Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-24
fletcher, PH|l[Y.
... STAR, RE|NSTATED.
Garner Giant Shortstop Can
H Play With Bakers Club.
h Lands Announces
SReTIRED" LAST SEASON
,,r EDWIN J. POLLOCK

ss.mse,ves from the cellar took on a
S,,rtt glow this afternoon when 1t was
%srncd that Arthur Fletcher, star
sbo-tstop, had been reinstated by Judge
Iandis.
~ had lifted the ban was received by
William +. Baker, the president Of the
;sluh. at noon. The Phil boss enthused
=, he read the telegram.
Y "This mepns that Fletcher Will be
9TH us this year. he said. Il have
not talked over terms with him as yet.
hnf I feel sure that there will be no
trouble getting him to sign. lie Is
anxious to get back into the game and.
AZ course, we will be glad to have him
with US.
In Shope Now
n "Fletcher is a natural leader and a
;,rcat ball u'aycr. He keeps fighting all
,thc time and 'pcps' up the rest Of the
fean. He Is clean living mon aud
slwsys keeps in good condition. De.
snite his years absence from the dia-
mond. I do not believe 1t will take him
long TO get into playing form"
:, Fletcher joined the Phils at their
training camp, in GAINESVILLE. last
snriny, but was called home by the ILL.,
ness of his father. 1t was expected
that he would rejoin the club. but
shortly after the season opened he an
nounced that he would retire per-
manently from the game. This was n
severe blow to the Phils and all sorts
Of inducements could not coax him
back.
7 II was thought that Fletcher was lost
for good until few months ago. when
II was learned that he was willing and
anxious to return TO the game. He ap.
pled for reinstatement and the re-
quest was forwarded Immediately to
Judge Lands. In the meantime. how
( ever, Mr.. Baker refrained from talking
terms until the commissioner had made
bis decision.
Fletcher came here in the middle Of
the 1920 season with Johnny Rawlings
IN the trade which sent Davy Bancroft
to the Giants. He had been with the
McGraw club for more than eleven
years.
The reinstatement of Fletcher gives
Manager Wilhelm q good infield. Jack
Leslie. the youth obtained from New
Orleans. will be at first base; Jimmy
Smith at second. Fletcher at short and
GoIde Rapp at third.
Fletcher will travel from his home
out West direct to the training camp
At Lcesburg. He probably will report
the after part OF next week. The
Pills will start south on Monday.
Irving Wilhelm, with the aid Of
Bill Shettsline, will gather flock
Of his pitchers and two inticldcrs and
park them aboard the Jacksonville ex.
press at North Philadelphia Station
Monday night. The train will leave
here at S:3S.
Lefty Weinert Signs
Yesterday there was an addition to
the squad Of Pills who will arrive at
Leesburg next Wednesday. Lefty
Weinert breczed into the Baker suite in
the Stock Exchange Building and
curved his signature under 1922
contract. lie has been reinstated by
Judge Landis after his wa!kout act at
Syracuse and is anxious to get back into
big league harness.
Lefty has had scholarly ideas this
winter and took n course for term in
mining engineering at the University of
Montana. However, when he learned
that he had been reinstatcd by Judge
Landis his ambition for higher educa-
ton departed and he took the first train
East from Butte.
There may also be another addition
to the players who are already slated
to leave on Monday. 1t is possible that
Lee Meadows will be put under con-
tract by that time.
Ten Start Monday
Ten ball players will entrain Oh
Monday. Eight Of these ore pitchers
and two infelders. The fingers are
Jimmy Ring, Stanley Baumgurtner.
Ma!ly Belts. George Smith, Lefty
Weinert, G. Behan. c. Shower and
Lefty Sullivan. The infeldcrs are
Parkinson and Wrightstone. Manager
Wilhelm. Business Manager Shettslinc.
Trainer Miller and Coach Widaow Con-
roy also will be In the party.
There will be no catchers among the
tourists starting from this point, but Il
- expected that four will be on hrnd at
iLeesburg when the Phils arrive. Hem
inc. Lee, Peters aud Withrow have
been instructed to report at the train
ing camp not later than March /.
Seven other pitchers also have been
,old 70 report March !. They are
!Mubbel, Winters, Pinto, S'edgwick.
singleton, Morgan and Apperson. This
TtH bhc inelW squau OF ntteeu
pitchers with which to work for week.
The remainder Of the squad will appear
at Leesburg some time before or on
March 3. Leslie, Smith. Rapp, Rich.
berg, Il. Miller, Williams, King, lie.
oourveau and Walker have stated that
they would be on hand during the first
week in March.
A half-dOzeu members OF the AS
left here last night for Eagle Pass.
lex. where Connie Mack will mold
his l922 machine. The athletes were
accompanied by Mack and DR.. Eb-
ping, the club physician. Another
athletic squad will depart tomorrow