The Washington herald., 1919-12-26
In Hold-up Game.


Mays-I have no sympathy for play
ers Of his stripe. His was just plain
hold-up and he should have been sus-
pended and kept on the suspension
list. and President johnson is also at
fault for the Mays case. OF course,
this will be denied. but had the presi-
dent taken the case up and handled il
himself instead Of asking his friend.
Ed Barrows. to suspend the man, then
we would not have had this trouble
Barrows was working for his owner.
Harry Frazee. to take sides with the
president.
Mays should not have been permit
ted to get away with the task. Court
or no court. Had the trouble oeen
handled in the first place as it should
have been. we would have escaped all
this dirty washing OF linen.
Ruth'S Cnxe Different.
But the Ruth case is different. Babe
last spring signed a contract, and il
was the one he selected himself. He
was offered two propositions, one thar
he could secure $1,000 and sign for
one year. or he could take $4,000 and
sign for three years. he selected the
latter. and put his name to that. Now
he comes back and demands $4,000
a year.
His friends probably will say he De-
serves it, But we Will take the other
side of the argument Had Ruth
fallen down in his playing and the
club owner notified the player that he
was not earning his $1,000. and that
the contract would not hold. that the
player would be offered a new con-
hat
have been the results? A yell from
coast to coast. that the club owners
were no good. etc.
The latter has just as much right to
call OF a contract as the player has to
ask for a new one. after he had sign
ed for year or more.
Players Are Honest.
Players like Walter johnson. "Ty"
Cobb and Hans Wagner. who are and
always have been greater drawing
cards than Ruth is today. or ever was.
were content to be honest when they
put their names at the bottom of the
paper. They held out until they Sc
cured what they wanted. and then
went into the game and proved honest
by their work
ANY lawyer will tell Ruth that his
contract Is binding, and should Babe
play the baby act he is liable to sus-
pension and no court in the country
would condemn the Boston club If
they suspended the player for not liv-
ing up to his contract. 1t would be no
trouble for the club to prove that.
for every fan knows what style of
game Ruth plays.
The sooner the two major leagues
are nd of such men as Mays and
Ruth. and We could also mention a
few magnates who are also out of
place In baseball. the better it will be
Tor the game.
Old-Tfmers STEADY.
Old-time fans remember the days
when such players as King Kelly.
who was a greater drawing card than
any man Of the present day, and
players Of the stripe of Mathewson.
Brown. Wagner. Lajoie. Delehanty.
ste. were in their prime. The fans
we're continually asking what will hap
pen when they pass out of baseball?
Do you notice any less interest in
The games with them all gone?
There are no players bigger than
he game. and Ruth could pass away.
and this time next fall he would be
forgotten like the others. except when
he averages come out and the fans
notice that no player had equalIed
Ruth's home-run record. Then he
may be mentioned. But IL he should
lie tomorrow the game would 20
right on
On johnson Again.
The New York American League
club announced yesterday that it in
tended to take prompt advantage OF
-
Court last Tuesday by Justice Yer
non NJ. Davis directing that az open
commission go to Cleveland and take
oral testimony from the officers OF
the Cleveland club.
The procedure which will be fol-
lowed. according to Attorney Charles
futile. Of the New York club. is
Tor the New York attorneys to rec
ou1mend a man to Justice Davis who |
may act as a one-man commission. |
Some Cleveland man known to the !
New York lawyers will be suggested. |
The Cleveland club will have the !
right through counsel to appeal to
Justice Davis IL the man suggested !
Is not favorable. The court then |
viii appoint the commission
As soon as a man is appointed !
Attorney futile will go to Cleveland |
and put to the Cleveland owners the /
questions which the New York club |
Is DESTROYS OF submitting. The Cleve- |
land men will be asked to bring their |
stock books, records. minutes and |
other papers before the commission !
so that the questions may be an
swered direct from the Cleveland |
clubs books. Il
Similar Proceedings Last Summer.
II was explained by futile that the !
proceeding will be similar to the one
1eld last summer when Ban johnson. |
president Of the American League. |
was cross-examined before Referee |
Gillespie. 1t was at this session that \
Johnson admitted that he had taken |
Cleveland stock as a collateral for a |
loan. 1t now is the intention of the |
New York attorneys to ask for more |
minute dsssils about this stock
Accordls,t to the New York officials, |
this croeeexamination of the Cleve-
and clubs officers will prove Of great |
Importance. and II is their belief that |
the entina case against johnson may
hinge on some OF the answers Of /
Dunn. McNschols and Barnard
\ It Is hoped to take this testimony |
shortly after the first of next year. so |
hat II may be presented for evidence
when the Carl Mays case comes I'D
Tor trial.
3 Tener u Visitor.
John X Tener. formerly presi-
dent of tn National League, was
encountered on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. yesterday. Il just dropped in
TO see some of my friends" said