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Show I WORT TftWIP LITTLE ITEMS tJllilii ljUsjBjIl OF INTEREST How Walt McCredie almpst landed Walter Johnson for the Cleveland club is the subject of the following story in an eastern newspaper: "Had J had a 'working agreement with Cleveland a year or so before I did," says Walter McCredie, former manager of the Portland Coast league club, "Waiter "Wai-ter Johnson would have come to Cleveland Cleve-land instead of Washington. "I never have seen Johnson pitch, but I heard a lot about him when he was pitching for a semipro team. In Weiser, Idaho. Every time he would work, striking strik-ing out twenty or twen ty-five men, 1 . would get a message to come and look him over. I sent several agents down to size him up and try to sign him. "My scouts were enthusiatsie over him, bul every time they would try to get him to sign with Portland the owners of the Weiser club would meet the ante by putting a couple of more pool tables or another barber chair In Johnson's place. "There was only one way to get Johnson John-son out of Weiser, and that was to make him a big league offer. I had no such affiliations and could not do so. but when Cliff Blankenship came through with an offer for Walter to go to Washington It was a cinch." SEATTLE, Dec. 5. Lieutenant Earl Balrd, after holding the amateur lightweight light-weight championship of the nation for years, has received a knockout blow. He has taken the count and Dan Cupid is the victor. The aviation officer took out a marriage license in Tacoma late yesterday. yes-terday. The bride will be Miss Ruth Bailey of this citv. :(! ' When baseball -is resumed in the American Amer-ican association. Jack Egan of Providence, Provi-dence, R. I., who piloted the Milwaukee club last, season, wilt not be retained as its manager. A. F. Timme, president of the club, in making the annuoncement. said he would like to sign Joe Cantillon, for several years manager of the Minneapolis Minne-apolis club. He said, however, that negotiations ne-gotiations had not been opened. "Cantillon is the most popular manager man-ager in the association," said President Timme. "Official attendance figures show that he is the best drawing card in the circuit, for whenever he brought his team here the attendance was 2o per cent larger 1 nan any other club drew." Something In regard lo the Milwaukee management is expected to develop when the annual meeting of the association is held in Minneapolis, December 13. Benny Leonard, the world's champion lightweight, is planning a tour of the country, now that the war is over and he can see his way clear to get away from the army camp, where he was instructor in-structor in boxing. His manager, Billy Gibson, Intends to take the champion from coast to coast and have him take on all comers in his class. There are some good lightweights for Leonard to meet, and those are the kind the fans would prefer, not a bunch of pickups. In the eastern cities there are such boys as Lew Tendler, Patsy Cline, Frank ie Callahan. Frankie Britt. Johnny Dundee and Rocky Kansas to put against him. while in the middle west Charlie White. Richie Mitchell, Joe Welling and Harvey Thorpe are ready. The Pacific coast "does not hoast of any high-class lightweights at present, but there are a few good boys there among the welters, such as Battling Ortego, Johnny McCarthy McCar-thy and a few others. By tliis time next week December 11 and 12 the international boxing- championships cham-pionships for the army and navy should be well under way. in London. It is to be regretted that the United States could not have been represented by some of the real champions from this country. Both Britain and France have their very-best very-best men in the army and navy, but even so America will be able to moke a strong showing. It is doubtful whether Georges Carpentier. the French heavyweight, heavy-weight, will be able lo do himself jus-1 jus-1 ice if he does enter, as he has been nut of training for a long time and cannot Possibly be at his best. Bombardier Wells Is in as good shape as any of them and should defeat such men as Andre Anderson. An-derson. Jack Heinen and Willie Meehan. The States will have three splendid mld-dleweights mld-dleweights in Mike O'Dowd (the only champion ), Eddie Mg.;oorty and Harry Creb, also Dennie XJ'Keefe of Great Lakes. Pat O'Keefe is the best middleweight middle-weight over there, but he is too old now to be dangerous. Marty Cross and Jack Perry are about the best Y'ankee welters, and they will find hard going against Johnny Basham and the Frenchmen. Richie Mitchell, George Chancy and Billy Whalen have a good chance against any of the foreign lightweights. Joe Lynch and Pal Moore are good bantams, but they will have real battles against Criqui and Vltet. It is not known whether Jem Driscoll, the ex-champion, will enter the featherweight class, having retired some time ago. 'Jimmy Wilde will represent the flyweight class and may also go into the bantam class and meet Pal Moore. The bouts will be on points, and that is where the foreigners have a shade, for they" know the clever stuff over sjiort routes to perfection. If the Yanks break even they will do all that can he expected of them. SACRAMENTO, Dec. 5. With the opening of the Winter league only a little lit-tle more than a month away, managers have been busy during the past week or so forming their teams. Some of the leading players who intend playing with various organizations are Harr'v Wolter. Brick Eldred, Bob Nixon, Jack Hern, Bill Rodgcrs, Charlie Pick, Joe Gededn and Rube Johnston. CAMP LEWIS, TACOMA, Wash.. Dec. 5. The United States army base hospital soldiers have turned their attention to basketball. They already have a strong team developed and are ready to meet all comers. Arrangements have been made for a game with the much-heralded South Parkway contingent at Portland, the match to take place soon after the Christmas Christ-mas holidays. |