New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-09
Far Too Soon
For a Dirge
Over Baker
Home Run King Anxious to
Treat the Yanks Fairly:
Matty Not Yet Signed
By w. ]. Macbeth

By w. ]. Macbeth
1t would seem that some of our
weeping willies started the dirge over
J. Franklin Bakers athletic corpse a bit
prematurely. While the Home Run
King is by no means an assured 1919
Yankee asset, he still remains more
or less bright, tangible proposition tow
ard the general uplft started by the
recent acquisition of Duffy Lewis,
Ernie Shore and Dutch" Leonard.
This assertion comes direct from head
quarters-the word of Miller Higgins,
to be exact
The Yankee manager returned early
yesterday morning Cor very late the
night before) from Bakers winter
haunts near Trappe, Md. Thither he
had gone to ascertain by word of
mouth the exact status of his heaviest
swatter. He found that Baker had
absolutely no grievance against his
baseball association; indeed, that he
had nothing but the very highest con-
siderations for the situation of Messrs.
Rupert and Huston-not to mention
their able manager-and the Difficult
ties Home Runs retirement at this
time might entail for them.
Square Break His Aim
In addition to this, Baker felt that
the New York American League club,
which paid stiff price for his release
from the Athletics. not to mention a
fancy salary for three seasons. had
scarcely been given a square break
for its investment
An accident in midseason of 1916
put him out for the remainder of the
! pennant run and handicapped him
Throughout the following year. Through
out his experience as a Yankee the
owners have experienced an unusual
run Of tough luck, and Baker would
welcome chance to contribute his
might with a team that has been greatly
strengthened and which must suffer
through his retirement
And still the Home Run King is CON
fronted with serious business prob
| lens which, he believes. demand his
immediate attention. These he viii
move heaven and earth to untangle as
speedily as he can. in order to join the
Higgins band before opening day if
possible. He had pledged his word to
Higgins to make every effort o~clear
the way to return to the big show.
And he will keep that word. Baker,
indeed, may find it impossible to go
South with the Yankees and has
Hugginss permission to forego the
training jaunt. For he is an athlete
who keeps himself always in the very
fittest physical condition. The only
handicap his absence from Jacksonville,
Fla, will entail is a possible delay in
the perfection of team play and that
individual practice which cannot fail
to benefit the most illustrious star.
Still, if he is able TO join the Yanks
on their way North, or even if not till
opening day, his arrival viii be most
welcome, for Baker, like Ty Cobb, is
able to step in at moments notice
any time and give a good account of
himself.
AS Good as Signed
Some timorous souls seem slightly
annoyed that in several stories Of
Chrlsty Mathewson's return to the
Giants it was reported Matty had
signed a 1919 contract with Nc
GraW's club. The announcement that
Matty had really signed may have
been somewhat premature, not to say
NA iC44tONS. ne Is as ROOQ as
signed, and in the eyes of baseball
law is signed. For he has accepted
terms, and that, in the opinion of the
National League, qualities quite as
bindingly as the actual signature
Mathewson has as yet not attached
his signature to a contract because Of
the technicality of baseball Law. Au-
gust Hermann, president of the Gin
cinnati baseball team, which Mathew
-. l.
! IN the uniform of an army captain, is
responsible for the technicaity in
volved Mr.. Hermann had nothing
! cut the most courteous regard for his
former manager when, some weeks
/ ago, he requested waivers on the Old
Master. Hermann wished to present
/ Mathewson with his unconditional re-
lease, he having qualified for this
consideration of the ten years con-
secutivo service rule
The time for waiver claims Of rival
National League clubs is not up yet,
and until it is Mathewson has no
right to enter any entangling al
liances. But even should some club
other than New York claim Mathew
sens services it could not influence
Christie's future.
Mr.. Hermann is anxious to have
Matty embrace the golden opportunity
.iiS return 10 the FOlO GROUNDS opens.
He could very readily block the de-
signs of any club that might wish to
make the way difficult for New York
by recalling waiver on Mathewson if
he were claimed elsewhere and then
assigning Cincinnati's claim TO New
ork. Matty will be with TIE Giants
this year. never fear. And what is
more, he is quite likely to be the
team leader by the time the 1920
spring training season rolls around.
Manager Arthur Irwin of the Roch-
ester club of the International League
announced yesterday that Catcher
George O'Neill, of his club, had
signed for the coming season O'Neill
will be expected to do the heavy work
behind the Bronchos, now that Earl
Smith has graduated TO the Giants.
The announcement is of significance
locally only because of the fact that
| O'Neill is one of the several Roches-
ter players who Will train with the
Giants at Gainesville, Fla.