The Washington times., 1923-11-12


McGraw already has said that
on his club with the exception o.
young Travis jackson.
Three winters ago. the Giants OF
fered the st. Louis club $250,000 in
cash for Hornsby, and it wasn't
stage money either. The Giants
then wanted Hornsby to counteract
the great popularity that Ruth was
winning for the Yankees. The
Giants still want Hornsby for the
same reason, and there is no doubt
that Rogers would be bigger fig-
ure in New York than in st. Louis.
Three years ago Hornsby stu
was the idol of st. Louis ana In
splendid standing with his club. A
condition exists today which makes
it impossible for Hornsby to remain
in st. ILous so long as Branch
Hickey remains with the Cardinals
as manager. Hornsby and his man
ager had a fist fight in New York
when the Cardinals played their
last 1928 series on the Polo
Grounds, and the feud broke out
again in ST. Louis and like Urban
Shocker, star of the st. Louis
Americans, Hornsby ended the sea-
The st. Louis owners now are
lust as anxious to get rid OF
HOrnsby as New York is to have
him. But the st. Louis owners
righffuIIy are holding their star
for the stiffest bargain they can
drive. The National League as
q whole unquestionably would
have rreferred TO see BreadOn
and Pi~lxey accept the Cub offer
Of RoIIacIer. GrantFam, Miller
and Cheeves for their star.
But under the circumstances, no
one can blame the St. Louis men
for getting all they can. They ex-
pect to bolster up both the st.
Louis infield and outfseld. as well
as the pitching staff. by giving up
their famous batting star.
McGraw is a reckless trader, and
there is one thing about his deals
which none can deny. He always
Is willing to give fun value for
what he gets. as evide7cea by the
fact tfat such splendid pla- es-s as
Groh- Rousch. Stock. Healine. Burns
and BridweH were sent out of New
York in deals.
We look for the Hornsby deal to
be one of the biggest that Mc(fraw
has ever put over, and it may even
include RottoInley. st. ssouis's hard
hitting first baseman. We do not
know what McGraw is cogitating in
his mind up in Pelham While na is
nursing a cold, but one possibility
1s the trading of three fourths OF
his present infield. Bancroft. Groh
and Kelly, for Hornsby and Bot
tomley
1t is my belief that Bancroft will
so to St Louis in the Hornsby deal
no matter how it is put over. Nc
Graw feels he can spare Bancroft
because of the remarkable showing
made by the kid, Jackson. in his
first year in the majors. st. Louis
needs a shortstop badly. When
Hornsby comes here, F'risch will !
move back to third, and the Giant +
fnfield next season will likely take I
the field with Frisch on third. jack 1
son at short, Hornsby at second /
and Kelly or Bottomley at first. /
McGraw believes in giving the
fans new faces ever so often.
1t has been part of his policy in, |
New York, and SO quickly does
change that not a single player /
on the 1917 Giant champions was /
ON the 1928 team.
PROFESSIONALLY the coming of
Hornsby to the Giants would bring
fresh interest to the National
League champions both at home
and one the road. Should Hornsby
have such year as in 1922, when
he bagPed fOrtN-two home runs,
the rivalry between Rogers and
Ruth should be very keen.
The Giants have not had a bat.
ting champion since 1915, when
Larry Doyle led the league with
the lowest average in the forty
eight years of the league. If Horns
by can win the batting title next
year it will be the first time in
the history Of the parent league
that one batsman has led the
league five times in succession.
Unquestionably the coming of
Hornsby to New York will arouse
more criticism around the National
League trail. However. Breadon
and Hickey gave Chicago first
chance a. Hornsby. Pittsburgh also
has a chance for him. But New
York is the only club in a position
TO give the Cardinals the value
which they demand for their star
If New York gets the player, which
we believe is practically certain,
It will be because of McGraw's
superior trading material.
BATTLING SKI HOPES