BASE BALL, TRAP SHOOTING AND GENERAL SPORTS Title Registered In TJ. S. Patent Office. Copyright, 1909, by The Sporting Life Publishing Company. Vol. 53 No. 3 Philadelphia, March 27, 1909 Price 5 Cents ELDS! The Chicago White The Biggest Salary Sox Chief Will Ever Paid to Any Visit His Reluct Employe in the ant Team Mana- History of the ger and Offer Him National Game. SPECIAL TO "SPORTING LIFE." Otto Wittpenn and Sheriff James J. Kelly, OS ANGELES, Cal., March 22. of Hudson county, are in faror of Sunday President Comiskey, of the Chi base balL cago American League Club, has come to the conclusion that "if CINCINNATI©S TEAM. the Mountain won©t come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the Mountain." He has there- Manager Clark Griffith Makes His First fore decided to go to Portland, Ore., where Announcement. his hold-out manager, Fielder Jones, now Special to "Sporting Life." makes his home, to induce that clever player and competent manager to reconsider his Cincinnati, O., March 22. Manager Clark announced retirement and put in one more Griffith, at Atlanta, today made his first season at least as manager and outfielder official announcement concerning the make of the White Sox. As an inducement, Presi up of the Cincinnati team for the coming dent Comiskey is willing to give Jones a season. "Griff" proposes to do away -with salary of $15,000 for next season the big- the "penny-wise-ponnd-foolish-policy" that best sum ever paid any man, not financially has governed past managers and give the interested in a club, in the history of base city of Cincinnati the very best bull clnb ball. Jones is heavily interested in timber he possibly can. He has decided to carry lands on the Pacific coast, and has named two men for every infield position, five out- $20,000 as the price of his services, not fielders, three catchers and as many pitchers with any idea that he would get it, but as show that they are of National League as an intimation that his business interests calibre. This means that HuJswitt, Moriarty are paramount. Mr. Comiskey states that and Downey will have to fight it out to the offer will be made to Jones when the the finish to see which two of the trro are club starts on its return trip by way of to stick with the team. When informed that Portland, Ore., where Jones makes his head in the past the Cincinnati Club had retained quarters. only enough players to skimp through the season, Manager Griffith explained his policy as follows: Did Not Expect $20,000. "I was signed by the Cincinnati Gut to develop Portland, Ore., March 23. Fielder Jones a good ball team. I cannot do so if I release any to-day said, when shown the California dis of the promising men. There are two reasons why patch: "I named $20,000 as my price when I think the policy I have decided upon is a good one. I came through Chicago, but I never gave it "First I cannot afford to strengthen oilier teams directly to Mr. Comiskey, and I have no by letting good material go. I want to beat out intimation that I am to receive such an of Plttsburg if I can, and I know that Barney Dreyfuss fer from him. Consequently I cannot say is anxious to get a couple of my extra men. what I will do with an offer that I have "Second You cannot save anything by putting a not yet received. I have made no plans to cheap team In the field. The only kind of a dab return to base ball." That was all Jones that can win Is one that is sufficiently fortified." would say to-day; but he recently said that EDGAR WILLETT, he had named a price so high that Comiskey SOUTH FLORIDA LEAGUE. would never come up to it, but that if by Pitcher of the Detroit American League Club. any chance he did, he, having given his word, would accept. Pitcher Edward Willett, one of the young pitchers of the Detroit American League Club, Is an Organization Now in Process of has had a very limited professional experience. He Is only 23 years old and halls from Wlnfield, Kas. Manager Kimmel, of the Wichlta Club, of the Western Association, found him in the Formation. middle of the 1905 season working in a livery stable near Winfield and pitching games in the KLING IS OUT. country round at $5 a game. Up to the time he joined the Wichita team ©he had a string of Special to "Sporting Life." twenty successive victories to his credit for the season. He at once made good with Wichita and Tampa, Florida, March 22. There is very The Great Catcher Will Not Play Ball helped that team win the Western Association pennant in 1905. In 1906 Willett again did such promising prospect of the formation of a good work that the Detroit Club was attracted by his reputation and upon the recommendation South Florida Base Ball League, to embrace of a special agent purchased his release from the Wichita Club. He made his debut with De This Season. troit September 5, 1907. against Chicago and held that leading team to 5 hits and 2 runs, but clubs at Bartow, Tampa, St. Petersburg. Special to "Sporting Life." lost his game on poor support. Since then Willett has shown steady Improvement, and in 1908 Arcadia, Lakeland, Orlando, Plant City and Shreveport, La., March 22. Johnny he became one of the most dependable pitchers of the Detroit team. Bade City. Mr. B. B. Marquis, of Bartow, Kling is not going to play with the Cubs was here last week, endeavoring to interest this season. The great catcher of the cham local base ball enthusiasts and promoters in pions announced his stand late Saturday the league, and it is probable that as a re afternoon in emphatic terms in a message sult of his conference with men prominent from Kansas City to Manager Frank Chance, City want high-class base ball they will have to al in base ball circles here, a strong team will the blow hitting the Cub leader like a JERSEY CITY©S VIEW low it to be played on Sunday in other words, if be put in the field by Tampa, to enter the you stop Sunday base ball you also -stop weekday proposed league. Mr. Marquis, who is ona thunderbolt from a clear sky when the Cubs Of the Disposition of the Question of base ball. * * * We ask only the same privilege of the most energetic promoters of the na returned from their practice game with the which is given the Public Service Corporation, which tional game in this section, has secured the Shreveport Pirates. It isn©t a matter of Local Sunday Ball. operates its cars every Sunday, or the owners of salary with Kling, according to his message automobiles, who drive their cars on Sundays without cooperation of base ball men in the places Special to "Sporting Life." named above and is certain that a fine, to Chance, which is as follows: "Don©t ex fear of hindrance." series of South Florida League games will pect me this season, as I find it impossible Jersey City, N. J., March 22. The man The management declared that in the be played this season. It is proposed to to trust my business here in other hands. agement of the Jersey City Base Ball Club, seven years that professional base ball has It is not a question of salary, but my man of the Eastern League, issued Saturday a play two games a week in each of the places agement here is not capable of handling my been played in Jersey City there has been entering the league, it being the purpose statement, in part, as follows: a deficit every year excepting in 1903. The also to confine the players to amateurs as affairs in proper manner. Things are break "Seven years© experience has proved that Jersey ing too good for me to leave, as my pros City cannot compete with Baltimore, Buffalo, Ro Eastern League schedule for 1909 provides nearly as is possible. A meeting for organi pects here are the brightest. Best wishes chester, Toronto or Providence unless it is allowed to for Sunday games on the Jersey City sation is to be called in the near future, to you and the boys." play Sunday base ball, and if the people of Jersey grounds. It is understood that Mayor iL probably in this city. SRORTIINO LJFB MARCH 27, 1909. Player Charles A. Fallen©s application to under with the Wheeling, W. Vaa Club been be declared a free agent -was granted. Fal- fully carried out. Otey also contended that lon played with the Hartford, Conn., club he was a free agent because he was not during the 1908 season, but did not sisrn a paid for three days© services, during the contract, and on this f^ct his application month of June. The decision rendered to was granted. day was that the appeal be set aside and OF Player John J. Dnffy, of the Troy Club, of that the finding of the National Board of the New York State League, asked the Com the Association be approved. Otey was for mission to declare him a free agerit for two merly with the Rochester, N. Y., team. reasons: , First, that he had a non-reserve contract wi.l^ the Troy Club, and, second, that the club was in arrears to him when CALLAHAN©S DEBUT.