The Washington times., 1935-12-14
.GriHtO Sit
:'71LTrade
HatcheS
n H1AD AAnRA En
By KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor


Griffith, I take it the great
sitting campaign of the winter
Of 1885 is on. It may event
ually hatch something.
I dropped in on Griff, fol-
lowing his return, empty
handed, from Chicago, and
found him almost anything in
the world but detected over
his failure to click on a few
deals he had up his cuff be-
fore he went West. But the
thing that impressed me mostly
was that he was sitting in
that ball-bearing chair of his
as though he were prepared
to sit all winter.
The fact that he invited me
to sit down gave the impression
that there is going to be a lot
Of sitting, mostly tight, out around
our ball park all winter, which
indication was not the least
diminished when, a few minutes
later, in came Bucky Harris, a
dead ringer for Willie Howard
willie and Eugene of the Scan
dals) who drew up a chair and
started to do little sitting on his
own account.
Made 1t Unanimous
Presently Secretary Eddie Ey-
non came in and sat down. II
anybody had thought Of it, here
would have been a good spot to
suggest game of bridge. There
was everything propitiouS to such
. motion, including a dummy.
Anyway, being entirely out
classed as sitter, decided to
ask a few questions and move on
to let somebody have my chair
who is less fidgety than am and
who is a superior sitter. am far
too restless a soul to sit any
where long.
Leastways, Griff seemed more
Sorrowful that he couldn't bring
back Washington boys and girls
q ascent bleacher admission as
q Christmas gift than he was at
failing to land pitcher or two
in return for what outfielding
strength he felt he could Shunt
away without hurting an already
sorry situation.
Shuns All Money Offers
Then, proving Griff isn't the
numismatist he is painted in many
quarters, he made the most star.
, Ting confession you could imagine.
Quoth he:
IT could have sold all the play
ers I wanted in Chicago. It was
strictly a money market with the
exception Of a few unimportant
trades; but I'm not looking for
mazuma. I'm looking for men
mostly pitchers, although I con-
fess I could bolster my catching
staff"
It seems that every time Griff
broached a player trade he was
answered with an offer to buy,
but not to barter. In the course
Of three days in Chicago he saw
the fanciest assortment Of foun-
tains pens he ever laid an eye
upon; also some very swanky- y-look-
ing check books. but. unlike Con-
ME Mack, Griff is not breaking up
housekeeping.
will Stay in Business
# he parts with furniture or
fixture, he's got to have bric-a-
brac to replace it. Even Griff
can't make a bank draft do the
work of a curve-ball pitcher or a
right-hand hitting outfielder. The
fans wouldn't fancy any such at
tempt as that, and the fan hap
pens still to be a pretty important
quantity when you're operating a
ball club.
Griff was named member OF
the American League steering
committee, to take the vacancy
occurring at the death of Frank
Navin. This committee thresheS
out a lot of legislative proposals
before they are presented to the
main meeting, if, indeed, enough
sentiment is found for them to
ever reach the floor.
He was unable to secure solid
backing for his pet nemesis, the
sinister synthetic double-header.
which he says is eating baseball
out Of house and home.
Sunday Twin Bills
However, he made some strides
in this direction by getting limit
of June IS as the first date
Sunday double header can be
played. In that June 81 is the
first Sunday after June IS, he
feels he should at least be cred
tied with q moral victory for ad-
vancing the rule to such a date.
Griff not only thinks Sunday
double-headers, except those un-
avoidable ones at the end of the
season when clubs are making
their final swings, will be the
ruination of baseball, but he
would be inclined to play no Sun
day baseball at all if he could get
anyone to agree with him. in order
to fill up the parks on week days.
He admits that cancelling Sun
day baseball would pinch every
club in the beginning. but that
ultimately they would all make
more money than they are now
by better weekday crowds.
Meanwhile. you may expect a
1nt 0f sitting Nllk around mr. hall