The sun., 1919-02-23
YOUNG AND BAIRD
sign WITH GIANTS
Brilliant Young Texas Out
fielder Gets Substantial
Raise in Salary.
McGRAw WELL SATISFIED
Every Regular Player Except
Doyle and Burns in Line for
Next Season.
NJ FREDERICK @. LEE.

Even a holiday did not prevent the
Giants from announcing the arrival Of
two additional contracts. Both arrived
from the land Of cotton. The latest
Giants to get In line are Ross Young.
the brilliant young Texan outfelder. and
Al Baird. Louisianian, who served as
infield utility man on the 1917 New York
National team.
Young entered an officers training
camp In Texas at the end Of the 1918
season. and was about half way through
his course when the armistica was signed
He was discharged from service before
he had chance to win his commits
sion Baird enlisted In the navy shortly
after the 1917 worlds series. He re-
Gently was discharged at Newport.
Young, who appears to be the bosf
outfield prospect to come into the big
leagues since Speaker, a fellow Texan.
came UP in 1918, received a substantial
raise in salary. He Is one of the few
players whose pay envelopes in 1919
will call for money than in 1918.
Young, who was n San Antonio high
school boy two years ago, hit 800 In his
FIRST year with the Giants. and his youth
and dash especially will be needed
among a team of veterans such as COM
pose the Giants to-day. Men who have
gone through ten or twelve campaigns do
not have the snap that characterises
n youth of 81.
MeGraw Thinks Well of Baird.
Young. Baird and Earl Smith arc the
lads who will be depended upon to spur
along the veterans on the Giants. NC
Graw II as much impressed with Baird
as he was with Arthur Shafer when the
Californian FIRST came to the Giants.
Baird was discovered in an odd way.
To break a Jump North in the spring
OF 1916. the Giants played an exhibition
game at Baton Rouge with the Univer-
sity Of Louisiana, It being the first time
that the University of Louisiana ever
took on q big league team. Baird played
Graw was 90 impressed with Baird 5
playing that he Immediately offered him
q contract.
Baird's folks were opposed to his
taking up professional baseball, but
Baird wanted to take n whirl at II and
promised to como to New York at the
end of his college career. He came to
the Giants early In the summer of 1917
and was a member of the club that won
the league championship that year.
McGraw intends to groom the youngster
to succeed Larry Doyle at second base.
Baird may have lot Of opportunity
next season. as the twenty-one player
limit will not permit McGraw to carry
many utility men.
McGraw Is Satisfied.
McGraw said yesterday he Is very
we'll satisfied with the way contracts are
coming in. The only Giant players hold
! ing regular positions who have not
signed or accepted terms are Doyle and
| Burns
In the infield Fletcher and thinner
man have signed and Chase has ac-
cepted terms. Contracts from Kauff and
Young. outfelders. and McCarty. the
regular catcher, are In the New York
clubs safe.
The story from ST. Louis that Hornsby
will come TO the Giants for Arthur
! Fletcher, a pitcher and cash is not taken
seriously here Hornsby is one of the
young stars OF the game and II Is I'M
likely that st. Louis would give
him up.
| 1t Is hardly likely that McGraw would
have gone all the way to Fletcher's
home In Illinois TO sign up this player
| had he intended TO trade him. The
Giants could not afford to cut of q
dependable pitcher even to get Hornsby.
with Schupp an absolute uncertainty
ard Toney not available in the early
part Of the season. Perritt, Benton and
Barnes must bear the brunt Of the work.
As Chicago will start with Vaushn. Tyler
Douglas and Hendrix and a good chance
OF getting Alexander back later on, Nc
Graw needs pitchers more than a short
stop.