The Washington times., 1935-12-23
Sport Hits
D. T.. Wall
Street

By KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor


Street, that strip of asphalt
and concrete along Fifteenth
between New York Avenue
and Eye, was all aflutter early
today when I strolled through
to beat a rubberized check to
the bank, and for some reason
or another those wizards Of
high finance and the 59-cent
dollar seemed to think I could
provide the reason for their
high blood pressure.
'What's Griff gonna do?" six
of those curb lizards gaSped
Mt me at once, as If Griff ever
takes me into his confidence.
Dunno. Never can tell. Is
he gonna do anything?" was
the noncommittal il dumb re-
jOinder.
He must be-" came the
chorus, "twO different inquiries
were made along the local
BOurSe today whether any Wash.
ingtOn club stock could be
bought, and for how much;
so there must be something in
the sir!"
I looked up and sure enough,
there was something in the air:
Q swirl of snow blowing off the
roof of the hardly Hibbs Build
ing, where more pipe dreams
are born and die in day than
In Alladin'S Lamp during its life
time.
An Occasion, Indeed
It seems that when an inquiry
Is made as to what Washington
club stock is bringing, it is in
deed a cause for curiosity at the
local change. I recall some
time back when Iris Speaker
came to this club. 10 shares actu-
ally changed hands, as if or
Tristum, with his chalky legs
and fading blue eyes, was going
to be any more than a name,
insofar as the team Of that sea-
son was concerned.
Out of sheer devilment, I once
asked a frock-coated banker at
what Washington Baseball Club
was held by those who owned lit
tie knots of the stuff, here and
there, and was told:
"Sixty asked, nothing bid, and
I can get you all you want at
forty"
The conversation ended when I
inquired if he was talking about
cents.
The only thing that I could pos
sibly conceive affecting the price
of Washington Baseball Club is
sues would be that Col. Jake Rup-
pert might possibly have gone COM
pletely screwy and decided to give
Griff half a million for Buddy
Myer. Meantime, knowing what
do about the sad-eyed master Of
the House of Rupert, I have no
idea that he has gone quite that
daffy.
A Sane Price
I do think that colonel Rupert
feels that his position as the top
spender in the American League
has been very much eclipsed by
that Boston Spendthrift, Thomas
Yawkey, thus hurting the Rup-
pert pride no little. However, it
isn't sufficiently injured for Rup-
pert to give more than, say, $780,
900 for Buddy Myer, which, Incl
dentally, would be a sane price
for the Washington second base
man, no matter on which end of
the deal one might happen to be.
You see, Colonel Rupert knows
what it is to buy a championship.
He bought several of them in
succession back in the palmy
days of baseball, but the most
he ever gave for a ball player
was $125, 900, that being for Babe
Rutland even the current bat
ting champion of the American
League is no Babe Ruth any way
you Squint at him.
Griff CincheS Title
Meanwhile. it seems to me that
Clark Griffith is doing more and
more each year to clinch his title
for bringing back to his fold more
players he has discarded than any
other baseball magnet of these or
any other times. or John McGraw
used to second guess himself con-
siderably. He brought back Groh,
Rousch, and Herzog, and was durn
glad to get 'em; but Griff has
brought 'em back in carload lots
Carl Reynolds is the last player
anent which Griff has two-timed
himself. He exercised second sight
(Continued on Page IS. Col. ~