The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-04
BURNS AND THORPE
SIGN WITH GIANTS
Noted Outfielders Will Go
South With Team-Huggins
Gets Fewster.
NJ FREDERICK q. LIEB.

Yesterday was n busy day At the local
baseball offices. George Burns. star
outnelder OF the Giants. who quit his
Job at the Kearny. N. j., shipyards last
Saturday, visited the Giant offices and
after talk with John McGraw signed
contract for the season OF 1919.
Contracts from outfelder Jim Thorpe
and Pitcher Bob Steele reached the
Giants by mail
At the Yankee OFFICES Miller Higgins
persuaded Wilson Fewster. his promis-
Ing young infielder. to place his sigma
ture over the dotted line In his contract
Higgins also announced that he had
received the contract OF Paddy OCon-
nor. who was scout and extra catcher
for the Yankees last season.
Burns has been driving rfvets into
Uncle Sans new ships since the season
shut down last Labor Day. The little
leadon man says he will take a little
vacation at his home town, 81. Johns
willie. n. Y. before the Giants leave for
Gainesville on the 2oth OF this month.
Steele. the left handed pitcher pur-
chased from the st. Louis Cardinals last
July. 10 still shipyarding at Wilmington.
Del. but writes that he will quit in time
to make the Gainesville expedition. Jim
Thorpe. the famous Indian. has been
spending the winter looking after his oil
interests in Oklahoma
Almost All Giants In Fold.
With contracts in from Burns. Thorpe
and Steele. all the Giant regulars now
are signed up with the exception Of
Larry Doyle. second baseman, and
Pitchers Poll Perritt and Fred Toney.
Doyle 10 still at Kearny. but intends to
run over and see Mcoraw some day this
week. Perritt says he won't play be-
~ l. all h,s nnxy
probably will not sign until the State of
Tennessee grants him his release. Chase
who accepted terms several weeks ago
pending his settlement with the Cincin-
natl club signed up on Saturday.
Il am well pleased the way our con-
tracts have come in said McGraw yes
terday. I'VE now have practically the
entire club signed up. 1 doubt II many
clubs have as many players under con-
tract as we have"
In addition to bringing Fewster here,
Higgins says he has asked several other
Yankees to meet him in New York dur
ing the next two days. He did not mcn-
ton the names OF the players ne expects
TO talk to. but II Is understood that Del
Pratt and Bob Shawkey will meet the lit
tie manager to-day.
The signing OF Paddy o'Connor to
again coach the Yankee pitchers this
year would indicate that Higgins will
employ only twenty active players, as
O'Connor was signed to a player 3 con-
tract and Is included in the new twenty
one player limit This means that the
club will use only two catchers next sea
son. Hannah and RueL
Hugsins Sweet on Tewster.
If little Will Fewster failed to get an
increase from Higgins he at least has
the satisfaction OF knowing that the
manager thinks highly of him. That
kid is one sweet ball player" said Miller
after Fewster left the ONCE. i've tried
to make n iot-of deals this winter. but
Fewster never was included in any of
them. He Is smart. on his toes all the
time and has real pair OF infelder's
hands"
Fewster came here late in 1917. when
the Yankees bought Fewster. Thormah-
len and Lamar for $4,000. He left the
club last May TO go to the steel plant at
Sparrows Point. Nd. but he went with
Hugginss consent. He is the only sup
port of widower mother.
Higgins said II Balser does not report
next season Fewster will play third base
TIE Yankees was not the only club to
pick a champion athlete of the Great
Lakes Naval Training team. George
Halas, the Yankee outfselder. excelled al
o. baseball. football, basketball aud run
ming, while Tod Miller. young first
baseman signed BY the Giants, special
ICED in baseball and pugiiism. Miller pos
sesses a gold medal which he won by
reason OF licking all the m!ddleweights
at Great Lakes. He won the middle
weight championship of the big Chicago
naval station last fall.
Miller Is only 10 years old but Is @
six footer and weights 10 pounds. He
was Chicago semi-pro and at the age
OF sixteen played with Cicero that wor
the Schweitzer cup, signifying the cham
pionship OF Chicago.
McGraw has heard splendid report:
about Miller. and II the youngster show,
real promise in Gainesville the New
York leader will groom him along as 6
possible successor to Chase.