Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09
MANY VETS SPURN
GR|FF|TH'S OFFERS
Some Contract Fights to Be
Carried to BiIoxi-Mo0re,
Mcleod Sign.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

7 INING up a ball club that
finished as poor as fifth. in
the past American League
- campaign for a new flag
chase Is no easy job. President
Clark Griffith is finding his Ma
tionals, who did no better than
head the second division of the
junior major circuit last season,
as fnical as the world champion
Athletics are so far as contracts
are concerned.
Shortly before he headed for the
South yesterday, the Washington prexy
announced the receipt of the signed
papers Of Carlos Moore, pitcher bought
from Birmingham, and James Mcleod.
inf1elder, purchased from Little Rock,
With these two having accepted terms.
II OF the % players on the Nationals
roster are in line for the impending
campaign. At first consideration, a
goodly number, but not so fine when
1t Is discovered most Of the IL not yet
In line are players expected to put
Washington In the flag race this year.
Grimth has signed six Of his eleven
OF his six infieldsrs and four of his
six outfielders.
The slab holdouts are Fred Marberry,
one OF the best hurlerS of the Ameri-
can circuit last year; Garland Braxton
and Sam Jones, veterans, and Bob
Burke and Ad Liska, youngsters.
Backstopping spurners of terms Of
fered are Roy Spencer and Benny Tate.
1naelders yet to like the clubs figures
are Joe Cronin, flashy sfortstop, and
Jack Hayes, who plays anywhere in the
inner defense except at first base.
The outfleld bakers are Goose Goslin,
until the past season demon at bat,
and George Loepp, right-hand swinger,
purchased from the Orioles.
Job for ONCE Force.
Grifith after stopping of in Chat
tanooga for a few days to look over
the Washington farm there will pro-
coed to Biloxi, Miss, to establish his
| clubs Spring quarters. He Is being ac-
companied by Eddie Eynon, club secre:.
tary, and personal secretary and 10
seems likely this office force will be kept
quite busy corresponding with many Of
| the balky boys, who have fired back
contracts or not given the Washington
ONCE notice of the receipt of contracts.
In some instances 1t Is all but GER
tain the final battle of the contract wifi
| be fought in club hsadqdarterssat Biloxi.
In the cases of pitchers this will occur
on or shortly aftsr February rs. the day
the slabmen are du, to report at camp
The others are to check In at Biloxi
March 9 and some kicks then wfllebe
registered.
From Braxton. Marberry and Jones,
the veterans. Griffith has heard moth
ing concerning the contracts offered.
| However, he has bSen informed by
Braxton that the pitcher has had his
tonsils removed as he was ordered to
do at the end of the last campaign, The
pestiferous tonsils made Braxton sick
man much of last year, but following
their removal he is expected to pick up
to the club than he has been. And
Braxton certainly has not been total
loss during his service here.
Liska has informed President Grifith
that the terms offered are quite pleas
ing, but that he would like a bonus
clause in his contract. Liska has said
he will be at hand at Biloxi on Feb
ruary rs and will hop on the job of
training right of the reel. He will,
however, put in an evening or two try
ing to convince Griffith bonus propo-
sition would be right in his case. 80
Good Catchers Baking.
The holdout catchers are those ex-
pected to do the bulk of the back
Both Spencer and Tate did we'll behind
the bat for the club last year and the
latter was effective with the fail, too.
Very likely they viii carry their argu-
mentS to Biloxi before yielding to Grif-
nth. Tate is virtually perennial hold
out and Spencer is said to have been
something of this sort when in the
National League.
Griflth is not apt to experience much
tr0llhIn GETTING TrnVAiVn NJ S.sA1
line. Now that the other regulars of
the Washington infleld have signed
Cronin's papers are likely to be received
any day. Joe played a pretty good
game at shortstop last season, but he
stil has far to go to become great
big Lacquer and probably hasn't much
OF an argument with the club. Hayes
still may give Buddy Myer a tussle
for the second base berth, but right
now It looks as though Buddy has
Strangle-hold on the place. Z
Some trouble is likely to be encotIn-
cereo In the matter OF swinging GoSlin
into the fold. The Goose, even though
he batted in the .280s last season after
Leading the league in 1928, has his own
Ideas OF his worth and tbs rumored
the bonus proposition in the contract
offered by Grifith does not please Goslin
one whit. Last Spring, the Goose and
the Washington prexy went to the mat
over terms and 1t was not until after
he had been at training camp more than
two weeks that Goslin capitulated. The
battle this year probably will be fully
as long.
Loops stand is somewhat a mystery.
he Qld not set the International League
on fire last year, although he batted in
the 800 class for the Orioles. But hold
ing out seems to be habitual with Inter.
national Leaguers. Perhaps Loepp SIM
ply feels he must kick bit before sign
ing on the dotted line.
Moore, Mcleod Husky.
Moore, whose signed contract was re-
celved yesterday, Is right-hand slab
man now In his 23d year. He is
husky chap feet IL inches tall and
weighing about $50 pounds. He halls
from Cleveland, Tenn. He broke into
professional base bali two years ago by
winning. is games and losing 8 for
PENSACOLA IN the Southeastern League.
mingham club last season, winning S
and losing z. He famed as and walked
IS in 124 innings.
:. Mcleod, not yet q years old. who
lived In Little Rock, also is a husky. ",
Is feet tall and weighs 1877 pounds.
He took part In base ball, foot ball, bas-
ket ball and track athletics at Little
Rock High School and was iri amateur
base ball before joining Little Rock last
year. He participated in 100 games with
the Travellers and batted at ONLY A .252
clip. He swings from the right side.
Mcleod, though, played at shortstop oraly
part OF the season for Little Rock.
Shortly after his sale to the Nationals
was announced in mid-Season he was
benched, not because he was not filling
the bill acceptably afield but that the
Lste ROCK management wanted to de&s
velop another big. league prospect il