Cliff Blankenship only played three MLB seasons, including the two he spent in Washington. For Washington, he got a total of 38 hits for a .235 average. I have no idea what his salary was, but it is still easy to say that he would have been "cheap at twice the price".
For it was Blankenship, out with an injury, who was deemed available to travel west and scout a prospect the team was interested in. And on that trip, he detoured to evaluate a second prospect named Walter Johnson. Immediately recognizing Johnson's potential, Blankenship signed him to a contract on the spot.
Sealing the deal by agreeing to fund Johnson's return to Idaho in the event he didn't measure up in Washington, Blankenship reportedly replied: "Sure, but son, the last thing you are going to need is return money."
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