush,' be-
 gan Mack, because I already have
 given a certain club an option on
 Bush. But I can't say that this club
 will go through with the option. If
 they fall down, will let you know.
 However, for certain reasons, I have
 decided to let go of Strunk and Schang
 and if you want these men am
 willing to talk business. I want $25,- 600 for Schang.'
 "'Well, Mack I said, I'm not Sc particular about Schang. don't really need catcher so much, anyway. Well said Mack, He can certainly hit. But I don't know as Schang would be the man you need most on ,, your club
 Not at that price, told him But : would make you an offer of $1o,00C for Strunk.'
 , "' couldn't consider it, said Mack I couldn't even thing of it. I mus
 get 75,000 for these three men. I vii sell them for that figure, but if I haC ? to sell two of them separately, would want more than S50,000 fol
 them. I wouldn't agree to let them gc
 for $50 900, but there isn't any hurry
 Think it over and decide what you art willing to do.'
 "T will do that, Mack said, 'onl. c be sure to let me know before you gt through with this thing with any othe
 club, for I certainly want Strunk ana
 Bush anyway
 "So we adjourned. Mack went bacl . to Philadelphia, and l took the sam !, train for Washington. But Mack sa U in one end of the car, entirely oblivion }. of my presence at the other end. u Well, you all know what happened e The Red Sox got Bush and Schran
 and Strunk in sensational deal.
 When I made the offer of $1o,00 g for Strunk I was willing to go highe e and Mack has certainly done enoug
 
 l would go higher. A man seldor
 makes his highest bid first
 Capt Huston and myself have sper over $200,000 in strengthening tn =. Yankees since we purchased the clul e We paid -37, 300 for Frank Baker; " ,- paid s25,000 for Lee Magee, and " A have got rid of a young fortune o
 other players who couldn't deliver th ,e goods. And we have had some of th Ie most frightful luck I ever heard o j. This may be a common alibi of tt Ie loser, but it has the substantiation ( = fact in our case, at least. For at or S time we had no fewer than eleven me IS on the hospital list. Bill Donovan wa
 the finest fellow in the world and .- hated to let him go. But bushes ,e won't wait. He had been handicappe Id by the worst of luck as I we'll realize h but after three years we didn't see Ie to be. advancing very fast and I fe
 that it was to the best interests of u l. club to make a change"