The Washington times., 1925-01-06
Nicely Is
$4,000"
BEAUTY
President Griffith Refuses
Sacramento Players In
stead Of Money
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.


truly a $3.50, 900 beauty" now.
President Clark C. Griffith paid
9S5,OO0 in cash for him last
season, promising the Sacramento
club three players, each to be con.
sidered worth $1,000. "Sparkie"
Matthews was sent to the Coast
at once, finishing the season there.
He was taken back on option,
leaving three players yet to be
sent to Sacramento. Now the
boss of the world champions,
feeling himself not treated ex-
actly on the up and up, has
notified the Sacramento club that
no players will be sent to the
Coast League, but that his check
for $4,000 may be expected.
AFTER joining the Grifkman In
Chicago last summer and signing
his contract, McNeely quietly In.
formed Buclxy Harris that he had
injured his right shoulder sliding
into the plate during q game IN
Portland some two weeks bofora
and that stiffness inteFtePed with
his throwing, The $oungater was
thoroughly honest. He supposed
the washington club had known all
about his injury.
president Griffith immediately
ordered Mike Martin, the teams
crack trainer, to go to work on
McNeeiy and wired . protest %
President Lew Moreing, incidental
u aaking that $4,000 b shaved
OF the pFice.
81 Am easnbIing on 70 ponnnat"
explained The boss q the coming
world eIaamn1ons. II wanted Q
player able 8 hop hight n and
eIl0W HIS best. 1 ret MeNeelys
unable e bnt naturally u throw
much beyond second bass.
Iatar President Griffith carried
his Troubles 10 Judge Lands, VINO
ruled "a favor 0g the Gacramontu
club. GF5ek was told he could
effl3aP keep McNoaIy or send him
back 70 sacramento and cal the
Mssnwhils, the young eutfIeidsr.
Yielding 90 Martins 0lllltul treat.
ment, was beginning 70 hit his
stride, though he never was really
right down to the end Of the ypi4d
series. With the pennant race uGht
as Il was, the Griffmen could NOT
think of shaking up their lineup,
ever eor one day, SO McNeely re-
NAMED with the champions.
However-and this is most I'M
portant to the Sacramento club Of
192S-S15, 900 and not three players
win be sent to the Coast magnate
in payment for McNeely. This
hurts because $4,000 can't play bah
and Sacramento is sadly in need OF
players.
President Moreing. by keeping
silent as to MeNeely's injury last
summer lest it interfere with the
sale of the young outfielder. made
his first error. Declining to agree
to q new price, but holding clark
Griffith to the letter OF his bond'
Moreing made his second mistake,
one likely TO be edAtly. He 10 sadly
In need Of players now. put ClaFK
Griffith has none TO send him,
And % Earl McNeely really and
truly becomes q $4,000 beauty"
However, where Sacramento
Loses, Seattle may gain. In part
payment for the veteran Vean
Gregg, s0uthpaw star OF the
Pacific Coast league champions,
the Griffmen are to send two
pitchers.
~oyster Joe" Martina, Allan Rus
sell and Paul Zahniser, Of the 1924
staff, may be said to be on trial
this spring. Any one or all three
NAV find themselves In the minors
before June l.. The same goes goes
for elise Dudley, Lefty Brillheart
and this Mcnamara person recently
grabbed from Wichita for a look
see.
Martina, a good spring pitcher.
may hang on until the warm
weather. Good old Rubber Arm
Russell Is good in any weather.
In his case It viii simply be
whether or not he 10 needed at the
expense OF some other man on the
staff. He IL a horse for work and
may last out the season. Zahniser' g
control IL not what IL should be
and, IL he fails TO set away TO q
good start, he may not be kept be-
Yond the training season.
Tomorrow President Griffith, &C
companied by his family and Man
ager - Harris, departs for Tampa
Fla, where he will spend a few
weeks playing golf before thu
training season begins.
Joe Judge, firstsacker, and Uncle
Nick Altrock, coach-comedian, arr
the latest to crawl under the tent
both signing their 1925 contract
VnWfAFGAV