New-York tribune., 1919-03-22
Famous Pitcher and Slug
ger Finally Comes to
Terms With Frazee
Bx w O. Mcclellan


Babe Ruth signed a three-year con-
tract with the Red Sox yesterday. and
left to join the team at Tampa in the
evening. The long war between Owner
Harry H. Frazee and the youthful but
exceedingly useful southpaw came to
an abrupt ending. Both were smiling
when the truce and the contract were
signed.
Only couple Of days ago Hand
some Harry Frazee was threatening to
trade Ruth for Walter Johnson and
a couple of sacks of junk. He declared
along Broadway, New York, and Ire
mont Street, Boston, that he and Ruth
financially, but when Ruth slipped off
for the train South he left with the
parental blessing of Frazee.
The terms of the three-year contract
will not be given for publication, but
the last conference sounds like an
even thirty thousand, or just ten
thousand bucks a year, which is pretty
close to the amount at which Ruth
has estimated his services. Seeing that
Ruth poled over eleven home runs and
the same number of triples during the
double the number of long swats per
season for some time to come, it does
not look like such bad buy for Fra
zee even at the price.
Threatened to Retire
Ruth was hanging onto the outskirts
of New York vowing that he would
retire from the pastime unless he got
his price. Frazee called him to his
office by the phone, and when the
southpaw arrived he found a contract
that read we'll to him waiting on the
desk. Ruth took a firm grip of his
fountain pen and affixed the monicker
that is SO highly honored in Bean
town to the document.
After the ceremonies Ruth read a
brief speech which was prepared for
him by the Red Sox press agent. Ruth
is not good reader, excepting Of con
tracts, but he finally got it out of his
system.
"Gentlemen, wish to say, or rather
Mr.. Frazee wishes me to state. that
nave come to terms with the Boston
Anne mericans," he began. "I am not at
liberty at this time to disclose what
the emonuments-no, that amt right
the emoluments will be. | have
signed Tor three years, and / wish to
state that | will give my best efforts
II.
Il am not at liberty TO disgust
mean discuss-the terms of the con-
tract, but l can say that they are sat-
lsfactory to all hands concerned"
Inc dlckering with Ruth has been
s"lit and at times somewhat heated
snort time ago the big southpaw an
nounced that he had been offered Just
so'ooO. Later he was told that this
was Svsoa typographical error and tha.
r,,%o H.
raised the ante to $500, but Ruth
hung out for the $4,000 even after
the Johnson threat was made. To the
threat that he would be traded for
Eddie Collins or anybody or sold down
the river, Ruth returned briefly -sTen
thousand or nothing"
The signing of Ruth leaves the Rel
Sox complete with the excep5ion of
Mays. Owner Frazee is confident that
the last OF his hold-outs will be slid
ing into Florida about the time Ruth
arrives.
Batted 800 in 1918
Ruth emerged from. the last season
batting an even 800 and playing in
the field or in the box, wherever he
was put. He pitched twenty games
out OF the ninety-five in which he fig
ured. Harry Frazee himself has often
declared that the Babe was the great
est player of them all, in view of the
Tact that he is still a inere youth who
has not reached his best stride. So
to a man on the fence it looks as
though Harry has got his moneys
worth-no matter what Ruth cost him.
Colonel L. l.. Huston arrived at the
trazee parlors just at the conclusion
of the Ruth speech.
You have met Mr.. Ruth" said
Harry courteously TO the Colonel.
"Frequently and to my so-row.' re-
turned the half owner of the Yanks.
Il have seen him pole them over the
fence. Yes, Mr.. Ruth has certainly
cost me few"
Colonel Huston will step southwark
at the head of the Yankee contingent
to-day. Derrill Pratt, the Yank second
baseman, who was talking financial
matters by long distance, will arrive
this morning to sign the contract. He
has already agreed to the terms sub
mltted by the club. He will be escort
ed personally to the train by Colonel
Huston and Harry Sparrow, adjutant
of the Yankees.
The last Wire from Phil Schenck, the
demon groundkeeper for the Yanks.
was that the rain and Billy Sunday
were still at Jacksonville. The field
Phil declares, was used for a COW past
get down on his hands and knees To
iron out the kinks. However, it is now
safe for the expensive athletes that
will start to gambol on it Monday.
= At Baltimore tie original party will
be augmented by Allen Russell, and
Wilson Fewster will be heaved aboard
by Ivory Hunter Joe Kelly. There will
be no other stops until the train docks
at the Hotel Burbridge, Jacksonville.
Fla.
Latest accounts from the Giant base
at Gainesville, Fla, are that John Jo-
seph McGraw is on the trail of Pol
Perritt. The members of thescamp, are
confidently expecting that the little
Napoleon will lead the hold-out pitcher
into the cantonment by the hand.
The stage at Gainesville is said to be
all set for the reconciliation scene be-
tween Hal Chase and Christy Mathew
son