The Washington times., 1936-12-08
NoMore BOYS
Go0nMan' S
Errand
By KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor

Times Sports Editor
The major baseball
leagues are entrenched
in t h e ir respective
strongholds in N e W
York, determined to
take the news focus off
London and the Rivi-
era.
Clark Griffith, canniest trap
per and hunter of them all, is
in New York, sworn to do
somebody out of at least one
catcher and one pitcher.
He is convinced this is a mans
job and never again will he send
boy on an adults task.
Tricked By the Foe
Fact is he sent two boys, STAN
ley Harris and Joe Engel, up to
Montreal rehearsals to ferret out
a giver and a taker, having his
eye particularly on Johnny Pea
cock, the contraband catcher Ill
gotten by the Cincinnati Reds and
later declared a free agent by
Judge K. M. Lands, no less.
Well, the first thing he knew
word waited out of the near
reaches of the Province of Quebec
that Griff'S own son-in-law, with
the LIQUID assets of Tom YaWkey,
and the satanic mind of Eddie Col,
Inns behind him, had snapped up
Peacock like a fresh water trout
taking an artificial fly.
This kind of curdled the blood
of Papa-in-Law Griff, who rolled
up his sleeves, barred his fangS,
spat at the cuspidor from a diff
cult angle like Bluege throwing to
first, unfurled his feet from the
desk and started pacing the floor.
Should Have KnoWn
81 shudda knowd better" he
fairly gIared at his office force.
81 shudda knOwd better'n to
send those kids up there on
mans errand. Why, that old
skin-flint Eddie Collins put
CrOnin up to Outbiddin' Harris
and Offerin' Peacock all that
bonus for Signin.' Just think
of it:
Eight thousand dollars to
a young whipper-snapper of a
catcher for signin' a contract"
Griff shifted, as he munched a
handful of dried raisins swallow
ing seeds and all despite what
the doctor said.
Huh! Eight thousand dollars!
Why, in my playing day, you
could sign up a whole team for
$4,000.
What is baseball comm to
anyWay-apaying all that money
to a unprOven catcher for just
signin'. I'll swan, shudda gone
myself, not sent Harris and
Engel. Just wait It'll I catch
that pair of upstarts-I'l learn
'em!"
To Market, To Market
So Griff has packed his birth
day handkerchiefs and neckties
and hied for the baseball marts
determined to come home the tall
end of this week with some good
news for Washington baseball
fans.
He was equipped with two lines
of argument. In one coat pocket
he had a. big, bulging check book,
lust in case he should need it,
and in the other he had his play
ing roster and when last seen he
was seated in a Pullman window
checking off names, then rubbing
out the check marks, as though to
have changed his mind as to who
he might be able to spare.
"Mawnin' MiStu Griffin"
spoke the porter as he eased
Griff's favOrite old carpet bag
in between the chair and the
sill.
"MOrnin'," came the gruff
answer, indicating the man was
in dense thought and still irked
by those Peck's bad boys
Harris and Engel.
"Gwine a ShOppin' Mistu Grif-
fin?" Darried the porter.
ooh, 1 dunnO-mebbe. L see
what they got to offer and if
anything looks good l might
take a fIier at a pitcher or a
catcher, but nOthin' else"
"Yassa, yassa, Mistu Griffin;
but say, boss, whatta y'u finnaly
gwina make Outten that boy
Traverse, a infieIder or out
fielder-yOu amt gwina trade
him, is y'u, MiStu Griffin?"
"Huh! Whassat! Travis, why
er Travis, no, certainly not.
Travis amt for sale at no price.
Money couldn't buy bin. He's a
born shOrtstOp-Only needs a
little seasoning and a little more
meat"
"Yassa, yaSsa, boss, and now
amt that Mistu Benny Chap
man a caution out there in the
field! He's my boy, he is. All
knowed him down in Bumming-
ham and ah knOwed his Pappy
and his Nanny, too, and las
Continued on Page 35, Col. y