The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-03
GIANTS STILL HOT
 ON THE TRAIL OF
 ROGERS HORNSBY
New York Nationals Anxious to Get This Star at Any
 Price
By GEORGE CHADWICK Special Correspondent of The Age-Herald Copyright I921 by The Age-HeraId)

(Copyricht. l92l, by The Age-Heraid)
 New York, December 31.-Desper- ate for an outstanding star to offset the popularity of the Yankees with Babe Ruth, the worlds champion Giants are still after Rogers Hornsby and they stand ready to hand over Heinie Groh, several other players, and big bunch of coin to get him from St, Louis.
 This is that big. mysterious deal, if it can be called such, that has been whispered about in baseball since the lreeent meetings. Officials of the New York club profess to know nothing about it. Naturally they would not. because it Is never good policy to tell the public whom you intend to trade in baseball unless it involves some poor unfortunate for whom the man ager has lost all regard.
 Approached Again
 Nevertheless, there Ia good reason to believe that the St Louis manage ment has been approached again with a view of negotiating q trade involv- ing Hornsby, and it may be taken for granted that the New York club Is willing to make a more attractive bid than it did last summer. when it's cash offer of S250,000 for the star was turned down. On the other hand. nothing has been heard to indicate that the Cardinals would be willing to trade Hornsby for any considera- tion. The pennant bee Is buzzing strongly in St. Louis and fans in the Mound City would raise an awful storm of protest if the club gave up it's best nan to strengthen it's strong 1 est rival.
 l Manager Branch Hickey declared not more than two weeks ago that i there was nothing that the New York i club could offer which would induce him to part with Hornsby. and he said it in the face of a statement at tributed to Hornsby that he would not sign another contract for less than S75,000 for three years. Ordi- narily. this statement would have provoked either sensation or a laugh. but the practice of throwing dollars into the atmosphere has be- come so common that no one Is un- duly concerned about a little matter of S75,000.
 Value Assured
 ! Taking 1t all around, Hornsby will l be, perhaps, the most valuable player in the National league in 1922, but he will not get any such salary as that. He may think he is a second Babe Ruth, but when it comes to drawing crowds he runs poor second to the dustins bambino. He is not imbued with the magnetic personality that appeals to the masses. Another req | son why he will not get S75.000 year is that St. Louis cannot afford to pay it. That would mean nearly | S50,000 spectators to pay Hornsby alone, and St. Louis crowds do not measure up to that mark. Hickey is not worried about signing Hornsby to a contract to come. He said he i never had any difficulty in former seasons in getting Hornsby to listen | to reason an dthat he anticipates no trouble this year.
 No matter what anyone says to the contrary, Hornsby has wanted to play in New York. and he would have come here gladly at any time within the last four or five years. Ever since he made his fine reputation IS a bat ter. his friends have intimated to him that the place for player of his 1 great ability was in New York city. I Refusal of the St. Louis manage ment to let Hornsby go to New York
 even when such tempting cash of fer was made, has been applauded as
 one of the nerviest and most sports
 manlike things that has taken place
 in the professional game in recent
 years. The Giants needed Hornsby
 very badly at the time. as the Yanks
 with Ruth, were outdrawing them al
 home and they realized that some
 thing had to be done to counterac'
 their popularity.
 The Giants management figured
 that Hornsby was the only player ir the National league brilliant enougl to counteract Ruths presence on the
 American league team and so keeT
 were they to obtain his services thar
 they were almost on the point at ont
 tims of buying the St Louis club. Ant when they made their best offer t. get Hornsby they proposed a sum il
 cash that would have bought half tn, National league few years back. The player most sought by thu r Giants, next to Hornsby, was Groh
 Neither man was secured last summe and one of the owners was consider ably peeved at the failure of his eff
 fort. Now a deal has been pu through whereby, the Giants get tn player they regard as second best il