Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-06
.EX-CR|FF IS ADDED
. TO MACK PAY ROLL
Salary Not Mentioned, but
; Iris Says He and Club
\ Are Satisfied.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. February 6.-Tris
Speaker has landed with the Philadel-
phia Athletics.
The veteran outfielder. who was re.
leased few days ago by the Washing
ton club. came TO terms with Connie
Mack and as a result will report at the
Athletics training quarters at Fort
Myers. March /.
Speakersarrived In New York yester-
day from hunting trip and arranged
details. by telephone With Mack. who Is
vacationine at Mount Plymouth. Fla.
Mack's signing Of Speaker fills a gar
made in the Philadelphia outtield by the
release of Ty Cobb and Zach Wheat
Last season Spoke" 1t is understood
received a salary from the Nationals
ranging from $4,000 to $4,000, which
price was an obstacle this year for q
renewal of contract
Speaker declined to accept q rcduc-
ton, as suggested by Clark Griffith OF
the Washington Club.
Neither Iris nor Mack would COM
Ment on the salary arrangement.
I'm satisfied with the terms and so
Is Connie" Speaker said.
Mack paid Cobb a huge sum last
year. some reports quoting his services
commanding as high as 100000. which
would be $4,000 under Babe Ruth's
annual check from Col. RUPERT.
Gives AS Vet Outfield.
The addition of Speaker to the Phil
aGelphia roster will give Mack yeter-
an outtield. with Iris at center, Al
Simmons at left and Bing Miller IN the
right corner.
Speaker commented on his stay with
the Nationals as most pleasant re-
lationship, and referred TO Bucky Har-
RS as one OF the greatest managers IN
base ball.
AS TO his new Affiliations the Gray
Eagle" said the Athletics had fine pros
pects, and that he looked forward TO
playing under Mack with great salts
faction.
Asked what he thought of the APP
preaching pennant scramble and the
Yankees, Iris replied:
''Cf course, the Yankees are a great
machine. but the Athletics and other
members Of the circuit are bound to
furnish plenty of opposition. The Attn
letics were second last year. and, like
the other clubs, they viii be out for the
championship"
Speaker was born In Hubbard City.
near Dallas, Tex, August "a, 1883.
From the Houston Club he went to the
Boston Red Sox in 1907 for his first
major league assignment. The Soy paid
SA00 for him, and in 1903 sent him to
Little Rock. then repurchased him in
the same year for $500. BY 1909 he
was regular.
Led Tribe to World Flag.
After the 1915 season he was traded
10 the Cleveland Indians for Thomas
and Jones and a cash consideration of
SIS 600 In the middle of the 1919 cam
paign he was made manager OF the
Indians, succeeding Lee Fohl. II was
Speakers first experience as a player
manager. and for the first and only
time In his career as a regular player
for about 20 years. his batting average
slumped below the 800 mark. His ave-
rage for 1919 was .296.
In 1920 Speaker made a big come
back and enjoyed one Of his hes, sea-
sons. batting 1888 in the dash of the
Cleveland club 10 an American League
pennant and a world championship
after series With the Brooklyn Robins.
Iris exceeded his 1920 average with
the Indians in 1925 with a mark Of
.38s
After the 1925 campaign Speaker re-
signed from the Indians and joined the
Nationals, with whom he played in l42
gaines for q batting average OF 1927.
Speaker has played in three world
series, two as a member Of the Red
,Sox in 1912 and 1915 and the other
with the Indians.