Evening star., 1938-01-23
BEARS MEET skins.
WITHOUT NAGURSK||
Baugh's. Contract Antics
Stealing Show From Game
in Cotton Bowl.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
stan Correspondent Oh Tne Star.

y nhAAO, 4CA.S O0A. a. llC
football Redskin stalks the
Bear again tomorrow in the
- prairie country, but in the
fold Of the world champions there
was a counter attraction tonight
With an unsigned 3-year contract in
his pocket. Slingin' Sammy Baugt i.
playing hide-and-seek with Coach Pay
Flaherty.
The Redskins Bears battle tomorrow
in the Cotton Bowl will bring together
the two teams which fought in mid
December at Chicago for the world
pro title. The Redskins won. % at 81
and tomorrow's game strictly is for
the country folk. After two consecu-
tive days Of steady rain, Dallas Is
expected to clear sufficiently for the
game to proceed on Its routine course
But the Baugh business. it develops
isn't routine. Ever since the Red
skins convened in San Francisco for
their tour Of the country Owner
George Marshall has been trying to
get Sammy signed for 1885, Marshall,
who knows his own mind, wants to
tie up Baugh while the tying is good
Baugh, who can't make up his mind,
has done everything with his con-
tract except tear it up and sign 1t.
Baugh Has Choice.
TERMS Of the contract were not dis
closed, but it is understood that
Baugh was given choice Of signing
for one year or for three seasons
The last time Sammy was pinned down
he was favoring the 3-year hook
up, which, If negotiated, will be one
Of the most unusual in the history OF
professional football. AS a rule the
game is too risky and strenuous to
permit owners to guarantee players a
steady income for three years. But
Baugh Is an unusual player, and
hence the unusual contract. Marshall
is smart enough to realize that he has
the best drawing card in the business
in Mr.. Sambo Baueh of Sweet
water, Tex.
Negotiations started in San Fran
cisco. While the glamorous movie
queen. Dorothy Lamour, posed for
stills" with the Redskins on the Para
mount lot in Hollywood. Baugh and
Marshall were found standing face to
face, hands on each others shoulders.
And they weren't talking about La
Lamour.
Marshall thought he was close to
settlement when the Skins had fin
ihed rubbernecking in movie land
and he sent Baugh and General Man.
ager Jack Espey ahead Of the team
to Fort Worth. where the champions
drilled for tomorrow's game. It would
have been all very dramatic. Baugh
would have swooped out of the clouds,
grabbed his Texas Christian sopho-
more sweetie with his left arm, and
with beaming cowboys peering over
his shoulder he would have signed
for 1938-39-40.
Can't Make Up His Mind.
RUT it didn't work out that way
and now nobody seems certain
what is going to happen. Armed
with the contract. Baugh made the
rounds of Fort Worth. located hard
by Texas Christian. He sought the
adviceS Of friends. His old T. c. U.
coach, bride-to-be. Edmonia Smith,
and the boys he knew when he went
to collitch.
Coach Flaherty fell heir to the job
OF getting Sammy's name on the con-
tract. One hour Baugh was quoted
as saying he wanted to sign and get
it over with. The next hour he was
quoted as saying he wasn't keen to
sign away the next three years of his
life. 1t became very puzzling to all
bystanders, and even Coach Fiaherty
threw up his hands and began to cut
paper dolls.
He changes his mind every 10
minutes" complained Mr.. Flaherty
today. Hes champion of the world
in that respect. I'm just going to sit
back now and let Sammy come to me
when he finally decided what he wants
to do"
Received $4,000 Last Year.
r EDSK1N officials neither confirm
nor deny the year contract
in Baugh's possession. The chances
are that they fear the reaction of
(see REDSKINS, Page B-5.)