right now." If true, that was terrific news, for it meant that Wagner could return to shortstop and answer the biggest question in the Boston lineup. Joe Wood wrote from his home in Parker's Glen, Pennsylvania, where he and his father looked after their Woodton Poultry Farm, that he had spent as much time as possible hunting and "tramping through the fields and woods" and that "I feel hard as nails." Boston hoped so, for his annual bout with a sore arm was something the club could do without. Wood also asked Shannon to squash a story that intimated he was about to get married: "About that marriage dope, I wrote you last week asking you to contradict the story." As the team's most eligible bachelor, Wood was constantly tied to one local maiden or another by the papers, and he was in no hurry to tie the knot and stem the flow of scented notes to his mailbox or the quiet tappings on his door.
Now that McAleer was in control, other clubs soon called, proposing player swaps and trades. Former Boston third baseman Harry Lord, a recent fan favorite who was dealt with Amby O'Connell to the White Sox for two warm bodies, had flourished in Chicago. White Sox owner Charlie Comiskey hoped that McAleer might be enticed by the prospect of bringing the Maine native back to Boston and asked for Tris Speaker in return, but McAleer was no fool. Lord was a good player, but Speaker was already great and getting better.
Signed contracts for the 1912 season soon began trickling back in. Even those players who thought they deserved more money had virtually no leverage when it came to contract negotiations. Their only option was to refuse to play altogether and hope that might spark a trade to a team more likely to meet their contract demands, but even this was unlikely to happen. If a player wanted to play, he more or less had to accept what was offered. About the only way to express displeasure was to sit on the contract for a few weeks and hope the club responded by upping the ante. More often, however, teams waited out the holdouts until they came slinking back.
McAleer, however, did make one deal. It seemed to be an insignificant transaction at the time, but it would soon pay huge dividends.
Near the end of the 1910 season the Red Sox had drafted pitcher Hugh Bedient from the roster of Fall River of the New England League and then took the hard-throwing young sidearm pitcher to spring training in California in 1911. He had first drawn the attention of scouts in 1908 when, while pitching for a semipro team in Falconer, New York, he struck out forty-two batters in a twenty-three-inning victory, a performance that resulted in nineteen contract offers from professional clubs. He was impressive in the spring of 1911 for Boston, but the Sox chose to stick with more veteran hurlers and Bedient was sent to Providence for more seasoning.
Since Bedient was not on the Boston roster, Providence was able, in turn, to send him to Jersey City in the Eastern League. His record in 1911 for Jersey City was only 8-11, but on a team that lost nearly twice as many games as it won, Bedient stood out, and he impressed Boston scouts. Now the Sox wanted Bedient badly, but so did several other clubs. A bidding war over his services seemed likely.
Boston had an enormous advantage. Hugh McBreen had served as club treasurer under John Taylor, and after McAleer took over the Red Sox, McBreen bought into Jersey City. He spurned offers of as much as $6,000 for the pitcher and instead accepted Boston's offer of seven ballplayers, but no money, in exchange for Bedient. The deal would prove to be a bargain for the Red Sox.
Even though most Red Sox were not planning to leave for Hot Springs until March 6, a few started trickling in a month ahead of time. Bill Carrigan, eager to test his leg, was the first to arrive, followed closely by youthful Dr. Fred Anderson, a spitball artist who had nearly made the club several years earlier, only to choose a career in dentistry
Now that McAleer was in control, other clubs soon called, proposing player swaps and trades. Former Boston third baseman Harry Lord, a recent fan favorite who was dealt with Amby O'Connell to the White Sox for two warm bodies, had flourished in Chicago. White Sox owner Charlie Comiskey hoped that McAleer might be enticed by the prospect of bringing the Maine native back to Boston and asked for Tris Speaker in return, but McAleer was no fool. Lord was a good player, but Speaker was already great and getting better.
Signed contracts for the 1912 season soon began trickling back in. Even those players who thought they deserved more money had virtually no leverage when it came to contract negotiations. Their only option was to refuse to play altogether and hope that might spark a trade to a team more likely to meet their contract demands, but even this was unlikely to happen. If a player wanted to play, he more or less had to accept what was offered. About the only way to express displeasure was to sit on the contract for a few weeks and hope the club responded by upping the ante. More often, however, teams waited out the holdouts until they came slinking back.
McAleer, however, did make one deal. It seemed to be an insignificant transaction at the time, but it would soon pay huge dividends.
Near the end of the 1910 season the Red Sox had drafted pitcher Hugh Bedient from the roster of Fall River of the New England League and then took the hard-throwing young sidearm pitcher to spring training in California in 1911. He had first drawn the attention of scouts in 1908 when, while pitching for a semipro team in Falconer, New York, he struck out forty-two batters in a twenty-three-inning victory, a performance that resulted in nineteen contract offers from professional clubs. He was impressive in the spring of 1911 for Boston, but the Sox chose to stick with more veteran hurlers and Bedient was sent to Providence for more seasoning.
Since Bedient was not on the Boston roster, Providence was able, in turn, to send him to Jersey City in the Eastern League. His record in 1911 for Jersey City was only 8-11, but on a team that lost nearly twice as many games as it won, Bedient stood out, and he impressed Boston scouts. Now the Sox wanted Bedient badly, but so did several other clubs. A bidding war over his services seemed likely.
Boston had an enormous advantage. Hugh McBreen had served as club treasurer under John Taylor, and after McAleer took over the Red Sox, McBreen bought into Jersey City. He spurned offers of as much as $6,000 for the pitcher and instead accepted Boston's offer of seven ballplayers, but no money, in exchange for Bedient. The deal would prove to be a bargain for the Red Sox.
Even though most Red Sox were not planning to leave for Hot Springs until March 6, a few started trickling in a month ahead of time. Bill Carrigan, eager to test his leg, was the first to arrive, followed closely by youthful Dr. Fred Anderson, a spitball artist who had nearly made the club several years earlier, only to choose a career in dentistry
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