The Washington times., 1921-02-27

i 7
Baker to round out my infield, l sha
my club to assist New York. II
worry along without Baker and st
field"
with Frank Baker in a Washing
ton uniform, the batting order OF the
Griffs for that opening game may be
expected to look like this:
Judge. first base
Milan. right field.
Rice. center field.
Baker, third base.
Lewis, left field.
Harris. second base.
O'Rourke, shortstop.
Charity. catcher.
Johnson, pitcher.
Paying $4,000 in cash for a player,
President Griffith has set a new rec
ord for the Washington American
League club. Chick Gandil was OBJ
tanned from Montreal in 1912 for some
$4,000 in cash and four players.
Turkey" Brewer was obtained from
the Reading club last summer for
something like $4,000. but other
players were also involved in the deal.
Molly Craft and Fred Thomas have
already been turned over to Reading
for Brewer, with one or two more to
follow.
GRIFFITH Is IN EARNEST.
President Griffith. while addressing
the fans at the Wardman Park Hotel
last Thursday night, showed his
earnestness when he said:
"The Washington club is behind
Mcbride with money and brains. II he
wants a player, and 1t Is at all pos
sibIe to land him. we'll do it. We have
the money and we hope to show we
have the brains. A combination like
this should get us somewhere"
OF course, the Washington club has
yet to sign Baker to a contract. Eff
forts will now be made to that end
in the hopes of having the veteran
report at Tampa and join the team
in training. Baker is now at his home
in La Trappe, Md, but that Is only a
short distance away He has express
ed his desire to play with the Wash
ington club, and there should be few
difficulties in the way Of signing him
to contract for 1921.
However, when II comes to going
South for training. Baker may balk.
Connie Mack had trouble getting the
Maryland farmer away from his
spring planting to get into shape for
the big league campaigns, but Baker
always reported in wonderful physi-
cal shape, and even IL he doesn't go
to Tampa. Washington fans may ex-
pect to see him in fine shape when
the season opens at Georgia avenue.
Baker lives most of his days out of
doors. He has a large farm in La
Trappe and is actively in charge OF
all the work on it. Most of his saw
ings have been put into farm land
and his income from his property
alone is quite considerable
THEY ARRIVE TODAY.
President Griffith and his party,
which left here yesterday morning.
are due to arrive at Tampa at $3.50
this evening The welcome informa-
ton of Miller Huggins' acceptance of
a cash offer for Frank Baker should
meet them there, adding greatly to
the confidence of Manager Mcbride in
having a good season
1t should also give Frank Ellerbe
no little worry, for the youngster was
beginning to look like the one best
bet for that third base Job Now,
with Baker on the squad. Ellerbe
should see himself relegated to bench
duty. Baker has forgotten more than
Ellerbe has yet learned about play
ing that hot corner, while the Mary
land farmer is a far more dangerous
hitter.
with Baker coming up fourth in
the Grifrs' batting order, following
Judge. Milan and Rice, the first three
lads should score n lot of runs for the
team this season. All three are
clever at reaching first base. Bakers
long drives. together with those OF
DUFFY Lewis. should bring them pret-
ty well around. while "Bucky" Har-
ris has a nifty way of showing the
runners along ahead of him with
timely taps over the infield.
After their nights rest the first
squad of Grifrmen are due to begin
work tomorrow morning at Plant
Field. Mike Martin, the liniment king,
has been at Tampa a week, prepar-
ing the field for the big leaguers,
and he has II in good shape now.
ERICKSON GETS AWAY.
Eric Erickson. the blonde finger
with the collapsible knee, arrived
here too late to join the party but
he left on the 3:15 train and will be
in Tampa tomorrow morning.
George Mogridge and Jerry Con-
way, southpaw beavers. failed to re-
pbrt and so are not in the party. Mo-
gridge is by no means a needed play
er. Neither is Conway. Mogridge has
seen his best days and the best he
was to have here was a relief job. |
He In quite clever at relieving siling |
pitchers
Conway is green pitcher from |
the sticks In New England. In some |
way he has acquired the idea that