New-York tribune., 1919-03-14
Catcher Smith
Signs to Play
With Giants
MeCraw's Roster Now Com
pletc, Excepting Perritt,
Anderson and Toney
By w. ]. Macbeth

c...her Earl Smith. of the Giants,
,.s~arded his signed contract to Sec
io.ms .'ru Iohn b. Foster yesterday. This
Ee.ai Ee.riotes the roster of the New York
soAslpnnsl League eligibles with the ex-
sssT '.n.;on Of three pitchers-Poll Perritt,
prppd Anderson and Fred Toney. Fur
.ler,nore. it assures McGraw the great
.a,' VI, Inossible strength he ever could
.sunt upon in every department out
sH s;Ss the box, the only questionable
Jonartment of his challengers.
ordinarily the announcement of the
sssnred availability of such an athlete
wonld create little furore, especially
among the followers of a club so strong
as the Giants. Smith is only rookie.
Ant he is no ordinary rookie. He is
exceptional He proved it when he re-
turned his contract unsigned. Most
inc Inc McGraw school, irrespective of
salary offered Smith proved his nerve
in his business negotiations. 1t is
said he is equally nervy behind the bat
and ut the bat and on the bases.
McGraw expects Smith to prove even
during his first major league year one
If those rare baseball jewels that come
to the big show self-made. The type is
rare nowadays. Hal Chase and George
Sisler are the most striking examples.
They both started in with the assur-
ance and cunning of veterans.
Smiths meteoric career has been the
acme of brilliance so far. A year ago
he had never attempted professional
game. He reported for exercise to
Uncle Wlbert Robinson when the Dodg-
ers were training at Hot Springs,
Ark. Under Robbie's tutelage he
showed great Improvement. Unfor-
tunately, Brooklyn did not see its way
clear to tie up to a raw recruit, no mat
ter how promising. But when Arthur
Irwin, of the Rochester club, went to
Robbie for advice upon getting much
needed backstop the manager of the
Dodgers recommended Earl Smith.
Made Good For Irwin
The rookie made good with Irwin
from the very first day. In ninety four
games he batted 1858, finishing fifth in
his league, and stole nineteen bases.
He made such a reputation that Nc
Graw gave five ball players and a
bundle of cash for the young man some
months ago.
While McGraw, as q rule, does not
thrust youngsters right into his cham
pionship lineup, and while it is very
likely Mac will procure seasoned
catcher to assist Lew McCarty the COM
ing season, the leader of the Giants
frankly admits that he counts upon
Smith for regular duty from the start
Of the season and that he will be
greatly disappointed if the youth fails
to live up to expectations.
Branch Hickey, president and man
ager of the Cardinals, conferred sew
eral times with Barney Dreyfuss, boss
Of the Pirates, before leaving for
home last night. There is q "settin
hen" on between these clubs. Rickev
declares he has catcher who is on
the market but refuses to divulge the
name He intimates he is not Frank
Snyder. Hickey says there is nothing
to the talk that Russell Gardner may
purchase the Cards. Also he says that
Rogers Hornsby will not be traded
or sold in any event.
The week of March "a is to be cele-
brated throughout the United States
and Canada as Baseball Week, and back
OF the movement is every amateur
team OF consequence. The movement
IS being promoted throughout public
schools, colleges, universities and even
industrial plants, the idea being to get
baseball back where it belongs as soon
= possible.
-
The Yankees have released Pitcher
siif Markle to the Salt Lake Club OF
'he Pacific Coast League.
Barney Dreyfuss declares that in
dustrial plants have become a real
menace to minor league baseball.
iaese pay good salaries all the year
round to players of merit, and besides
give rich bonuses for Saturday and
Sunday games.