The Washington herald., 1919-11-29
By GEORGE L. MoRELAND.


word from President Hermann of the
Cincinnati baseball club. regarding
the See matter. Mr.. Hermann ac-
knowledges the rights OF Manager
Grffith to put in "a claim for the
player. but as was stated in The
Herald. he also calls attention to the
purchase price. claiming that as
Cincinnati had paid out $4,000 for the
player. the club should receive that
amount in return from any club de-
string the player.
In reply to this letter, the Nationals
manager answer should open the eyes
Of the president of the Reds.
The Fox" has his argument right
In this instance. II player that
costs a club $1,000 and after playing
= few games. waivers are asked On
that player. then he Is not worth the
money paid for him.
As the prevailing price for a player
from the league, that See came from.
was 1900. but for a star $500 was
asked. When, as Manager Griffith
stated. the Cincinnati team paid
twice the usual International price,
the club was badly in need of an out
fielder. The other players were losing
heart In the way Bressler was playing
the garden and IL continued there, 1t
nant. Both Manager Moran and Presi-
dent Hermann looked at II the same
way. so they decided to pay the ex-
tremely high price Of 10000 for an un-
tried man.
Soon after See was secured. the
club purchased Pat Duncan who be-
ing more experienced, was placed in
the left field position where he made
big hit with his batting. and the
other players. requested Moran to keep
him there. This was done. conse-
quently the International star was
not given a chance to show
In Herrmann's letter the Reds own
or states that as See proved that
he was not the fielder the Reds WANT
ed II was decided to ask waivers.
The president did state in the letter.
however, that in the opinion of Moran
mat the youngster would soon be-
come a star as he proved that he was
Manager Griffith answered that ne
would not agree to pay the sum asked
oy the Reds for See. but that he
would be willing to gamble on the
youngster to the extent of 5000
The Nationals manager should he
commended for trying to get win
ner. He saws he will paw 500 for
this boy. and he has never even seen
him play. That amour; IS large
price to pay for player who has had
nut three months professional expe-
rience. but "Grir'' saws, I have heard
re Is hne batter. and IL that is so
Will make fielder out of him even
! nave II send him to camp two
weeks ahead Of any other PLAYER. If
Messrs Hermann and Griffith cam
not agree upon the price then the case
goes to the national commission
where only johnson and HeydIer will
nave the say as the president Of the
= infRrpSfal in r.
he has no vote
II looks at present as though the
tio7als will succeed in securing
shad- as See is called when the
COMMISSION takes up the case soon.
New Rule suegested.
But short time remains now for
me rules committee of the two
leagues to take up the man. changes
proposed. and the members are find
ing It almost impossible to cet the
views of the several club owners and
managers
Everything appears to have bee,
forgotten in the fight between John
son and the other side. For the pres
ent the much discussed proposed
abolishing OF the spitban and shine
ball has been sidetracked.
one rule that I would like to see
the magnates Of the two leagues
adopt is this: Have large seatia..
arrangement made in the bGIl pen at
every park where every man except
the regular players in the game.
manager and two coaches lee sent.
Bench Warmers Cause.
] know this ia drastic suggestion
but 1t would save nlanv an argument
between the umpires and PLAYERS on
the bench at almost every game II
is the extra players. bench wqrmers
that have nothing else to- 90 but 81
on the bench and yell al the oppoS-
inS players. They seem TO think
they must earn their money some
WY. and. in order to show their boss
they are in the game. they ride the
p'ayerS on the other side. The other
fellows have to get back of course
and the fun begins. The poor UNI
pires must take a hand and b., the
time 1t is all thrashed out several
players have been sent to the club
house. innocent ones as well as the
guilty Among some OF those who
are sent OF the grounds may be the
very men the manager would like to
put in the game at one time or an
other But with all the extra men
out of the game. on account of their
being sent to the clubhouse, he has
no one to send in.
I know some one will raise the
question: 1t will delay the game
when man that is needed must
come from the ball pen to take the
place OF another. That is not
handicap: it takes a player but a
moment to get that distance and it
would not delay the game half as
much in the end as it does with all
the time taken up every day by the
umpires having to walk to the bench
to warn the noisy players.
Raining the Umps.
The spectators, at least the ma
jority of them, go to the game to
watch the men in the field and not
listen to a lot of extra talk by the
players and umpires.
If every extra man with the excepN