davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1925-02-10

The rules in base ball say that no
clubs which compete in a world series
shall meet in exhibition games prior
to January 1 of the year succeeding
the championship series. But there
has never been any base ball man SO
mean that he would try to prevent
the winning clubs from making a
little ready cash on their regulations
in the Spring time.
And that is exactly what the Giants
and the Griffmen are trying to do. They
know that on the way North they
have the cream of everything in sight
for exhibition purposes. When they
agreed to hook up on their way home
from Florida they put il all over the
other teams which are to train in that
section, for the majority of the fans
down in the cotton and fruit States
will save all their base ball hunger
for the big" teams of 1924. That does
not make it very pleasant for the
second division teams. which have a
hard time to draw crowds as it is,
and therein may be found the oppo-
sition to the Giants s-Nationals tour.
1t SINNERS down to a question of who
shall get the easy pickings in the
southland.
There is no mint of money in the
Spring exhibition business, and there
Evening star., 1925-02-10
LEONARD SIDESTEPS
PICKING SUCCESSOR

CHICAGO, February 10.-Benny
Leonard. retired lightweight cham
pion, rates the Is boxers the New
York Athletic Commission has desig-
mated to battle 1T out for the light
weight title as a lot Of fine boys"
but he says he can not get excited"
over any OF them Leonard has said
he would not attempt to pick the
best Of the 16 because, he said, that
was an impossibility.
One fellow licks another today,
and gets licked himself the next
time" Leonard said. Smith beats
Jones, and Jones beats Brown,
whereupon some one turns around
and beats Smith. How are you going
to figure them"
The former titleholder said he was
pleased with Sammy Mandelrs VIC
tory over Sid Terris. In response to
a question whether Mandell might
develop a finish punch, Leonard said
Hes young. Maybe he will
acquire the hitting power. You know
what he needs-what all of those fell
lows need more than anything else
It's experience"
Evening star., 1925-02-10

: dA prayed WOnuerIul game. ne
started US toward our winning runs
in the fifth with a hit. He was on
third, with two out, when McNeely
walked and came to bat. The first
ball Nehf pitched was a strike. l
figured here was our chance to break
through great pitching and a stout
defense. I took chance and gave
McNeely the signal to steal. He went
down as l took a second futile swing
and slid safely under Gowdy's hur-
ried and high throw.
Turning Point Of Series.
This was the turning point of the
series to my mind. We might have
never have won the game, but for
McNeely's speed. Had we lost. the
Giants would have captured the cham
pfonship with the sixth game. We
simply had to win. That was why
1 dared order McNeely, to steal The
success of this strategy worried Nehf
a bit. He. was the New York pitch
er the Washington club found hardest
to hit in the series. He didn't bother
me, however, as much as Virgil
Barnes.
With two runs on the bases and
/ fouled one off, Nehf then tossed up
three wide ones. The next ball would
tell the tale 1t was just to my lik-
ing l hit to right and Peck and
McNeely scored the only runs Of our
to / victory.
We had to fight all the way, how
ever, to stay in the race. Twice sam
Rice made plays which saved the
game. He turned in his first bril-
lient feat in the opening inning. in
which the Giants got their lone tally
Frisch doubled with one out He was
trapped between second and third on
wilson's roller to Zachary. Wilson
taking second. George Kelly scored
one that seemed ticketed for the
temporary bleachers. Back and back,
Rice ran He reached out his gloved
hand while going at top speed along
the low rail and picked the ball out
of the stands. This cut of a home
run and two tallies.
Rice Saves Another Rum
Rice saved another run in the
third inning. He took Lindstrom's s
drive to right while on the dead run.
Frisch doubled after this and but for
the catch would have scored the
young Giant third baseman. He
made another wonderful running
catch of Nehfs short fiV In the fifth.
1 doubt II there ever will be great
er series of plays by an outfielder
in a single game.
Peckinpaugh, who, by his example
Of courage and loyalty, inspired us
to our great deeds when our backs
were to the wall, prevented a Giant
run in the ninth. With Southworth,
running for Kelly, on first and one
out, Meusel slashed a wicked hopper
over second base. Peck, straining
to the utmost, raced toward the bag
and made an almost unbelievable
STOP He pulled up sharp to toss
the ball to me, forcing Southworth.
His tortured muscles gave way and
he collapsed.
AS l. left the clubhouse after the
game 1 heard two boys discussing
the victory. These guys just don't
know when they're licked" said one.
You bet your life they don't" his
companion enthused. They're fight
ing fools. They'll win the series to-
morrow, sure"
And, thanks to Walter Johnson, we
| did.
fCopyright. 1e25.l
Tom to Win IN 0Dlfe
Of Averages"
Evening star., 1925-02-10
TURNER'S WIN OPENS
WAY TO BASHARA GO

Jack Turner, following his decisive
defeat of Mike Owens in the Wash
ington barracks ring last night,
probably will lose little time In seek
ing another engagement with Joe
Bashara, from whom he absorbed
Year day. Turner has claimed he
was in poor condition when he faced
Bashara and entered last nights en-
gagement anxious to regain his pres
tige by beating Owens, conqueror of
Bashara. And Turner made good in
every way.
The Washington barracks middle
weight went at the Southern scrap
per with vigor at the opening bell In
the first round he hit Owens over the
eye hard enough to draw gore and
played for the damaged optic all
through the second round. Col.
Erickson, referee, decided Owens had
had enough before the third round
ended and Turner was awarded a
technical knockout.
There was a deal of action in the
six-round seminal between Young
Tony Cortez and Jack Cody. For
three rounds there was little TO
choose between the fist fingers, who
pummeled one another freely, but
Cortez was the stronger in the last
part of the match and got the de-
cision.
Willie Morrison of Fort Myer and
Joe Rivers of Washington barracks,
old rivals. put up hurricance fight as
long as 1t lasted. In the third round,
however, Rivers three times took
long count before his seconds tossed
a towel into the ring.
Jack Cafoni of Walter Reed Hos
pital and Count Molini of the Naval
Reserves, bantams, went through six
hot rounds with the former getting
the verdict. Kid Woody of the Gov
ernment Printing Office and the vet
eran Carl Herr, colored middle
weights, fought six rounds with the
decision going to Woody.
Evening star., 1925-02-10


"A lot has been published con-
cerning what Jack will do now that
he is married. but most of it is pure
bunk. Jack will not retire from the
championship, that is certain.
Neither the champion nor myself
have decided to separate our business
affairs. We own an apartment hotel
here in Los Angeles which is worth
a million and a half dollars and we
have other business interests togeth-
er. We are partners in every way
and Dempsey wants to stay that way.
And there is nothing in the report
that l may take over Mickey Walker.
There never was any truth in that
story-just a lot of smoke.
IF anybody believes a recent state
ment attributed to Dempsey that he
and 1 had been business associates
but never friends, they want to tell
that to the champion himself.
THE first time / ever saw Dempsey
really mad in his life was when that
alleged inteIvi came out. He
never made such a crack and If it
had not been a woman reporter who
wrote it the champion would have
put on a fight without any purse.
"All that Doc says is o. k said
Evening star., 1925-02-10

The solitary run loomed up con-
stantly as the difference between de-
feat and victory, and the batter. who
helped to play for the solitary run
by pushing a runner one base far
ther along, had to be given some
thing for his good work, which was
as likely as not to be the very play
tina. would win the contest for his
side.
In 1891 a rule was adopted which
permitted the substitution of a player
at any time, and, by the way, there
might arise some very odd conditions
today if this fule were to. be accepted
literally. Its intent, however, was
fairly good because it seemed out of
proportion to insist that after a
player was injured no one could
take his place until the end of an
inning.
Coaching had come to be part of
the game, as much as some objected
to it at first, and in 1892 the number
of coaches was restricted to two.
Before then, as likely as not, the
whole team at bat, except the men
at the plate, would be out on lines
shouting something to the side in
the field and precious little in the
way OF advice to their own batter
In 1894 bunted fouls were classi-
fed -as astrikes. In 1895 the infield
fly rule was adopted and the foul tip
was classified strike If it was
caught In 1900 the present home
plate4with its five sides was adopted.
The. most important change that
the National League made in the
rules, following the many changes
that were the result of curve pitch
ing. took place in 1898. The pitching
distance for that year was increased
to 60 feet s inches. 1t remains at
that figure today
For long time before 1893 there
had been an effort to change the
pitching distance in base ball. 1t was
well intended. The advocates for the
change were satisfied that base ball
needed it because the batting was not
as good as they thought it might be.
Sometimes there was almost no bat
ting. Games would be played in which
the batters would not get the ball out
to the field, except in looping fly hits
that were hardly worth while for the
great national game of which they
were a part.
At this time ICY" Young, the pitcher
who was to make himself famous,
bad just appeared on the base ball
horizon as a member of the Cleveland
team. His early work indicated that
he was to become one of the great
teams, which were not overstrong in
pitching, seeing this menace to their
success, were not bit averse to a
change in the rules for the pitcher
because they hoped they would make
1t hard for Young to win for Cleve-
land.
The foregoing shows how base ball
politics, as well as other considera-
tions, influence the changes of rules
in ase ball sometimes. The Eastern
clubs threw their weight in favor of
the pitching change and it went
| through, although Cleveland and
other Western teams were against 1t.
Evening star., 1925-02-10

Johnson said that he had not yet
signed a contract with Clark Griffith,
but that he and Griff had been in
constant communication.
Maybe I'll sign while I'm here
and maybe 1t will be when / get
back East. 1t doesn't make much
difference one way or the other,
Johnson said, adding that Griffith's
terms were entirely satisfactory, al
though he did not divulge what they
were.
Johnson said that he would leave
during the next few days for Hot
Springs Ark, for the preliminary
workouts before going into Spring
training at Tampa, Fla.
TAMPA, Fla. February 10.-Clark
Griffith, president of the Nationals,
and Stanley Harris, who manages
the world champions, were elated by
the report from Reno that Walter
Johnson has decided to cast his lot
with the Washington base ball club
again.
II have received no word as yet
from Johnson" Griffith said this
morning, land / may not hear from
him soon, even if he is to be with us
again. What l am interested in now
Is that he report at Hot Springs Sun
day, as he has been Instructed. Even
though no contract is signed at the
time, his reporting would be con-
sidered tacit acceptance of the con-
tract offered him by the club.
Had Walter been able to get into
the ranks of club owners in the
Pacific Coast League, 1 would have
done all | could to help him become
established. But 1 am more than
glad he is coming back to u.s."
Harris believes that Johnson s
decision to return to the Nationals
will give them without question the
best pitching staff in either league
Walter demonstrated conclusive1y
last season, when he led the Ameri-
can League, that he had more good
pitching days ahead, and l look for
him to be in splendid form this year.
With the old boy speeding 'em
through as only he can, he is going
to be difficult to beat in the 1925
race"
Evening star., 1925-02-10

is even less when high class attrac-
tion covers the territory just in ad-
vance of, or just behind, the smaller
show. The fans either have fed their
appetite or are saving it for the
choicer dish.
If, as seems most likely, Walter
Johnson is with the champions on
their tour, that will add so much the
more to the North bound show and
will make the going all the harder
for the teams with less snowy attrac-
tions.
Some of the owners, instead of
talking about how the Giants and the
Nationals are going to put it over
the other exhibition tours financially.
criticize the proposed tour on the
ground that 1t tends to cheaper base
ball and bring the world series down
to the basis of an lad" for the Spring
to come. That may sound far-fetched
to some, yet 1t does have an in
f1uence upon the mind, because any
loafing by either team in the Spring
will make 1t look bad, and if the re-
suit of such series is all one way
conclusions are likely to be formed
which are not beneficial to the game.
Still, the chances of any person or
group of persons blocking the Giants
Griffs tour look very, very slim.
Evening star., 1925-02-10
OGDEN is READY, ONLY
PECK AND GREGG DUE

Walter Johnson's decision to
spurn ull stage. screen and real
estate offers and add mt least one
more season to the IS he has
spent In n local uniform Ii q glad
some bit Of tidings for Washing
ton fans, but there Ii another
morsel of satisfaction for them in
that Warren Ogden ALSO will he
on the job. The Sheik Of Swnrth-
more isn't "lOst," rs feared, and
will be here Friday to board n
train for Hot Springs with Stan
COveleskie and Mike McNaliy.
Now let's hear from Vean Gregg
and Roger Peckinpaugh, the only
two Of the thirteen athletes due
next Sunday mt the Arkansas re-
sort who have not yet signed con-
tracts or accepted terms.
Evening star., 1925-02-10
REGGIE RAWLINGS SOLD
TO COAST LEAGUE CLUB

MARTINSBURG, w. Va, February
10.-George (Reggie) Rawlings, lead
ing batsman in the Blue Ridge League
for four seasons, leading home-run
hitter for the past two years, and last
year coming within three, homers of
the league record established by Hack
Wilson of the New York Giants, when
he was a member Of the locals in 1922,
has been sold to the Portland ciubrof
the Pacific Coast League for $500.
He will report March 1. In case he
does not make good, the contract pro-
vides for his return here.
Rawlings has been with the Blue
Sox since 1915, when the Tri-City
League of Hagerstown, winchester
and this city played through sea-
son. A native of Washington. Raw
lings received his early base ball
training on the sandlots of the Ma
tional Capital.
Evening star., 1925-02-10

largely because of the wonderful
work Of Frank Frisch and errors
charged against me and Ralph Mil
Ter. a recruit infielder. Frisch turned
in not one, but two, of !; the
greatest fielding plays ! have ever
seen. He raced far back into mid
field in the fourth inning Ito take
what appeared to be a sure hit from
Goslin. We got two runs out of the
inning. There would have been five
or six but for Frisch's wondefful
play. The New York second base
man practically duplicated his brill
liant feat on Goslin in the next in
ming.
We suffered more than defeat in
tire early in the contest. His legs
gave out on him. He had hurt him
self after hitting his two-bagger that
scored the winning run in the second
struggle. But for all our patched up
infield we won the fourth game by
a score of 7 to 4. ! made two plays
in this contest that L consider the
best of my base ball career. Both
came in the seventh inning.
Harris Used His Head.
The first was made on Hank Gowdy.
As the catcher swung | could see
from his position that the ball prob
ably would be hit over second. If
he met it. 1t hoped over the bag
going fast. But, having figured the
play, ] was just able to get to the
ball. I whirled as Il put my hands
on it and threw to Judge, barely in
time to beat Gowdy to the bag. Later
Frisch cracked a hard hopper close
to the first base foul line. Judge
couldn't get near it. Again l was
able to call the play / started at top
speed toward first when bah and
bat met. 1 just got one hand on the
ball. That was enough, however. 1
hung on.
heroes of the game. The left-hander
went stale in the latter stage of the
American League race. He didn't fin
ish game he started in the last four
weeks. But he did wonderful work
in the world series. l had to take
him out in the eighth inning of the
fourth game. Up to that time he al
lowed only three scattered. hits. He
held the Giants down again when we
needed him most in the final game.
Goslin was responsible for five
runs. He gathered four straight hits.
They included a home run, With two
men on in the third inning. All told
he made three home runs against the
Giants, tying Babe Ruth's world
series record He made IL hits for. a
total Of 81 bases in the seven games.
He fielded flawlessly. He gave us the
batting punch that helped us win
pennant. He Is one of the greatest
natural hitters in the American
League and has developed into a
great fielder as well.
Peck Insists on Returning.
Peckinpaugh insisted upon getting
back in the lineup after Johnson lost
the fifth game. Mike will get me
out there" he said, referring to
Trainer Martin. Maybe I can help
some. Anyhow, IN be doing my best.
] don't care il they carry me off on
stretoher." AS 1t turned out, that
WAS practically what we had to do.
The shortstops attitude was char
acteristic of the Washington club. 1t
was loyalty of the highest type. He
never considered that he might in
1ure himself permanently. His first
thought was for the club. He didn't
stop to count the possible cost. Mar
tin refused at first to. take a. chance
on letting him get in the game, but
the veteran took him aside and ar
gued 80 earnestly that he finally won
the trainer-0ver,
Evening star., 1925-02-10
BIG PITCHER SAYS CLUBS
!, TERMS ARE SATISFACTORY
Spurning BigSalaried ''Outside'' Offers and Pre-
pares to Leave Home in Reno Within Few
Days for Training at Hot Springs.

~ EMO February 10Refung lucrative offers
X and the movies Walter Johnson pitching OF the
world champions announced that he back to wash
ington follow the only business knowb base ball.
all with big attached have
Johnson during Summer the huer that he
me looked at and tossed them
balls and like it, Johnson said 81 couldn't
would have with other team anyhow but
the Johnson could settle
Evening star., 1925-02-10
SPRING TOUR OF GRIFFS
AND GIANTS IS ASSURED
Reported Move to Block Exhibition Series Between
the American and National League Title Win.
ners Is Doomed to Failure.
BY JOHN B. FOSTER.

EW YORK February l0Reports have been circulated that
body wandering scalp knife seeking
blocking the proposed exhibition Wash
ngon the York Nationals The raised
should
expirat o the following
whether such exhibition
the ben Of nothin
and there little probability that this
be for
games possible attempt
Evening star., 1925-02-10

Jack Dempsey when this interview
was shown to him. He also added
very strong words to Kearns state
ment that the Interview in which he
was reported to have said that he
and Kearns had never been friends
never occurred.
Concerning CaIifornia's bids for a
Dempsey-Gibbons battle, one Of them
is said to be from Jack Doyle Of
Vernon, while, according to reports,
Jim Coffroth wants to hold a 25-
round bout between the two at Tia
Juana.
Copyright. 1881
Evening star., 1925-02-10
MY GREATEST THRILL IN SPORT
By FRED J. WAGNER
Famous starter of automobile races

was trembling all over most of the
time during each event. 1t was a
thrill a second as the two dare-devils
shook dice with death on these turns
and then thundered down the stretch
es with wheels almost locking.
In the first race Oldfeld had a slight
mishap and pulled up after the third
mile to leave De Palma win an empty
honor. In the second De Palma blew
a tire and Oldfeld was home with the
empty honor. Then came the third
and deciding heat, with public and
drivers alike keyed to the highest
pitch. And / was fairly pale with
apprehension. for 1 knew better than
any one what it's running meant.
They got away flying for the 10
mile go, and they went about the
task with the same world-record
speed shown in each other heat.
Neither seemed to gain and hold any
advantage for I miles, though they
seesawed over a lead of feet as each
came out of each of the four turns.
But In the seventh, at the far
turn. near the fve-efghth pole.
with the cars running almost
locked, saw n great cloud of dust
fy up, and from 1T only one car
came-Oldneld.
1t looked like sure-death scene
from my place in the judges stand
but when we reached the spot we
found that the soft dirt scraped Oft
the course had saved De Palma's life
and once again l breathed naturally.
We found that a tire had blown
mp and this caused Ralph to
swerve OF the. course and against
the outside fence. Barney was I'm
NO way to blame for the accident.
1 have seen lots of racing. fight
ing and all kinds of sports, but
this particular event gave me the
thrill Of my life.
Copyright, 1925
Evening star., 1925-02-10

Then the batters. with this new
pitching distance in which to gauge
the ball, began to foul 1t off deliber-
ately. Some of the members of the
Baltimore club were particularly
clever at 1t. Kelly, Keeler, McGraw
and Brodie could make pitcher
nearly drop from exhaustion. James
A. Hart of the Chicago club became e
more and more wrought up as this
continued and finally succeeded in
having the National League adopt the
foul strike rule. That stopped the
fouling of the ball. The American
League did not like the rule and it
was year or so before it could be
induced to take 1t up.
Copyright. 1921
Next-Wry the rules have to be re-
Evening star., 1925-02-10
BOB GARCIA WINS A HOT
BOUT FROM LEW MAYRS

BALTIMORE, Md, February TO-
Bob Garcia of Camp Holabird was
awarded the decision over Lew Mayrs
of Baltimore at the end of II hotly
contested rounds here last night that
kept the crowd in a state of excite
ment from beginning to end Mayrs,
beginner, used his left to some ad-
vantage, but was outgeneraled by
the more experienced Garcia. The
men are featherweights.
Evening star., 1925-02-10

me. AT tnat
time l was
starting t h e
Mardi G. r a s
auto races and
on the final
Sunday t h e
feature event
of the meet
was scheduled
in the form of
[ h r e g match
races between
Barney Oidueld
and Ralph de
Palma, the two
greatest driv-
ers the world
e V e I h a S
known RarneY