Evening star., 1921-12-06

TQ2SalO ne ndO HdO HO lliUc W SOI
urer no circumstances would he hi
teen on the field.
@iffith voiced regret at the de-
cis3sn of Mcbride The latter, IN
shSFt talk with the writer over the
plrsSle, asked that his appreciation
ofsfhe fine treatment he has re-
cexed from the fans of Washing
tofEbe expressed. '
sE have decided to quit because
I as not want to handicap Crit or
thu club in any way Mac said:
That accident last summer proved
.mdse serious than | thought It
wq4ld, and feel that | will. not be
abb to do Justice to the job. IN
tem to give up base ball altogether,
at East for a year. but if | feel equal
to 'fhe task | may do scouting tor
the Nationals next summer. Crit
has asked me to consider it, at any
rats | am sorry to leave a town
where have received such hne
trsxtment. The fans always have
beSR fair to me- They deserve the
beH base ball has to offer, and my
physical condition is such that do
no& believe | can fill the bill salts
fa9prily.'
GriT Has No Plans Made.
Griffith parried all queries regard
inEhiS plans for obtaining some one
to HI McBride's place. The only point
oIlz&hich he was emphatic was that
lie9would not again run the team
hiiself. He asserted he had no one
in Haind for the assignment. and TO
aItSduestions as to whether he might
toHpw the precedent he established
from the ranks of the club to leader
sh EClyde Milan. for instance-he
wan noncommittal.
Il don't know what I am going to-
do3hbout it," Griff said. II am sorry
todose Mcbride and tried to get him
oEhange his mind about quitting or
atEfeast put off final decision until
laear in the winter to see. but he has
deArmined to quit Wei, In have Se a
so1d one, too, but I can't say now
The injury to Mcbride occurred
dufing practice at, the bali park here
JuH 81. the day the White Sox were
rof&ied they must return to Chicago
toaeestify in the world series scandal
ca.S Mcbride was hitting for field
in6Epractice when a ball thrown by
EsH Smith from the outfieid struck
hiua on the cheek bone and knocked
hir1 out. He was given. first-aid
treatment and made light of the in
july at the time. but became SO
welk he was removed to his quar-
erH days
Mcbride Absent Nine Days.
&Bride recovered sufficiently to go
to Hhe park as a spectator August 4,
afE an absence of nine days, ana
the following day resumed direction
OF &he team, but he continually felt
th1Eeffects of the injury, which pro.
dufed concussion of the brain, and
tho dizzy spells he. suffered were OF
sud- a serious nature that later in the
mdSth, while the club was In ST.
LoSss. he was urged to relinquish his
dulles and go home. He stuck on the
joE however. to the finish of the
caIbpaign, but never felt right ana
his appearance plainly showed the
EFFECTS of the injury. ~
When Mcbride was hurt the Ma
tioHals had won three games in q
roy and under the direction of Clyde
Mi IN. who subbed for him as pilot.
th& ran their string of consecutive
Victories to eleven before being
laA Indians on August s. the day
afthr Mcbride got back on the job.
Thu fact that the club maintained
sun a fast pace while under the di-
redSion of Milan led the fans to be-
lie1e that he had managerial quail
litf4e question that great ma
joT4ty of them would be glad to see
thH Tennesseean given chance to
ah6w what he can do as a pilot If
giyen a fair trial.
Ruth Verdict Is Drastic.
4ny doubt as to who's who in base
bah has been dissipated by the de-
cis&pp of Judge Landis in the Babe
Ruth case. For participating in ex-
mHtions after the close of the sea-
soH. specifically barred by the rules.
th& famous slugger and two OF his
te3hmates. Outfielder Bob Meusel
and Pitcher Bill Piercy. have been
finSd their share of the world series
receipts, amounting to more than
$500 apiece, and suspended until
May 20.
This verdict demonstrates to the
en1re satisfaction of everybody that
the Commissioner is boss, but salts
fa&ion so far as the players, their
ow6ers (the Yankees) and the clubs
WHICH will be scheduled to meet them
prRr to the date in question ends
ken those of the fans who were
inclined to sympathiZe with Ruth in
hisendeavor to capitalize his athletic
prdwesS agreed that his defiance of
thAregulations called for stiff pen
altt, but it is doubtful whether any
onE believed punishment of such far
reakhing effect would be meted out.
Technically, the attitude of the COM
mi Ssioner is unassailable. In his de-
cisfon, after pointing out that the
players "wilfully and defiantly"
violated the regulations, he says:
FERNS 1t "MutInOus Defiance"
.This rule was enacted in 1911, only
after repeated acts of misconduct by
wofld series participants made its
adoption imperative for the protec-
tio& of the good name of the game.
IThS rule was known to all players
and particularly to these men, upon
one. of whom a fine was imposed In
1914 for a violation. This situation
inyelves not merely rule violation.