Evening star., 1921-08-16

The article in question was "
critic. His high standing in .he fra
) ne holds the position OF president o
This fact lends maximum of wei
unjustifiable charges against Griffit
regretted because the integrity of tn,
This is what Sanborn wrote:
A Text of Criticism.
Once more the lack of sportsman.
ship in professional base hall has beer
demonstrated to the dissatisfaction
of the public and to the edification o,
Fans devoted to other sports, who
long have maintained that the dia-
mond pastime ranks lower than any
other major sport in the matter OF
craftsmanship.
1.-The spectacle of Clark Griffith. one
~ the owners of the Washington
American league club, staging far
cical game on rain soaked diamond
against the White Sox. wrecked by
the absence of the few players of
quality left on the team. was the
limit, plus a lot.
1.-The Chicago outfit, riddled by the
scandal of 1919, was weak enough
anyway, and when several of its reg
ulars were compelled to absent them
selves from the road to testify In the
scandal case before the Cook county
grand jury. in Chicago. the remnants
even a semi-pro. team.
"Knowing this, it would have been
the part of a sportsman to consent to
postpone the two remaining games of
the Sox series in Washington. as
there was plenty Of chance to double
them up later on. This would have
been the impulse of real sport un-
der the conditions, no matter If the
weather had been of the finest and
the chances for attendance good.
But Griffith insisted on playing
game after a storm had soaked his
ball field, when he has been notorious
in the past for calling off games on
the slightest prOvOcation, for the
sake of forcing double-headers later
e on. But that was when he stood only
an even chance to win a game.
Against that bunch of White SoX
bench warmers there wasn't chance
for Griffiths team to lose. and SO he
took mean advantage to win. al
though even the weather man tried
to keep him from lackening his rec
ord as a sportsman.
THE following day Griffith tried to
win another game in the same way.
but this time the weather bureau
made it impossible. but did not save
any of Grifhth's reputation.
$50 long as professional base ball is
conducted along these lines it will be
possible for the devotees of other
sports to point the finger of scorn at
the nations paStime.
Contest in Question.
The game referred to was that of
Thursday, July %, which Washington
won by 5-4. a score that in itself
tends to refute the charge that the
Sox were hopelessly weakened. OF
the six Chicago players whose alb
sence was necessitated by the court
summons. Collins really was the only
regular whose absence would weaken
the team. for Schalk does not catch
all the games. neither Wilkinson nor
Faber and Kerr already had pitched
Faber on Tuesday and Kerr on We'd
nesday. the day previous-and would
not ordinarily be called on again for
service in that series. Incidentally.
both Faber and Kerr were defeated,
with Chicago's strongest line-up in
the field. in those games. indicating
Washington would be favored to win
the third game in any event. the only
two hrst-class pitchers the Sox pos.
sess having been disposed Of
=. this instance the inf!e!d protect
Cd by a huge ta-paCl;.. was perfectly
eyy. although the outfeld was some.
what soggy from a shower prior to
the game. delay in the start of which
was due to the time required to re.
move the canvas covering. Washing
ton fans repeatedly have been assured
that owing to the care taken to pro-
rect the grounds scheduled games in
Vss!ao.y ca be 2-aye6 I:.ess :r &C.
NAY IS raining AT game r:f.e, and on
tA:s occasion il devolved upon tne club
70 keep faith with the patrons who
mad assembled because of this assur-
ance.
o@eree to C.=ee,.
G-!@ta s-st heard -rmors to the
eject that some of the Sox pIavers
hao received orders to GO to Chi
cago Just before the start of wednes-
days game. He sought out Manager
Gleason. who verified the report. and
told the Chicago pilot he was willing
the remaining two games should he
cancelled, providing the other games
the Sox were to play in the east also
Snould be postponed. and was told
ny Gleason that he didn't want
the Washington games called OF
unless similar action was taken in
regard to the other teams which in.
Guided the Yankees. a club which at
that time the Nationals seemed to
nave chance to overhaul in the
league race.
The president of a ball club has no
authority to cancel a game without
permission from league headquarters.
On his own initiative, Griffith i'm
Hediately tried to get in touch with
frestdent johnson in Chicago by tele-
1hone to inquire If postponement of
the games would be Sanctioned.
0rimth was unable to get into COM
munication with the league executive
that day. but Secretary Barber of the
White Cox reached President Com
iskey by 1ong-distance phone and
was directed by the owner of the
White Sox that the games as sched-
uled should be played, reporting his
boss as saying: I'VE want no sym.
pathy from any one"
When Griffith finally got in touch
Johnson 80
game the league executive also in
formed him there was no justification
for postponements
These are the facts. which San
born either was unacquainted with
or disregarded when he penned his