The New York herald., 1922-08-17
DOUGLAS BANISHED
FROM BIG LEAGUES
Shufflin' Phil Is Charged
With Attempt to Sell
Out the Giants.
lands BACKS M'GRAW
Pitcher Admits He Offered ito
Disappear at Crisis in
Pennant Race.
Lands BACKS M'GRAW
BY w. o. McGEEHAN.


PITTSBURGH, Pa. Aug. 16.-ShuH1in'
Phil Douglas was drummed out of or
ganized baseball to-day and became
baseball outcast with Shoeless Joe
Jackson and the members Of the
BLACK Sox." Before the game to-day
Manager McGraw of the Giants an
nounced that Douglas had been placed
upon the permanent ineligible list Of
the Giants for offering to quit the
Giants for cash consideration.
McGraw said that he had taxed tho
player with having made the offer and
that Douglas had admitted it. Judge
Lands had been informed Of what
was about to take place and was pres
ent when Douglas was dismissed.
"The Giants did the obvious thing
and did 1t promptly" said Judge Lands.
II want to compliment the New York,
club on It's action" said the commits
sioner. "The clup has done everything
possible and there is nothing for me to
do except to heartily indorse it, In
cases ,ahere "a player Is placed on the
ineligible list by club the player has
the right of appeal to me II he feels he
has just grievance. but in this case
do not expect an appeal. for Douglas
has admitted the truth of the charges
made BY Mr.. McGraw."
McGraw Says He Has Proof.
Il have the absolute proof on Doug
las" said McGraw. He Is In the same
class with Chase and the rest of the
outcasts Of baseball. l have the proof
in his own handwriting that he offered
to quit the Giants for money. The Of
fer was made TO player of an opposing
team. l do not care to mention the
player or the team. The player is in
nocent OF any wrongdoing and the team
knew nothing about what Douglas was
trying to do.
There has been much talk of the
Giants buying a pennant. l will buy
ball players when and where 1 can. but
l am just as quick to throw them out
when they should be thrown out, as
Douglas should be. can lose PEN
fant in fairly graceful way for the
good of the game. too."
The eccentric player who was dis
missed to-day has not pitched since July
81. when he was beaten by the Pirates
at the Polo Grounds. He was consid-
cred about the best man of the Giant
pitching staff when he wanted to be.
With the Giant pitching staff consider
a bly, shot to pieces his services were
badly needed on this trip. He was the
strongest of the Giant staff during the
last worlds series.
Details OF Charges Withheld.
The details of the offer made by
.tsttl olaah aot ha IA.
public. McGraw heard that he offered
TO quit the Giants for money some time
ago The player was watched and his
telephone calls were listened to. Finally
he made the offer in a letter. McGraw
got possession OF the letter and taxed
the player with having offered to dis
appear when he was needed. Douglas
did rot deny the accusation.
He said that he did not know why
he did IT." said the Giant manager.
He said that he had been treated well
on the team. but that he thought that
he was to be fired anyhow at the end of
the season and that he guessed that he
would get all he could before he was
fired. am glad that 1 found the thing
out and got rid OF him. ! think that It
will be the best for the morale Of the
team and for the game"
Douglas has been in professional base
pail since lolu, when he started with
the Rome. Ca. team. In 1918 ne played
with San Francisco i'm the Pacific
Coast League. In 1915 he was with
Brooklyn, but was released to the st.
Paul team OF the American Assoca-
ton. He Joined the Giants In 1919, and
was with them until to-day In the
series of 1921 Douglas was the most
formidable pitcher on the Giant staff
He pitched three games against the
Yankees and won two of them.
No Mclodrnmn In Dismissal.
There was no melodrama about the
dismissal of Douglas such az there was
over the exposure of the BLACK Sox."
After holding session with the player
In his room McGraw ordered his reser-
walton at the Hotel Scheney cancelled
and Shufflin' Phil Douglas was shuffled
out Of organized ball to Join the Jack
sons and Cicottes in what they call
the semi-pro field.
II will be recalled that at the start
OF the season McGraw announced that
he was placing Douglas or the baseball
market Asked If he had any suspicious
that Douglas would not do his best for
the club at that time. the Giant man
ager said that he had not. The trouble
developed only recently.
Douglas had never made any offer
TO throw games. His proposition merely
was to leave the Giants when they
needed him most for money tonsid-
Continued on Page Nine.