The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-16
RUIN OF THE DRAFT"
Manager Manning Discusses 1t and
Makes Suggestion.

CHICAGO, Sept. 15.-James Manning,
the owner and manager Of the Western
league base ball club in Kansas City, is
in Chicago He is stopping at the Great
Northern hotel, and he put in the best
part of yesterday afternoon in talking
shop to the ever faithful newspaper
men Manning, who, by the way, is one
of the ablest and most popular men in
base ball, said that he has not received
any offer as yet from the promoters of
the new base ball league.
"All that 1 know about this new or
ganization," said Citizen Manning, sis
what | have read in the newspapers and
as a natural result / am unable to give
you anything for publication on this SUBJ
Ject. I must say, however, that the base
ball situation at present is a trif1e mix
ed. 1 believe that many radical changes
should be made in the laws which gov
eFn the game. To begin with, l think that
the existing system of drafting players
from the minor leagues by the parent
organization should be amended AS
things are now the owners and managers
of teams in the minor leagues are literal
ly at the mercy of the National league
magnates. Take my own case for ex-
ample. A year ago the Kansas City team
was composed of clever players who had
made brilliant record in the fight for
the pennant. The big league managers
promptly made a play for my best men.
and knowing that they could be claimed
under the conditions of the draft law for
$500 apiece, 1 was forced to sell them to
the highest bidder. At first blush this
looks like a profitable deal, for I GER
tainly received a fair amount Of cash for
the players. But indirectly it proved
hard blow to base ball In Kansas CITY.
1 was forced to reorganize my team, and
it costs considerable money to reorganize
ball team, by securing new men to fill
the places Of the missing stars.
1.-THE new men failed to make good. and
the team, from being leader in the
race, quickly degenerated into a tail
ender Naturally the crowds dwindled
and the receipts shrunk with startling
rapidity. In the middle Of the season
my team played in such poor form that
I was forced to take extreme measures
in the hope of Strengthening the outfit.
I went East, and in order to secure one
capable pitcher 1 was compelled to buy
an entire ball team. Well, I secured that
pitcher-I refer to young Patton-and in
| the last month Of our championship sea-
| son he pitched good ball for me- Direct
| ~ the boy showed winning form in our
| league the managers in the big circuit be-
| gan to bid for him. There was nothing
| left for me but to sell him. as I knew
| that at least three clubs intended to draft
hiill ms LeII' nave Solu MN 10 On
cinnati, but I have lost more than I have
gained through the sale. Next spring I
will be compelled to begin the season
! with another team Of experiments, and if
! it should happen that any stars are
| developed in Kansas City they will be
promptly claimed by the National league
! people at the close of the Western league
| race.
you can readily see by this Illustration
of the practical workings of the drafting
system now in vogue that the minor
| leagues are working under q heavy handf-
cap To my mind the only fair remedy
is for the National league to extend the
! period Of protection from one to two
years, and to increase the drafting price
from $500 to $1,000. This would give the
Western league an opportunity to realize
some profit out of any stars that may
| be developed during the playing season -