Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17
Washington Clubs Punished yLans Clark Griffith Declares Wa
MATS BOSS DEFENDS ACTS:
WULFICHT COMMISSIONER
ssalicious and Vindictive Move' SAYS Local Presi-
dent of Judges Edict Costing Club
Players and Fines.
RY JOHN r. KELLER.

@ AMPA, Fla, March l6.-CIark
Calvin Grifith. president OF the
Washington Base Ball Club. has
l. declared war on Kenesaw Noun
tain Lands, commissioner OF
base ball. Grifiths declaration followed
Lands announcement today that Guy
Cantrell, pitcher, and Melbern Simons,
outfielder, who have been under con-
tract to and in training with the Ma
tionals were free agents because in &C
curing claim to them the Washington
Club had evaded sections of the major
minor agreement governing transfers OF
players.
Griffith virtually is charged with hav-
ing connived with minor league club
owners in making ''cover-up" deals that
helped only the clubs interested and
were harmful to the best interests of the
players involved. AS punishment, Com
missioner Lands has Cancelled any
claim the Washington Club has to the
services Of Cantrell, a pitcher who
promised to gain regular berth with
the Nationals, and Simons, expected to
become an utility outfielder with the
club this year.
"a Malicious Move"
According to Griffith, the commits
sioner's action is wholly unfair and I'M
justified. The Washington president
characterizes it as "a malicious and
vindictive move" and "a 500, 000, 900
Standard Oil gesture made in base ball
to let the owners know they are not
to handle their own affairs"
Grifith said heatedly tonight that
he will carry the fight against this
injustice to the last ditch to see whether
the owner has any right in base ball
or is Lands vaSsal"
Griffith insists he has not gone be-
You'd the majo minor agreement In
making any deals and that Judge
Lands is making him goat" simply
because he (Grifnth) failed to attend
a conference in Chicago called last
month by the commissioner to discuss
the Washington clubs claim to Sim
ons, Cantreli and several other players
who last year and the year before
were assigned by Washington to the
BIRMINGHAM club OF the Southern AS
ISOLATION.
PLAYERS not with the Washington
club, who are made free agents along
with Simons and Cantrell. are Jimmy
Partridge, inflelder, and Ralph Glazner,
pitcher, assigned to Birmingham last
Fall; John Kloza, outfielder, returned
to Birmingham after a trial with the
Nationals here las Spring, and Ed
Wells, returned to Birmingham after
trial in 1928, and last Fall sold by the
Barons to the Yankees.
Denies Deals Illegal.
Griffith declares that the deals In
volving these players were wholly IN
accord with the major-minor agree
merft as was also the deal between
Washington and the Baltimore Inter-
national club for Cantrell. Il have been
buying PLAYERS from the Birmingham
club for several years." said the Wash
ington president tonight. land al
ways have bought them under these
conditionS-a partial payment for the
right to try the player with the re-
mainder of the purchase price to be
paid If the player is retained, or the
player returned Ii he does moi prove
satisfactory during trial"
I'm several instances with the Biz
mineham club, and In the instance Of
Centrell with the Baltimore club, the
partial-payment has been returned to
the Washington club" Griffith added.
but in no instance has the return OF
the partial-payment had to do with a
'cover-Gp' deal. The late Jack Dunn,
who owned the Baltimore club. did re-
turn the initial $4,000 payment / made
on Cantrell, but there was no under
standing between us that Cantrell was
to be turned back II I found him sat
isfactory. Dunn, in returning the S.
900, asked me to give Cantrell thor
ough trial and If kept the pitcher to
pay the Baltimore club 100000 /
agreed to this, am trying Cantrell now
and certainly believe am entitled to
claim him upon payment of the $4,000
to Baltimore"
Explains Cantrell Deal.
Pressed as to why Dunn, who per-
sistently opposed the enactment of d
draft rule affecting the International
League that Griffith advocated and who
was considered really bitter enemy Of
Grifiith in base ball way, should have
returned the IS 600 Maid down on Cam