The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-01-04
RED SOX DONE i.
IF DEL QUITS.
Boston Fans, Sore at Shabby
Treatment, Want Local
Ownership Of Clubs.
Nv NICK FLATLEY.

BOSTON, Jan. 4.-The big trade
between the Red Sox and the Yam
KEGS, that helped the latter nightly
in their efforts to gather real ball
club, keeps right on looking sourer
and more sour to Boston fans.
DerriI Pratt, the one real bali
player that was supposed to come
to the local outfit for one OF the
leagues best catchers, the most
promising young hurler in the game,
q nifty southpaw and a dandy util-
ity man, has declared his intention
of not playing ball.
1t was generally known In baseball
circles last fall that Pratt had re-
tired. but that didn't bother owner
Frazee when he tried to make that
deal look good to the Boston punic.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry Is now
convinced that Joe villa, the New
York scribe. finally guessed one cor
rectly when he declared that Miller
Higgins and the famous New York
Colonies must have used chloroform
when they put that trade across.
NOT A RED sOX CHANCE.
without Pratt at second the Sox
have as much chance to get any
where. even in the early stage Of the
race, as an airplane without an en-
CINE. Little Mister Brady did not
come up to specifications last season.
McNally showed signs Of being a good
second baseman, which the Yankees
evidently realized, for they have him
now.
AS Boston fans view things. there
is no chance Of any Red Sox rebuild
In no In oh
1t would be hard to find one baseball
follower in this village now who
doesn't believe that the New York in
forests own the Red Sox.
Nobody would be even slightly sur
prised II 1t was announced shortly
that Scott and McInnis, the remain
ing real stars of the outfit. had been
handed over to the Gotham club. The
Yankees. having appropriated every
thing else, might as well clean up.
A pennant for the New York club
would secure the whole leagues en-
penses. and a lot more than that if
Babe Ruth happened to keep on swat
ting out home runs. The success of
baseball depends greatly on the re-
suits the Batterer accomplishes, for
he Is the one individual who can
make the freight-paying populace
forget the scandal and the rows of
the magnates and everything like
that.
HARD PICKING FOR DUFFY.
With Hughey Duffy at the helm.
the Sox had a wonderful chance to
get back close to the popular heart.
Manager Duffy is well known and
liked in Boston, and Is a mighty capa-
BILE baseball parsonage. But as
things are going now, he's licked be-
fore he starts. which is a mighty
tough situation for any skipper.
Derrill Pratt has announced from
Michigan that he would stick to his
collegiate last, and not bother any
longer with professional baseball. II
was a question in most minds whether
he would have another year Of good
baseball in him, especially with a
second division team like the Red
Sox.
At all events he was the "star" that
"came" from New York and his abil-
ity was used to cover up the short
comings Of the other athletes ac-
CURED, as well as the suggestion that
perhaps the Yankees had paid $25 900
for the flock of real ball players they
plucked from the Sox.
The somewhat ancient Derrill may
be induced to cancel his cont ract with