Evening star., 1928-09-05

n V EW YORK, September os-ENA-
~ IDENTITY the owners Of the Ma
" tionals are going to depend
upon the draft and their
chances for Winter deals Tor
material with which 70 rebuIo the
club. They have no deals IN pfoSpec'
a. nresert thew declare and they have
bvt ~ days now in which 10 acquire
talent If they would net wait until late
IN the Fall to pick UP promising play
ers Base ball law prevents the making
Of deals between September - ana
the draft which occurs annualy at
world series time.
while most Of the other clubs Of the
hir show have been comolng througn
the minor circuits picking up gooo
rrosuectS here and there, the Nationals
have done little. So far as known, only
two new men have been bought, one Is
the raney pitcher jim Weaver. now "itn
tl,e ey,rb and the other a catcher named
Bolton. who may or may not report tor
trial before the season ends.
Weaver was bought from Chat
tsnoocs. for $500, mere pittance as
prices paid for base bali players go these
davs. Really. ne was wished on
ciub that was not especially SEEKING
him. Bolton IS a purchase from Hlgh
Point Of the Piedmont League. he Is
only a youngStsr, bat Is reputed me
hitter as we'll as q clever oacHsVoppeF'
Eight Under Option.
The only others who may be conSid-
cred material for rebuilding that the
Nationals have strings on are the elgnN
ont under option. Four OF these are
pjtcfers. Horace LsiSenbee and Clayton
Tan AIvstine. with Minneapolis Paui
r5onkinS. with Montreal. and Doggle
Sheridan, with Walter J0hnSon,s New
arg club. The others. inflelders all,
are Mule Shirley. playing a me. hfSV
base and Ernest Smith. employed IN
utilitv roles. by Birmingham, JACK
HAYES. with Minneapolis. and Ed Crow
lev with Albany Of the Southeastern
League ..-,.,
But it is unlikely that the Nationals
owners regard all the eight as proSpec-
tive material for the 1929 washington
base bali machine Shirley IS !qs;
about certain TO come back Tor tFlal
sra5n. for President Griffith beAeVes
+pe chunky Tarfeel, VINO has been up
with the Nationals twice before, Is
ehout ready to make the big league
rrs6e AZ last. Smith though, IS some
what old for further consideration ana
besides the clubs owners are sure they
have a good sforstop in Bob Reeves.
Nor is there much chance that HAYES
and Crowley will be back with the
Nationals next year. Crowley, VINO
broke into the lineup couple tunes
Al third base. was not particularly I'M
11ressive as a big leaguer. altnoueh ne
shines in tn. minor loop. hayes uiu @
sairly veil with the Washington cluo
efield. but never glittored as a na1teI,
And HAYES is said to be part % lis
r,rice that will be paid for Aoolph
lisa. Minneapolis pitcher, y the
Nationals get him
CO are Iisenoee and Van Alstyne, al
though nne CT these hurlers may DC
hsck il, the major circuit with f4ae@sa-
fSonafs and Hovkffls sent TO Minneapolis
after being recalled from Montreal.
ranl was Supposed to be tine pros
nect when farmed to Stallings cino
but he hasn't panned out SO WeiI anu
probably needs more schooling: Sfefl-
dan. who was purchased from Blrnilg-
ham and kept by the Nationals oniy d
few DAYS. isn't burning up the 1ntefha-
tional League and very AKely WIZ ps
regarded as little more than tradlne
material if he is taken to Tampa next
Spring.
Not Keen on Spencer nhiiis'
It does appear that the Nationals are
rather eager To acquire title TO Llska
who has been pitching fine DaII ioT the
xiIlers bat the owners are noL 50
enthusiastic about getting Spencer Har-
ris. Minneapolis outfleldsr. who IS the
Yahe Ruth of the American Association
Al noYne-riln making. Il vas reported
the hfiIlers had given the Washington
club tf7e first shot at buying Harris
Maybe tflev have. but the washington
ownership TENT bidding for him now.
Instead. the Capital nloguls are IN
cljned toward Melbern Simons. the
rardereT who was given trial al
Tampa last Spring and later sold 10
birmingham. Simons did not seem 10
know what it vas all about in Florida
but he must have come along win
r-lsh this season with the Barons FOR
all the critics of the Dixie circuit are
pYaising him 10 the skies.
But with the talk about getting ne"
material. there has been no acton re-
Gently about the Nationals headquar-
ters. And there remains little time this
season in which 70 make purchases. II
must be that President Griffith and the
others are waiting for the draft and a
chance at Winter trading Or maybe
the washington ownership is willing 70
stand pat on what it has instead OF
boxing for q new deal for 1929.