The New York herald., 1922-02-21
Ruth Going to Hot Springs
and Will Discuss Salary
With Col. Huston.
HARPER A LATE STARTER
Squire Ebbets Being Willing,
Barnes and Douglas May Be
Traded for Grimes.
by w. O. McGEEHAN.

There was some active trading in
the local baseball market yesterday
Robert Shawkey, who earned the title
of Bob the Cob by polishing the port
deck of a submarine chaser in the
North Sea during the war signed a
one year contract with the Yankees
81 At the Giant offices it was an
nounced by Charles M. Stoneham that
two of the Giant pitchers who had
waxed over avaricious would be placed
upon the market Tie two grasping
twirlers are Jess Barnes and Shuftlin'
Phil Douglas. They will be taken to
the block and auctioned off on the
hoof to the highest bidder, according
to Mr.. Stoneham.
The signing of Bob the Cob was
very touching modern version Of ''the
Prodigal Son with two fathers instead
of one and the veal omitted. Col. Jacob
Rupert was in conference with Col.
Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston. They
were discussing the hold out situation
VI and the rapacity of the modern baseball
player. They were reiterating their de-
5 termination to be firm.
Suddenly Cousin Egbert Barrow the
*, business manager of the Yanks. thrust
his head into the conference room. Bob
Shavkey is in the other room.' he an
nounced II think that he wishes to
have everything forgiven"
Lock all the doors so that he can't
get out before we get a chance to for
4 give him." said Col. Jacob Rupert.
Z You shall have the opportunity Of
forgiving him first, my dear Colonel"
ff~ Il insist that you shall forgive him
!. first, my dear Colonel" said Col Tilling
hast L'Hommedeu Huston.
sir And Shawkey Was Forgiven.
Let us go out and forgive him
fHrtogether." suggested Col. Jacob Rupert
s.-by way of compromise. And so it hap
. pcned that in short time the signed
contract Of Shawkey for one year was
filed in the Yankee archives The terms
3 arc a dark secret, but Shawley is con-
WINGED that he will be able to live the
year out on the amount agreed upon.
Whether the announcement that
Barnes and Douglas are to be peddled is
mere loose conversation or reality re-
mains to be seem After the worlds
series both Barnes and ShufHin' Phil be-
NdiDc NOHNltCeu tHdl tHey were worth
considerably more than they were being
offered. They refused 10 sign.
Secretary Tierny of the Giants whis-
pered that several good offers had been
made for the two pitchers and that they
would undoubtedly be sold. 1t was too
late for them to repent. he hinted. They
were as good as auctioned off already
" sand they had as much chance as Roxey |
or Uncle Tom of lingering on the old
Polo Grounds plantation.
This will mean very little in the |
NA'heckered career OF Shurlin' Phil who |
has been wont ~ stray from the reser- |
walton now and then even in the middle |
of hectic season. Moreover the Shuf- |
J12flin' one has boasted that the mortrar re |
On the old Georgia farm has been lifted
and that he has some Of the finest corn
and mint patches In his native county.
Jess Barnes Is not quite so ready TO |
retire. Corn and mint do not intrigue |
him. as the novelists say. Retirement
las no charms for him, consequently |
Jess Is sold down the river he prob |
ably will get on the boat and go.
Ebbets May Take Them.
) The announcement that Barnes and
5huffn' Phil are to be eliminated from
he Giant squad has started many
n 4 umors. One of them Is to the effect
(, hat they might be offered to Charles
". Ebbets for Burleigh Grimes. who
1as disagreed with the dear old Squire
r Af Flatbush over mere money mat
) er. But as the Squire is not well at
resent his friends have feared to
roach the subject to him. III the Squire
q leard what salaries Douglas and Barnes
lre asking he might suffer a relapse
which would prove fatal
The Yankee office frightened bv the
cturn OF the prodigal, Bob the Cob
ound some more good news later in
H. 81
Francis Xavier O'Doul. the left handler
from California, came by special de-
livery.
II is probable that the ambitious
a<5'rancs Xavier actually will get n
,hance with the Yanks this season.
Harry Harper. who dropped into the
Yankee offices I'm the course OF the
,fternoon, declared that he would not
pc able to join the team until some
me in May. Harper has a contract
X o raise n lot OF derricks on some State
construction work. and, strange as Il
nay seem. there is more money in II
han ne could make pitching for the
same length of time.
"f am not holding out" declared
Harper "All l want is little leave
,f absence. I can keep my SOUP bone
n condition lifting dcrricks around
w nm no good TO any team in the early
spring anyhow, I am a late starter"
t probably will be up to Judge Landis
vs. TO whether Harper will be hurting
lerricks or baseballs.
Ruth for Hot Springs.
Babe Ruth will not report TO the Yank
offices in New York as has been rtl-
nored. Instead he will carry out the
original plan Of going TO Hot Springs
The chefs OF that place already have
placed large orders for food in anticipa-
tion Of caring for the Babe
Ruth's status as to the sordid matter
~ salary has not been settled Col |
Tillinphast rJommedieu Huston will
set sail for Hot Springs within a week
md have a henrt 70 heart talk with thn