New-York tribune., 1918-01-31

base LaJoic proved in the rnterna.
tional League last season that his sv.
was as fast as ever, whatever the CON.
dltlon Of his feet may be. He ii,
around $40. Nv
The on thing that drove Laio;e
from the big leagues was the fact that
his legs vent back on him. He ell
not cover the ground apportioned N
major league second baseman. and 30
slowness abasc led 30 double NO.,
possibility almost any time he reachoJ
first.
Lajoic in his major league manay,r.
experience vas not a bowling success
He seemed to lack the spark. His
prestige and actual playing abilitv
ought to make him a success With such
team as indianapolis. There are
lot of base hits left in the old boy still
incidentally, President Hampstead
believes Jack Hendricks will come into
his own as major league manager
with the st. Louis Cardinals.
HE is clever and efficient" said the
Giant leader. His consistently good
record, since he first started managing
shows there has been nothing of the
fuke in his success
Squire Ebbets is one magnate who
anticipates less than ordinary difficulty
in rounding Up his contracts this sea
son. There's a reason.
The ball players, | think events so
far show. realize that this season there
viii have to be sacrifice on every
ones part" said Presiden. Ebbcts YES
terday. "The Federal League supplied
an unwonted salary impetus. really
placed some magnates in financial
jeopardy, and you might say il has
taken world war TO bring the matter
Of emoluments back to a reasonable
basis.
There never has been any incljpa.
ton not to pay the ball PLAYER what
ne is worth. but think j. is rather an
open secret that for the last several
years there have been PLAYERS drawinr
down bl-monthly envelopes the size Of
which was all out Of proportion to the
payers specific drawing power at the
gate.
This year the magnates are trying
to deal fairly with the players. Some
OF the men drawing big salaries hold
uhe%P'rcd contracts, and these are
good as gold. But, generally, there is
bound to be reaction in salary affairs.
and that the player is aware OF this is
rather indicated by the steady stream
of contracts that have been pouring
into the major league baseball Offices"
Jimmy McGill. owner Of the Indiana
polls American Association team, is OF
his way East. While here he may set
tie the matter Of the man TO succeed
Jack Hendricks.
John Heydler. secretary Of the Ma.
tlonal League, said yesterday that un-
til :he leagues met in Joint formal ses-
SION 1t was difficult to tell which way
the cat would jump, SO far as admis-
sion prices to major league baseball
Tor 1918 were concerned There is
general feeling that If the leagues
sanction raise in prices they will be
making grieyous error.
Chicago writer's attribute a Nachje-
vellian perspcapacity to John NcGraw
and his Giants. 1t seems that the
: Giants wished 10 hook up with the
White SoX in tour through the South
next spring. Obviously. this could be
for but one reason. The Giants wish
TO atone FOR the horrible showing they
made in the last edition Of the world
series. Would the Sox stand for such
a thing? Not they. They owuld look
fine. wouldn't they. # the Giants hap
pencd TO win majority of the games
As Chicago scribe says: 'If the
Sox happened to lose a majority Of the
games they wouldn't look like such
wonds when the regular season
opened
lie said something that boy.
Branch Rickey declares there never
mas been any action taken in the Ma
tionnl League to abolish the spitba
Barney Dreyfuss suggested il; but it
was only az exparte opinion. Rickey
even believes the American Associa-
tlon has lessened its efficiency BY can
ming the splitter.
AS he points out. pitchers who have
been considered reliable because of the
use OF this splitter Will surely disap-
polnt their followings next season.
Then there is another reason. which
VIII appeal to the magnatcs' pocket
books.
II the spitball is prohibited. those
pitchers who have used it will have less
attractive averages in 1918. and in con-
sequence there will be fewer pitchers
sold to the major leagues. This ought
20 make the A A. gentlemen listen.