The Washington times., 1920-02-22

Harry Harper. n pitcher, has never
been bowling success over good
stretch Of major experience, and now
Is having trouble about his contract.
Mike Menosky hasn't been able TO
break into regular service with the
Wa ARLINGTON outfit. and never would
make a normal SoX team. Eddie
Foster is a good infielder. but he has
passed his best years, and holds no
such possibilities as shannon.
The Sox. consequently, are in need
OF couple OF good outfilders, some
more pitching strength, and for
midable punch, which is quite enough
with the start OF things less than two
weeks off. and no prospects OF help in
the offing.
Can't Do Much As Yet.
The clubs affairs are now in the
courts. and until that little difficulty
Is ironed out, there's hardly y chance
of any trading or purchasing of
players. or OF disposal of the club.
Efforts have been made in the West
TO get sufficient capital together to
take over the club. and there are sew
eral Boston groups willing to gamble,
but there's no immediate likelihood
OF action.
the former owner, J. J. Lannin
stepped in and took control, or took
over enough stock to be one OF the
Influences on the business end of the
club. j. j. is baseball fan through
and through, and while his troubles
as 4 megnste made him glad to step
out, he's had quite vacation, and IL
things frame up rightly might be in
clined to hop back in.
Regarding the Braves, all efforts OF
the manager and owner to gather new
material and build up. have been as
futile as the SoX attempts. The team
now is about the same as 1t was AT
the close OF last season. which was
nothing to brag about. Red Smith, a
GOOD hitter, whatever his failings as
1 fielder. has passed out of the pic
ture. Some of the surplus substitute
material has been pruned. but nary n
bit OF strength has been added.
Only silence Is Heard.
II had been hoped that something
would be put over at the league meet.
inEs, but only silence regarding the
Braves came from Chi. It's just
about certain that Rabbit Meanwhile
will not be traded, which is as II
should be. The midget is the only
super star on tho roster, and letting
him out would be moro or less like
removing the turnstiles at the ball
yard.
As things stand now, those Braves
need few out1elders. and an in
fielder or two. not to mention several
pitchers and a good first-string back
stop. Outside of that. everything's
all right.
SO, you can see, as we intlmated
above. IL looms up like a mighty slim
season for this neck of the universe,
which deserves a far better shuttle In
the national pastime.
This conservative and conventional
part OF the world is slowly drifting
toward Sunday baseball More bills
to that effect have been flied with the
legislature than ever before, and q
more lenient policy than that OF other
years can be expected OF the solons.
And now the moral and social wei.
fare committee of Congregational
churches comes out openly In APP
prevail of the playing OF amateur base.
ball on Sunday afternoons. This is
really the FIRST Official church sane
ton the Sunday game has ever re-
coived here, and is likely to remove
much OF the silent opposition that had
blocked efforts to put the movement
over.
once amateur baseball is cstab.
~ ~. u I'll be but a step to the
pYs 'rqsionIl brand Which would he
,U very welcome addition to the
monotonous DAYS We have come upon.