Evening star., 1939-04-16
Fifty Years Ago
In the Star
Roin Greets
Boseboll
Season

n. Ine DdSeDal season only
nv" o'ees :: four playing days off. The
oose0o" situation is truly exasper-
Seoson ating, and the enthusiasts
about town are beginning to growl just
as hard as though they were demanding
the release of a player, instead of wait
to see the new men play. Wise has
come to terms and has agreed to sign a
contract, accepting the sum Of $1,000 for
the seasons work. This was the figure at
which he was classified, and he undoubt-
edly thought that he might better bow
to the inevitable and take what he could
get than play ball on the hard side of
bench this year. Walter Hewett has
shown considerable generosity in his
operations this spring and winter, but
he has also proved to the outside watch
ers the fact that there is point where
generosity ceases to be a virtue. AS it
is he has done marvelously well.
THE services of John Ward would
have undoubtedly cost him. counting his
release money and his salary together,
fully $4,000. which is an awfully big
oOiAI VI AAOAiOy W pay ouO AOl OliC Ilcll
He paid, say 5000 for the release of
Morrill, and Wise, $4,000 for Morrill's
services and 1000 for those of Wise, a
total consideration of $1,000 for two
men. The balance between the two
operations is striking. Hewett saves
$4,000 in money, gets man whom the
highest authorities rate as fully equal to
Ward, both as player and as a mana
ger, besides another man whose ALL
around abilities are first class. In short,
Hewett is fully $500 ahead. He has
received telegram from Healy at Pitts
burgh stating that he would accept the
offer made him on Monday while the
clubs were here. This practically set
ties the matter, and his signed contract
may be expected in very few days.
by the way, Hewett's wisdom. which
has sometimes been seriously questioned
for releasing Daily and Widner from the
team, has been amply proved by dis
patch from Baltimore stating that the
manager of the Columbus club yesterday
fined both Daily, Widner and another
man 500 apiece for being out all night
on drinking bout. Although the club
arrived there Monday evening these
three men did not report until Tuesday
morning. It is now very evident why
Mr.. HeWett let the pitcher and right
fielder go. In fact, his friends have
known his reasons for the action ever
since 1t was consummated, but little has
been said about 1t thus far. Daily was
good player, probably is still. and al
though he had convivialism to a large
degree he was seldom, If ever, incapaci-
tated thereby for ball playing. But the
great evil came from his influence among
certain other members of the team whose
natures could not present the same un-
disturbed front under the same condi-
tions. In other words, he was directly a
demorali1ng agent and Mr.. Hewett knew
it we'll
Chicago won an exhibition yes
terday the score being Z to 4.
OF course, there are folks Just
ill-natured enough to say something
mean about this seesaw business and
hint at word sounding like hippo
drome.' This is strange state Of affairs
when one considers Mr.. Spaldings repu-
tation as an excellent baseballman, q
businessman and a manager. It was
Cranes turn in the box, with Earle be-
hind him pitted against Baldwin and
Anson. The result was II hits by Chi
cago and by Wards men.