The Washington herald., 1919-03-15
Former Red Sox Receiver
Proves Minute Man at
Signing Contract-Bat-
terry Candidates Leave for
Augusta Today.
BY JOHN A. DUGAN.

When the National battery candi-
dates leaves Terminal Station this af-
ternoon Sam Agnew, formerly main
stay catcher OF the Boston Red Sox
team, VIII be in their midst. Bat
tling Sam" as he is best known to
local fandom, yesterday accepted
Grift's terms for the season and will
be among those present when the
Dixie rattler" starts its winding trail
into the land of cotton.
This vanguard OF young and veteran
hurlers will leave for the Augusta
training camp at o'clock tonight IN
charge of Uncle" Nick Altrock Eight
members will make this first advance
while reinforcements will be met at
the battling point of training, near
the old Savannah River. Those who
will make the trip will be Harry Har-
per. the Hackensack southpaw, Eddie
Hovlik, Ed Mattcson. Molly Craft,
Harry Thompson, Bill Harrington,
Sam Agnew and Eddie Charity.
Eddie Flaherty, the local young
hurler who received trial two
years ago at the Griffmen's camp,
will be taken South with this ad-
vance squad i'm order to give him
one more chance at showing the Old
Fox he is the caliber for major
league. Flaherty. at present. is the
property of Frank Schulte's Bing-
hamton Club. but there is some
agreement between the Foxy Pilot
and wild Fire" Frank. which gives
Eddie another chance to break into
the big show.
Ike Davis, a Pacific Coast short
stop: Val Picinich, sensational
catcher. who joined the team from
the Atlanta Crackers last season
along with Adrian Lynch, will re-
port before the first workout Mon
day morning. Doc Ayers, the hill
billy from Virginia, who was eN-
pected to Join the party en- route.
will not report until March % be-
cause of sudden sickness in his fam
lily circle.
Agnew proved the minute man in
falling in line if press reports can be
taken for any weight. 1t was claim
ed yesterday afternoon that Sam was
not satffied with the terms offered by
the local management and that he
would stick to the Lebanon Club of the
Bethlehem Steel League. The salary
which closed out the deal for the
former Red Sox player is claimed to
he the largest he ever received I'm base
ball.
It's Barney Dreyfuss who is now
blocking the way for the Nationals to
obtain Davey Robertson, the New
York Giant holdout. A few weeks ago
it was exclusively stated in the Wash
ington Herald that a quartet of Ma
tional league pilots were holding up
the waiver on Davey. but since that
time two have lifted the ban and it
was figured that the EcnteeI son of
Erin, Pat Moran. late of the Philadcl-
phia Club now pilot of the Redlegs,
was the big obstacle in the way.
Moran has lifted his option and it
only remains to cast the Smoky City
ma gnate in the discard pack TO place
Robertson in a National uniform.
Speaking OF the chances Of obtain
ing Robertson. the Foxy Pilot said
last night: ''Dreyfuss may change
his mind at any time, as he is pretty
well fortified with out ficlders. but
this is the remote chance of the Ma
tionals Of obtaining the services OF
the Giants star"
Bert Niehoff. last season with the
Cardinals and Giants and the prop
eTty of the latter club. will not wear
a National uniform this season. Man
ager Griffith believes that his in
fielders will round into shape and
did not desire to take a chance on
Bert for a short stay in the Amer
lean League.