Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 190, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1915 — NATIONALS CAME NEAR POSSESSING WOOD [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NATIONALS CAME NEAR POSSESSING WOOD

Where would the Washington team be today with Walter Johnson and Joe Wood, two of the greatest pitchers in <he game, both working on Griffith’s pitching staff T It was fate, or rather fate in the lisgulse of poor business ability, that prevented these two twirling stars from being teammates on the Washington club. In the spring of 1908, the Nationals played an exhibition game in Kansas City and Joe Cantillon watched a young pitcher strike out seven of the nine batsmen that faced him in the last three innings. The name of this young player was Joe Wood. Cantillen made arrangements to secure

Wood right then and there. The Washington manager was given to understand that when the time came to dispose of Wood the National club would be given first chance. Cantillon allowed the prospective deal to go at that and during the summer Boston purchased Wood without Cantillon ever being consulted or given a chance to bid for Wood. With Wood and Johnson on the pitching staff, the Washington club, with its present fielding and batting strength, would now probably be leading the American league. And how sweet that world’s series would look to Griffith with that dependable pair in harness!