The Washington times., 1936-12-12
DES MONIES MUFFED FELLER'S CONTRACT, SAYS GR|FF
No Club Held
Over Lands
By Owners
By FRANK BUCK" ONEnL

BY FRANK BUCK" O'NEnL
The Des Moines Baseball Club
Of the western League of Profess
sional Baseball Clubs, let Kohl.
moor slip through its grasp when
it failed to sign Bob Feller, the
17.year-old boy whose case has just
been settled in a manner that en-
ables all of organized baseball to
breathe easily.
Perhaps the Des Moines Off
cialS were dazzled by the brilliance
of this youth; dazzled to an extent
where they could not truly ap-
praise his worth. In any event,
Feller slipped through the fingers
of the Western League boys, and
their agonized screams rang
around the world.
This is the opinion of President
Clark Griffith, who returned from
the big league meetings in New
York, with only one trade COM
pleted, and several tentative deals
still pending.
Sets World Straight
Moreover, Griff wishes to set
the world straight on another
thing. The major leagues did not
brandish a club; not even a velvet
covered club, over the greying
head of Commissioner Kenesaw
Mountain Lands. No sir, the major
league club owners came out of
the meeting with a greatly in
creased respect for Commissioner
Lands. This is Griff's own state
ment.
"The Des MoineS Club booted
a chance to get y great young
pitcher" Griff said. "Feller
worked out with the DeS MOines
team, but he never tried to get
a contract from them, and gave
them no promise that he would
sign a contract. The prObabili-
ties are that If Feller had been
offered a contract out there, he
would have signed it, with the
consent Of his father. Feller
still is a minor.
"There are some stories
printed to the effect that we
put the pressure on LandiS,"
Griff continued with gestures.
Nothing of the sort happened.
So far as this Feller case is con-
cerned, we attempted to show
the commissioner that every
thing was in order, and that
FeIler really belonged to the In.
dianS.
Commissioner Lands han
died a delicate situation in base
ball with the utmost tact"
The writer asked Griff why the
situation could be delicate if Feller
really and legally and without ben
eft of skullduggery, was the prop
erty of the Cleveland Club.
Skullduggery AfOOt
AS matter of fact, there prob
ably was skullduggery in the sign
ing of Feller to that justly famous
Fargo-Moorhead contract. Com
missioner Lands clearly set that
forth in his opinion in which he
ordered the Indians to $500 TO
the Des MoineS Club.
In arriving at that figure, Lands
probably figured that Feller, the
rookie, was worth that on the open
market subsequent to a trial. The
world knows that Feller, the strike
out king, is worth much more than
that to any ball club.
Higgins On Way Out
It became known that Pinkey
Higgins, third sacker Of the Ath'
letics who was traded to the Bos.
ton Red Sox, will not remain long
in the Hub. Higgins may be used
in a trade with the Cleveland
Indians that will send Joe VoSmik
on to the Hub. Joe Cronin will
play third for Boston next season.
Vosmik, incidentally, is one of the
most sought after players in the
American League. The Browns
want him, and are willing to give
up Julius Solters to get him. Cleve-
land, incidentally, stands ready to
deal for Rollie HemSley. The
Indians opened negotiations for
Hemsley two years ago and never