Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-02
Courtney Heads
For Salary Talk
With Griffith
Catcher Adumunt
On Raise; Sievers
To See Col Today
BY BURTON HAWKINS
Star stan Correspondent

ORLANDO, Fla, Mar. a.
Clint Courtney, holdout WASH
|ington catcher. said he would
leave his ranch at Coushatta.
La, today or tomorrow and head
for a salary conference with Cal
Griffith, but added that he'd
turn right around and go back"
unless he gets what he wants.
II think I deserve a raise and
that's what I'm gonna get"
Clint said when reached by tele-
phone last night, "or else I'm
coming right back here. I used
to be a poor boy but I amt
anymore and ] don't have to play
baseball for a living.
"Cal tells me he can't afford
to pay me any more because
he's got three good catchers.
All I know is that I hit 300
and I knocked in more runs than
those other two fellows put to-
gether. I've been getting the
same money now for two years
and I think I'm worth more
than $16.500.
Wants to Play More
"They don't let me play
enough" Clint continued. If
they don't want me to play, let
'em get rid of me. Don't mis-
understand mel don't want to
be traded if they'll pay me, but
maybe that's the reason they
don't have a good club, because
they won't pay the guys who
produce.
IN play as hard for Cal as
anybody else" Courtney said.
but I want more money. If
they want a $50 hitter. let 'em
get Jim Hogan or somebody like
that.
They don't have any more
than five or six good ball players
on the club" Clint said, land
I'm one Of them. They're not
paying me what deserve. Maybe
the manager and coaches are
getting good money, but ! know
I'm not"
Courtney hasn't contacted
Griffith in two weeks. At that
time. in letter to the Senators
boss he said Cal wasn't offering
him enough to buy oats for his
race horses.
Wrange Could Develop
Griffith said Courtney has his
last offer and indicated that the
scrappy catcher wants a $4,000
raise. 1t could be a bitter
wrangle, for Griffith said, las
far as I'm concerned Courtney
can stay where he is until he
decides to sign at the figure he's
been offered. I'm not going any
higher"
I Courtney batted 800. as he
said. and drove in a. runs. That
lis more than the combined total
of Ed FITZGERALD (12) and Lou
Berberet (27D.
Clint was supposed to appear
here last Monday. but instead
has remained on his stable
ranch tending his 900 cattle and
eight race horses. Doing all
right with them horses" Clint
said. "One of EN- finished sec
ond at Hot Springs a couple of
days ago."
Sievers, Hernandez on Scene
Griffith has conferences sched-
uled today with Roy Sievers and
Evelio Hernandez. who are on
the scene. There's not much
money involved" Sievers said,
but I do want a raise. He
offered me the same as got last
year. I'd like to sign and start
training"
Hernandez showed up yester-
day, put on a uniform and
worked out briefly. until Man.
ager Chuck Dresser discovered
he hadn't signed a contract.
Chuck then ordered the Cuban
pitcher of the field.
ITS strictly protection for the
player" Chuck said. IF he
broke a leg or something he'd
have to pay the hospital bills
himself. II he's under contract
the club is responsible for his
expenses in case of injury"
Sievers indicated a small raise
would satisfy him. He report
eddy earned $l8.500 last year and
is going for $4,000. but prob
ably will settle for less. He is
aware that he might be traded
and said. That's part of the
game"
ASSIC