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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1913)
TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 0, 1913. 3 INTEREST IN FIGHT GUI Expected Arrival of Murphy in San Francisco Helps to Give Fans Food. LESTER OBTAINS MATCH Man Who Has Just Returned From Australia, Where He Had About 1 8 Fights-, Will Meet Gun boat Smith Soon. IJT HARRY B. SMITH. SAX FRANCISCO. CaL. Feb. 8. What with the expected arrival of Tommy Murphy from New York, to gether with the matching of Gunboat Smith and Jack Lester, who recentlj arrived from Australia for a zO-round bout on Friday night, Feoruary 28, things are looking up. Even the dark shadow that Is being cast by the pos sibilities of what the Legislature may do to the right game can't quelcb tbe enthusiasm of the fans. Jim GrlfQn, after it looked as if bis date would go by default, had the luck to fall Into a heavyweight match just at the last moment. Jack Lester, the Cle-Elura giant, arrived the first of the week from the Antipodes, and with Gunner Smith hanging around and looking for something to do it was no great trick to bring the pair together. Lester wae at first rather lotty in nis ideas of the money he ought to receive. First oft", he wanted a guarantee of 12000 for his end. with the privilege of accenting SO per cent of the gross. When Griffin laughed. Lester replied that he would take a guarantee of $1500 with the same percentage option. Griffin couldn't hear any talk about a guarantee and Lester anally said he would take 30 per cent. Compromise la Arranged. Griffin finally compromised by giv ing the two fighters 55 per cent for their end, so Smith will draw down the small end of the purse, or 2S per cent. Jim Buckley, being a thrifty Irish man, figures that 25 per cent Is better than doing nothing. Also he teeis con fldent that Smith will topple over the Northwesterner, and says if he does that the gunboat chap will considerably enhance his reputation. Lester and Ernie Zanders, a Chicago middleweight, arrived on the 'sleamer Sonoma last Sunday. It was expecteo that Joe Woodman would also be on hand with Sam Langford, but word was sent that Woodman had trouble collecting his money due from Mcintosh and was delayed, owing to taking the matter into the courts. Lester has been in Australia for al most two years and during that time has had something like 18 fights. He made an Indifferent showing against some, notably Bill Lang and Cyclone Johnny Thompson, who stopped him. but of late he has been going Detter. Although there were stories that Lester didn't have money enough to hrlng him home, he says that he made 120.000 during his visit to tnac roreign country. Fighters Score Mcintosh. All of the fighters. It appears, have been toasting Hugh Mcintosh to a fare- you-welL Lester says that he was promised transportation home, but In the end had to pay bis own steamer fare. Zanders says that Mcintosh didn't live up to the promises made by his American representative, and Joe Woodman writes as a warning that Australia Is a good place for fighters and actors to steer clear of. In delivering his criticisms. Zanders explains that before his ticket home was forthcoming, Mcintosh compelled him to sign a statement that he had been treated fairly while abroad. I would have signed almost any old thing to got back home, he explains. Rut never again for me. I could have na'Ie far more money had 1 remained in this country." The boys also brought the news that Mcintosh has retired from the fistic end of the game entirely and is in the theatrical line. According to the pub lie announcements, the Stadium In Syd ney has been purchased by Snowy Baker, the referee who will conduct all matches In the future. Lester thinks that Mcintosh Is still back of the pugi listic ame and that he will continue to seek good American fighters as drawing cards. Rtteblo Likes Footlights. The latest word from Willie Ritchie is that he is going ahead with his the atrical work, that is. If the theaters want him. At all events, while his en gagement with the Sullivan & Con sidine people closes at Kansas City, ho has written friends in this city that he will be ut liKiiuJiapoils the follow ing week. Doubtless his representative, one B. Nolan, hasn't completed a contract that will carry the champion on through to New York, but he will doubtless do so. There is no question but that Ritchie wants to wait for the Fourth of July before lie gets into the ring and the one way for him to keep busy is by grabbing what offers come along. He teems to like the footlights fairly well, and It's a nice soft way of picking up money, without the slightest chance of losing his title. The case of the anti-fight measure seems to be in statu quo. Now that the Legislature has adjourned until March, the chances are that little will be said In the papers concerning this measure, although some of those who are in favor of the passage of such a bill are quite likely to start an agitation. Those chiefly concerned in the game admit the chances are that a reforma tory measure will be passed, although Coffrolh seems to be hpeful that he inn stave off any legislation at all. Perhaps he can and then again, b may be. wrong In his assumptions. THORPE'S IXXOCEXCE VOUCHED Harvard Cites Incident Showing Indian's lack of Knowledge. That Jsmes Thorpe, the Carlisle red skin, really was ignorant of amateur eligibility rules when he played Sum mer baseball in tbe college off-seasons is the belief of William Hay ward, the famous University of Oregon trainer. "Bill" accompanied the American track and field team to the Olympic games at Stockholm last Summer and became well acquainted with Thorpe. "He con Tided to me aboard the steam ship Finland, crossing the Atlantic that he was a professional ballplayer," declared Coach Itayward last night In Portland, en route for a -week's trip through Washington with his Oregon basketball squad. "When he told me he had played baseball under his right name for a professional club, I said to him: Well, don't you know you are not eligible to this team?' Oh. yes. I am." he re plied. I am Just a professional in base, ball." 'That." added Coach Hajward. "con vinces me that Thorpe did not know he was jeopardizing his amateur stand ing by accepting money or diamond duties.' IS REVIVING BIG LEAGUERS OFF FIELD LOOK LIKE EVERY- DAY SORT OF MEN, SAYS CHRISTY MATHEWSON "Out of Spangles" Major Players Are Not Ordinarily Eecognized Except by Some "Bug" With Keen Memory for races, and These the Athlete Seeks to Avoid Most Ball Players Are. Said to Drink Beer Moderately. BY CHRISTY MATHEWSON. Of the New York Giants. Copyright, 1913. by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate. PEW fans know the ball player off the field. "Out of the spangles." as the newspaper boys say, the big leaguer is not ordinarily recognized except by some "bug" with a keen memory for faces. Then, when he does pick out a member of the profession In his street scenery he usually greets him by chanting that old refrain, "Have one with me." For this and other reasons, the "bug ' is conscientiously sidestepped by ball players whenever they see him first He is generally regarded as one of those pests similar to mosquitoes, mothers-in-law and measles. Once he gets hold of you, there is no losing him! until he has run bis course, which gen erally extends through several stanzas of baseball misinformation. He is anxious to give you a hypodermic ot hints about how the game shoutd be played. He usually wants it completely overhauled and renovated. There are many followers of the game In this country, however, who are eager to know how a ball player spends his time and money, how he lives, what his ambitions are, and what his gen eral mode of conduct off the flald. Lengthy and congested arguments con tinually arise over the course of train ing which a ball player pursues during the championship season, and I have been the recipient of many letters from Y. M. C A.'s and other similar institu tions, requesting me to lecture on tbe habits of the Big Leaguer. Not 1east among these was one which I received recently from a certain local chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. I would not consider it a breach of confidence to publish this, as It will give a line on some of the things a ball player Is asked to do. It both interesr- ed and amused me. Here it is: Queries Are Many. "We understand you are strictly tem perate, and that to this you attribute your success as a ball player. We have several residents of this town who seem to think the more they drink the better citizens they make. Also, every time there Is a ball game here not onlv the majority of the spectators, but the ath letes, refresh themselves at a conve nient keg. Realizing your principles, and knowing that 'Billy' Sunday, the evangelist and formerly a ball player, has accomplished great things for ont cause, we hoped perhaps you might come here and give a lecture on the subject." Now I have never posed as the chauffeur of the Croton chariot or water wagon, nor has my name ever been prominently mentioned to lead the Prohibition party. I once thought seri ously of having my photograph taken with a stein of beer in my band a nil sending It as an answer to some of these communications. As a matter ot fact, ball players do not drink, for the good and sufficient reason that It in terferes with their business. But none of the Big League clubs, with the ex ception of the Chicago Nationals, in serts a temperance clause in Us con tracts unless In the particular eases ol men known as "bad actors." It still remains to be seen how the Cubs' pro hibition contract is going to work out. Most ball players drink a little, gener ally beer, and nearly every one of them smokes during the baseball season. Fred Clarke made all his men stop smoking cigarettes last year, believing that It benefited their wind, it may have helped their wind, but it did not vln them any pennants. And while we are discussing the cor respondence data, it might be well to look Into the matinee idol side, many fans having" been led to believe that tbe stars are chronically afflicted with throbbing perfumed notes. Arthur Shafer promulgated that belief when he gave this as his reason lor retiring from baseball. Now I have been un fortunate, but I have never been seri ously hampered by the bepcrfumed billet-doux which I have received through the mail. It has never been my experi ence that the crowd around the players' entrance makes the daily exit difficult. Sometimes, on the road, players receive telephone calls, but no one was ever forced to answer the telephone. All Experience With Giants. My material for this story has been collected while traveling with the Giants, my only Big League team, and any other knowledge which I may have gathered about the habits of Big League clubs on the road has been gained purely through hearsay evi dence. The Giants are a great bunch of boys to travel with, and the New York club see to It that we always get the best, a private car being hired by the management on every trip. None of the players has an upper berth, and all hands are made as comfortable as possible. Sometimes, the Journeys be come tiresome, when the jumps are one and the weather hot. but as a rule I enlov the periods on the road. Mc Graw makes them Interesting, and the boys are always framing up something to pass the time. Most Big Leaguers have peculiarities off the field. For instance. Frank Chance always had a weakness for lower No. 13." believing that it brought him luck. For years he has Insisted on this number, and he con tinued to ride through the. league with winner on It. The Cubs were never in a railroad wreck, usually their trains were on time, and everything went as smoothly as a Cook s tourists' party In" Rome. Then, one night. Chance went to bed in a hurry, and crawled Into the wrong berth, "lower 14," I thtnk It was, and the train ran Into an open switch, threw all hands oot Into the aisle, banged up three or four valuable ball players and gen erally disorganized the team. After that Chance was never In too mucn oi a hurry to go to bed not to make sure he was sleeping In "lower 13." "Chance may like "lower 13 for luck, but a stateroom has always brought me good fortune," says Mc- Graw, as he slides Into the compart ment. He Insists on his private room. Trip Proves InterentinsT.. One of the greatest trips I have ever made with the Giants was toward the end of the season of 1911, when the club went through the West and prac tically peeled off the pennant in the last spurt. The team was winning, and the boys were happy, although we were all laboring under a good deal of strain. "Charley" Faust, the "worst bug ever to crack into the Big League." made that trip with us then, and he was like a mechanical toy the day after Christmas new and novel. The boys spent most of their time kidding him, as McGraw would not let them play eards at this important stage of the race, for fear they would become too Interested and sit up later than they should. The first night "Charlie" spent In a sleeper was on a jump which the team made from Boston to Pittsburg. He had done most of his traveling on fast freights before that. Faust was Mur ray's particular pet on this trip, and "Red" rehearsed "Charlie" in his mono logue and entertained the boys until well along toward midnight. "Charlie" decided to go to bed. and he was the only man In the party inhabiting an upper berth. When he began to un dress, he took a puzzled look at the little hammock In the berth, and final ly called Murray to him. "What's the hammock for?"" he asked. "Well. I'll tell you, 'Charlie" re plied Murray. "They put those in all the berths where the pitchers are go ing to sleep so they can rest their arms, and they won't feel the jolts of the train. Now wrap your salary wing up tight In the blanket before you go to bed and hang it in that sling. Then you'll be In shape to work if 'Mao should want you to go In tomorrow." "Charlie" went to bed, and he fol lowed instructions faithfully, tying the blanket,' which he took off his bed, Into several knots around his right arm and then hanging it in the ham mock after having carefully laved It in oil before retiring. Suitcase Is Loaded. Th next day, some of the boys got hold of Faust's suitcase and a little pig iron at the same time, and. while a few of the others were engaging him in conversation, his grip was filled with the Iron. When the train arrived In Pittsburg, and Faust picked up his bag and dropped it on his corn, he emitted a fearful howl. What's the matter, Charlie?'" in quired "Josh" Devore Innocently, al though he had inspired the thing. "Gosh, that case is iheavy," replied Faust "Always feels that way," returned "Josh," after a fellow has been on the train for a long time. You see you haven't had a chance to work your arm out since yesterday, and the mus cles naturally tighten up." They made Faust walk all the way to the hotel from the station, a m'le or so, with the suitcase, for the bene ficial exercise, and I was not in his room when he found out what he had been carrying. Faust was the worst and most serious nut I bave ever seen. He was so bad that we always had to be careful to keep him away from the squirrels. Arthur Devlin was a man that could not stand for the pest who Insists on talking with a ballplayer. One day. 1 when the Giants were making a long jump from Boston to St. Louis In the hot weather And that is the worst trip around the circuit an Intelligent- looking man walked through the car. He paused by Devlin s berth, and Ar thur was just getting up after a sleep less night. Financial Interest Asserted. "Hello, 'Dev.'" he said familiarly. Thev alwavs insist on the first name. "You're with the Giants, aren't you? Well, I'm pulling for you boys." "No. we're from the P. and O. league," replied Devlin, while anybody, even II he wasn't a weather prophet at all, could see it had started to cloud up, and that it would likely rain. "You boys are goln' to grab the flag," went on the fan. "if you will do what I tell you to. I'm rootin' for you all right and have a little money bet, too." They all protest they have a financial Interest. "We'll get our salaries whether you root for us or not," answered Devlin. "Don't you know that this Is a private car?" From there on Arthur got busy. His conversation became warm and even overheated, and the Insults broke out over It like a light rash. Soon the ar dent rooter retreated In great disorder. Most all ballplayers have learned to become abrupt with fans unless they are well acquainted. The Cuba were a Jaunty bunch In the old days, but then It Is easy for a winner to lead the free-and-easy life. Being with a loser is the real drain on good nature. There have been several newspaper stories printed about the Cubs recently' which tended to show that they were not always as temperate as they might have been, Charles Murphy, the owner . of the team, declaring he had received inform ation that one of his outfielders, several seasons ago, had at tained a very nifty slant in Cincinnati before a game one night. Then, again, scandalous reports reached the public about the world's series of 1910, one of these being that the Cubs were so sure of a victory over the Athletics that they sat up and played cards and cele brated with liquid refreshments most of the night on their way to Philadelphia Just before the first game. Bad Actors Many. These reports have been greatly ex aggerated, I know, and, while the Cubs might have been overconfident of vic tory in that series, they did -not tear loose in the manner which was at tributed to them. The tearing loose under Chance is not very good. Professional baseball has been filled with men who were "bad actors" off the field, and many interesting stories are told of their habits. "Bugs" Ray TFN MEMBERS OF MULTNOMAH DAY FOR I l&HI 11 111 9 if ft id jj f W IN mil f ife mssssm , hbsw mond would let anybody buy him drink, and "Rube" Waddell was another performer who was as certain as loose mercury. An excellent Illustration oi the failure of citizens of New York to recognize ball players off the field de veloped when the old Polo Grounds burned down. In 1911. The fire started at about midnight. and I arose and dressed, my home be ing directly up the hill from the park Ames and Myers and Doyle and most of the boys were there, but the police refused to let us penetrate the fire lines, not recognizing the ball players whom many had seen play frequently and be ing too busy to pause for purposes of identification. Finally, as we were an standing outside there In the street "Bugs' Raymond arrived wltn some lady friend and walked up to the near est oop. ."How are you, 'Bill?"' he said. "Hello, 'Bugs!'" answered the police man. "Waat to go inside?" "Sure," replied 'Bugs. me and this girl." .And they went through the lines like a political boss through tbe Gover nor's ante-room. . "Bugs" was the sort of fellow who knew everybody. Finally the rest of us boys made our way Into the Pole Grounds, where the newspaper men and firemen had preceded us. through the Intervention of McGraw, who came up from down town. As we stood there watching the stand burn, "Bugs" posed In the pitching box with his feminine friend and delivered him self of a speech. "And it was my turn to work out here tomorrow," he lamented. "This Is where I stand when the crowd cheers me. And the bats are gone, my favorite stick! Can't some of you firemen save? the bats?" McGraw Is Praised. At the old Polo Grounds before the fire, the bats were kept locked up be hind the bench in a closet under the grandstand. "Bugs" burst into tears when he discovered that the sticks of the club were burning. His chief oon cern was for his bat with which he hardly ever made a hit And he was the center of attraction at the grounds the night of the fire while the rest of us stood around in the crowd and were pushed and hustled by thj firemen, once a stream of water beinr turned upon the group I was in. None of them knew the rest of us, but they all called "Bugs" by his first name. McGraw is the ideal leader to my mind. On the field, he is supreme and has no mercy for the man who diso beys an order of his, but off it he gives the players considerable levity, not en forcing anv strict training rules. He keeps a watchful eye on the habits oi the men, however. Instead of laying down any exact rule, he makes one sweeping general demand which covers what the smaller one might not. He insists that all the boys report in the clubhouse at the Polo Grounds between ten and half past every morning of the playing season. In the earlier days of the schedule, there is the morning practice, but as the race tightens and the strain becomes greater the morning practice is cut out for the regulars fof fear they may become stale, but they all must show up Just the same. We do not even get Into our uniforms then, but the object of the reporting Is evi dent McGraw thinks that any man who can appear at 10 o'clock In the morning looking bright and clear eyed has not been out all night batting around. "Mac" is very fussy about the boys showing tip, too, and fined two or three of the players who tried to skip it once or twice last season very heav ily. The rule has worked well. McGraw la Confident. Off the field, McGraw is one of the nicest men In the sport pleasant and agreeable and entering into every ac tivity of the players, but during a game he plays no favorites and insists on what he wants when he desires it He has the proper temperament for the successful manager because he forgets the game when he hangs up his uni form. Unlike many of the leaders in the Big League, he does not brood over de feat after It is all settled. Chance Is the type of man who is thinking base ball all the time, both on and off the field, and it was this condition of things which undermined his health, I believe. It is a wonder to me that more leaders don't have nervous prostration. Probably no manager was ever so eager to win a series as McGraw was to take that one from the Red Sox last Fall, and surely there never was a AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB, OF WHOM FIVE WILL BE CHOSEN TUES MEMBERSHIP OS BOARD OF TRUSTEES. leader more certain ot victory than he was before the last game. From what looked like hopeless defeat he had pulled his team up to even terms, with the Red Sox by an unhill fight, and all depended upon the last game. He was so sure be was going to win it that he telephoned down town In Boston before the game and ordered $100 worth of champagne, so as to give some of the newspaper boys and his other friends a blowout In the evening. It looked as If we really had the Sox on the run, and "Mac" was very certain we would nose them out Of course, everybody knows what happened in the eventual game. McGraw did not even mention the game when it was over. He rode back to the hotel in the same taxicab with me and chatted about other things. When he reached his room, he called up the hotel on the telephone. Men Show Disappointment. "This Is Mr. McGraw." he said. "Don't save that table for me. and the wine I paid for you can do what you want to with it." "Aren't you going to drink it?" some body asked him, after he hung up the receiver. "Can't afford to now," he replied. "I'm going to be too busy figuring out how I am to win the world's championship next year." Coming down to New York on the train, he played bridge whist and failed to show his feeling of disappointment in any way. The other boys, less able to control their sentiments, did not at tempt to conceal their Impressions of the game. Wilbert Robinson, the vet eran coach of the team and the former Baltimore catcher, had a little Boston bull dog in a basket which he had pur chased for his children as a souvenir of the series. He insisted on trying to give it away and attempted to induce a newspaper man to take It "Here," declared "Robbie." "take this dog. He brought me bad luck. I don't want him." "How much .did you pay for him?" asked the newspaper reporter who had been wanttng to get a dog. Then I tipped him ofr with a wink that "Rob ble" did not want to give the dog away, but was just sore. Since I entered the Natio iai League, I have seen a great change in the type of men who play the game. Inttead of the old. roistering, happv-go-lucky fellow of IB years ago, baseball players today are, as a rule, citizens of im portance and means back in their home towns. Most of them have automobiles and bank accounts now. Many and I am not finding fault look like haber dashers hopes wltn their silk snirts. monogramed, and silk socks and pensive ties. Marquard is the fashion plate of the Giants, which is a great credit to "Rube." He encounters some great competition. "Rube" and "Josh" Devore were for merly keen rivals in matters of dress and general personal appointments un til Marquard blossomed (not a JoKet out as an actor. Then "Rube" left poor "Josh" far behind because Devore could horn into the papers only once in while, whereas Marguard was getting In there every day and with a picture about three times u week. Devore had to go down to Parkersburg, W. Va., and get the correspondent to send out a story that he bet a barkeeper he was "Josh" Devore to receive any puoucity worth while this Winter. Waddell Beau Brummel, But take, for example, that time when the Giants went to Philadelphia on the pleasant little excursion in 1911 when the proceedings were held up by a rain of 10 days. During that period, there were several occasions when majority of the boys felt like doing the Dutch, and McGraw ordered that all gas be shut off to the rooms of some of the players with German blood in their veins. The Cincinnati club would never have weathered it. Most of us went over expecting to stay one day, and were forced to remain a week, always boning to play on the morrow. "Josh" and "Rube" roomed together, as usual and. for some inexplicable reason "Rube" had his wardrobe trunk with him. Whether he sent over to New York and got It or brought it with him I never found out but when he ap peared each morning he used to make the rest of us look about as dressy as a flock of cigar Indians in storage ware. houses. "Rube" always was one of those fellows anyway, who would do all sorts of things, and come out look ing as span and spic as a tailors model. He could go through an automobile ac cident and not have his attire ruffled. One day "Josh" complained bitterly in this wise: Best Hotels ITsed. "What's the use of rooming with a guy like 'Ruber He's got all the clothes in the world, but they won't fit me. The only things of his I can wear are his socks, and then I have to pull them up like stockings. Here I am without a brush and comb, and, if I roll over In the night my social standing Is gone while 'Rube' ' has a different suit of clothes for every day." As most persons know, "Rube" is built on the general lines of the flatiron building, while Devore would make a nice partner for a member of the pony ballet "Rube" always carries his ward robe trunk on the road. That is he did up through last season. Nobody knows what he will have next Spring after spending his Winter projecting person ality across the footlights. One time "Rube" Marquard and "Josh" Devore were boasting about the furniture in their room in a Boston hotel while a game was In progress. "We've got a swell suite, ain't we, Rube?"" remarked "Josh." evidently hoping to stir up jealousy and referring the matter back to his roommate for confirmation, as is his conversational custom. "You bet we have," answered "Rube." "The rooms are big and light and the furniture is Immense." Apparently McGraw had not been list ening to the conversation, but at this point, he cut In abruptly as is his wont "All solid mahogany. I bet with you two fellows In the room," he snapped. "Now omit the social discussion on the bench." . Big league ball clubs stop at the best hotels around the circuit now, McGraw being a pioneer in this and Insisting that his men are properly housed. In the old days, a hotel which catered to family trade was -afraid to take in a hall team for fear of the results, but that is all changed now. The most se rious breach of etiquette which has occurred in the big leagues in some time was when "Bob" Bescher. of the Cincinnati club, asked for three help ings of dessert at the Schenley Hotel In Pittsburg and was refused. The insti tution was then run by the Ritz-Carlton people. As a result of this denial, there was an argument which eventuated in the Reds leaving the hotel flat ever since. That is the last social blunder made in the large league, which I re call now. Most all ball players have outside in terests now. Take the Giants, "Charlie" Herzog Is a farmer In Maryland, and Merkle is studying law and making practice for himself. Only this Winter he punched some man on the nose and got involved in a lawsuit for 15000. which I regard as nothing more or less than a trial for Fred to get legal ex perience. Snodgrass and Meyers each own considerable land In California, and Otis Crandall Is a prosperous farmer of Wadena, Ind. Fred Clarke Is Rich Many Interesting personalities are found in the big leagues now. Some ball players are men who are Just using the game as a stepping stone and ex pect to drop out of it and climb to other things eventually through the. 'money they make out of It as capital. "Sam my" Strang, for Instance, has studied for grand opera. Many a ball player has started with this intention and has stuck until they cut the uniform off him. Of course. It Is well known to fans that Fred Clarke owns an enor mous ranch in Kansas and Is very wealthy. He does not drink or smoke, and his only vice is chewing a tooth pick. He Is seldom without one. Honus Wagner's weakness is auto mobiles. Chance, of course, possesses a well-advertised orange grove. Tinker has large property holdings in the far West Frank Schulte, of the Cubs, is very fond of trotting horses and goes to Canada every Winter where he racej his stable on the ice. The old game has produced some suc cessful men. and moHt of them are rol licking, good, wholesome fellows. Many clubs carry Insurance on all their play ers now. When one pauses to think that teams embracing between $100,000 and $200,000 worth of baseball talent are traveling around the country al most continuously for six months in the year, it Is evident that the owner is taking a risk. M. A. A. C. ELECTS FIVE FOR TRUSTEES BOARD WILL BE NAMED. Annual Meeting on Tuesday Night Will See Report for Last Year Submitted and Passed Upon. Members of Multnomah Athletic Club will Indulge In their annual political activity at. the clubhouse on Tuesday night, when they will be called upon to name five of their number to posi tions on the board of trustees. Last year the vote was rather light, the leading candidate receiving not quite 400 votes, but this year, while the campaign Is not particularly ex citing, the ballots are expected to show a bigger total. More than 1700 of the 3000 members of the winged M" organization are entitled toiVote. Following the annual meeting on Tuesday night, when the report for the year 1912 will be read and other busi ness transacted. President Ellsworth Secretary Dyment and Treasurer Al len will take charge of the balloting for trustees. Ten voting stations will be provided in the gympasium, enabling all members to vote without delay. Five trustees, for terms of two years. will be elected to membership on the club board ot 11 members at the Tues day meeting.' The names of ten men have been secured as nominees, and from these the five securing the larg. est vote will be declared elected. There is no evidence of a slate ad vanced by any faction at the club. while the question of president appar ently has been tabled until after the election. The nominees are A. H. Allen, Ken neth L. Fenton, W. C. Francis, Edgar E. Frank. F. F. Hlld. Gwllyn Jones, C. Henri Labbe. Edward Morris, D. H. Stephenson and E. Plowden Stott. The retiring board members: A. M. Ellsworth. A. H. Allen. Edgar E. Frank, Alma D. Katz and Frank Ransom. The holdover members: C. V. Dyment T. Morris Dunne. R. W. Wilbur, George Simons,- Charles Barton and Fred De Neffe. COLTS ARE TO MEET SEALS Nick Williams Also Wishes to Get Games With White Sox. Nick Williams, manager of the Port land Colts, has arranged a series of from three to five practice games with the San Francisco Seals for Santa Monica and Boyes' Springs soon after March 17. He received a letter yester day from Cal Ewing, the Seal magnate. in which the latter agreed to give the Colts as many games as they want The Portland leader is trying to ar range for a game or two with the Chi cago White Sox, but has received no word regarding a date. He is also ne gotiating for meetings with the Oak land team. Independence 34, Woodburn 9. INDEPENDENCE, Or., Feu. 8. (Spe- I cial.)--The Woodburn High School bas. ketball team was deefated by the In dependence High School team Friday evening by a score of 34 to 9. The first half ended 20 to 1. A return game will be played soon. GLOVE FIGHTS ARE POPULAR IN LONDON American Hostess Gets Box ers to Entertain Guests in Ballroom. BATTLES PROVE EXCITING Professional Pugilists Mix With Vim Surrounded by Gorgeously Dressed and Bejeweled Society Women. LONDON, Feb. 8 (Special.) The latest development in the art of enter, talning is to follow up a fashionable dinner party with a glove fight This innovation is due to a well-known American resident In London. Miss Claudta Lasell. The other night at her home in the North of London, she entertained 20 persons, a number of whom were Amer icans. After dinner the guests were ushered Into the ball-room. To their intense surprise it had been trans formed into a prize ring, complete in every particular, even to the installa tion of the special lighting arrange ments used for all the great prizefights. The ring was of regulation size, the ropes were of regulation texture, and the platform was strictly in ac cordance with National Sporting Club rules. Spectators' seats were arranged at the right distance from the ring, and here the astonished guests were asked to sit down and await events. The first impression that this was only to be comic representation was quickly dispelled by the appearance of seconds and trainers in their sweaters and armed with sponges, towels and water buckets. A minute later two husky young professional middle weights, stripped to the waist and wearing the regulation trunks, took their corners. One woman became so nervous that she retreated Into the drawingroom. Hoxteiwi Makes Speecb. Miss Lasell, getting into the ring under the ropes, then made a little speech: "Ladles and gentlemen," she said, "I thought I would give you a little surprise tonight. We are all so tired of the ordinary after-dinner dances and theatrical entertainments that I asked my brother to arrange a boxing entertainment I now have pleasure in introducing to you the middle-weight Charlie Passy and his opponent, "the Unknown." Passy and his opponent stepped for ward and shook their gloved hands. Miss Lasell ducked under the ropes, the gong sounded, and the flgntlng began. Whatever doubts lingered as to the reality of the boxing were dispelled before the end of the first round. The "Unknown" almost got a knockout at the outset and took full advantage of seven seconds on the floor of the ring. He was vigorously rubbed and fanned with towels by his seconds after the bell rang, and fought more cautiously for the remaining nine rounds. By the third round the women, wear ing gorgeous evening gowns and Jewels, were taking just as keen an interest as the men. Every blow was followed by agitated little gasps, by "Oh's" and "Ah!s." As each round ended there was much clapping of hands, and soon there was some mild betting, as the guests began to select tneir favorite. Midgets Give Exhibition. Two light-weights, Bill Lewis and Tom Danaliar, were next in the ring. The hostess again acted as introducer and the two men put up a pretty five round fight As an Interval between this and the piece de resistance thero was an amusing little fight between the two tiny sons of a prlzeflghter-r Ruby Baxter and Bill Baxter IIL These midgets are also grandchildren of the Bill Baxter who runs the ring at the National Sporting Club. Then came the event of the evening, the heavy-weights, Charles Webster and Harry -Reeves. From the start neither spared himself and soon the ring was smeared with blood. Web ster tried hard for a knockout Time aiter time Reeves was driven to the ropes and twice was all but counted out. By a desperate and plucky ef fort he managed to stay the 10 rounds. When the gong announced the end of the last round there was wild cheer ing from the spectators, who included many of the household servants oc ciinvinir a gallery overlooking the ballroom. The evening's show was voted a splendid -success. Most of the women present had never seen a glove fight before. Now several of them are ar ranging similar entertainments. Miss Claudia Lasell. or Laseli-Hock-enhull. Is one of London's most popu lar hostesses. For the last few years she has lived mostly on this side of the water and at one time took a keen interest in theatrical affairs, producing In London the plays "Lady Tatters" and "The Sweet Girl." She took the leading part In both of these and also In "Peggy Macliree," which had such a successful run in London. She lives with her brother, Robert Ilockenhull, in Westfleld. Her neighbor Is the Grand Duke Michael. She Is devoted to sport of all .kinds and owns half a dozen Boston Terriers which have taken prizes at all the principal Eng lish dog-shows. She is a native ot Jacksonville, III. Tennis in Favor at Lewiston. LEWISTON. Idaho, Feb. 8. (Special.) The Lewiston Tennis Club has pur chased additional ground and will put in new courts and buljd a clubhousu. The state tournament is scheduled for June. ' Steve Ketchel, the Chicago light weight, is the latest championship possibility Introduced by the Windy City fans. There is some talk of bring ing him to the Pacific Coast for a match. They're On the Way A BIG SHIPMENT OF laREal AlXHAVAJiA OIOARBOI passed Pocatello, on their way to Portland, last night. IJf A FEW DATS AT Sig Sichel & Co. feth a 4 3d at 1.92 T nd Washington. nd Waafelnartosu bird Street.