Evening star., 1919-09-04
MAYS A|YDlAVAN
CASES NOT ALIKE.
Alleged Contention of New
York Magnates Seen as
Admission of Defeat.
GRIFFS WIN FROM MACKS
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.


from New York on the eve of the bat
tie OF aflidavits in the Carl Mays case,
the American League ins,rrectionsts
foresee defeat. The recent statements
of the owners of the Ebston and New
York clubs, in which they attempt to
impugn the yeracity. of Clark Griffith
and fiaunt the u11aundered linen of
the organization before a long-suffer-
ing public, sa.eor of the tactics of
politicians w.ro scent reversal at the
polls and seek final fling in the
newspapers before the bad news is
made IAatter of official record.
The tattle engendered by the Mays
case Will not end with the decision of
the curt in regard to the restraining
or"er against interference with the
use by the Yankees of Mays. Regard
lie s. of whether or not the temporary
lAjunction against Johnson is made
permanent. the fight will carry over
until the annual meeting of the league
next winter, Then the five club own
ers who rightly approve Johnsons
course in Furnishing Mays will official
ly ratify the action leaving the three
objectOrs to like it or lump it as
they see fit. AS to the statement that
the $4,000 lent to the Washington
'
was extended without being properly
secured. we know nothing, nor are we
acquainted with the banking methods
employed by Johnson in caring for the
funds of the league, but we do know
that Col. Tillinghast L'Hommedieu
Huston, in his latest TRADE against
johnson and his supporters in the
Mays controversy weakens his case
materially in the eyes of unbiased and
somewhat bored base ball fans in at
;empting to justify the course of the
Yankees by comparing it with the
Lavan case.
Huston is quoted as saying that
Clark Griffith. not so long ago, "was
camping on our doorstep for leniency
for Shortstop Doc Lavan. Lavan, the !
property of the Washington club, alb
solutely refused to fulfill his contrac-
tual obligations and report to Crit |
fith's club. He issued an ultimatum |
that he would play in st. Louis and
nowhere else. Griffith requested the |
other clubs in the American League |
to waive on Lavan's services SO that |
he might not lose out entirely on SO
valuable player, and when waivers
finally were granted, after due re- |
Election upon the fact that Washing
tons financial status called for con-
sideration. Lavan was sold to the st. !
Louis National League club. No at
tempt was made to discipline him."
Carl Mays walked off the field after |
the second inning of a game he was
pitching for Boston in Chicago. went |
to the hotel for his luggage and |
boarded train for the east, making
the announcement he would never
pitch another ball for the Red Sox.
II this does not constitute contract
breaking and breach of discipline
what does?
The facts in the Lavan case which
Huston a lal h-t
last winter. while in the service of
the United States Navy and powerless
to enter into contract to play pro-
fessional base ball even had he wish
ed to. Lavan informed the Washing
ton club he had decided to practice
medicine in st. Louis upon his release
from the service and that il would
be impossible for him to do this and
play for Washington. He announced
that for this rea-on he would not
sign Washington contract. where
upon waivers were asked and OBJ
tained, his sale to the st. Louis Ma
tional League club following. Lavan
fully intended to retire from base
Cardinals in the city he has chosen
as his permanent home and it was
because every club owner in the
American League was convinced of
this fact that waivers were granted
The assertion of President Frazee of
Boston that Griffith and Comiskey ap-
proved the sense of the statement that
Frazee issued at the time of the spe-
cial meeting of the American League
in Cleveland in July, 1918. panning
Johnson for his order to lock up the
ball parks because of war conditions,
is true: Griffith thought at the time,
and still thinks, Johnson was wrong
in that case He did not hesitate to
say so at the time nor at any period
since, but he denies he signed the
statement Frazee gave out for pub
lication, and. while approving in the
main the sentiments expressed in 1t,
disclaims responsibility for the way
it was worded.
Rain cut in and prevented the stag
ing of two games at Shibe Park yes
terday, but the grounds were fixed
up in time to dispose of single con-
test, which the Nationals grabbed by
count of to 3. Weather permit
ting. double bill will be enacted this
afternoon, with Johnson hurting in
the opener and Harper in the final.
Yesterdays game marked the debut
! of Claude Davidson as a Griffman.
and the entrance of Eddie Gill into
the won" column, after participa-
ton in nearly dozen contests. Da-
Vidson held forth at third base in
place of Eddie Foster He had very
! little TO do in the field. He got a
/ single and walk in four times up.
tanning once and on another occasion
hitting into a double play. His field
! ing prowess remains to be shown, but.
Judged by the impression he created
at the bat, he is not likely to prove
any more of a terror to American
League pitchers ehan when he was up
before with the Mackmen. 1t was
weakness with the stick that caused
him TO lose out then. and 1t is doubt
ful II he has improved much in this
| respect.
PROVIDED the punches that put over
Washington's runs at the expense of
Russell johnson. A concerted attack
was launched on him in the fourth,
when singles by this quartet, to-
gether with an alton error and the
gave the Nationals three runs. In
the seventh Rice's third hit. a two
bagger; Ellerbe's sacrifice and a
safety by Menosky gave them what
proved to be the winning counter.
Gill was effective in the arst four
rounds. allowing only one hit in that
period: bit after a walk a wild MITCH
three safeties and a sacrifice fy had
, netted the Mackmen two counters in
the NTH he was withdrawn in favor
of Shaw. Jim would have escaped
unscathed but for an error by Rice on
Burns single in the eighth Sam al
lowed the ball to roll through his
legs to the fence. and il permitted
Walker. who had hit safely ahead of
Rurns. to tally all the way from first.
Murphy romped in the precincts of
center field in place of Milan, who is
being given the rest he has needed
so long. "Spud" failed to distinguish
h lVVR0 0Al in q ~