Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-13
SPORTING GOSSIP
AND COMMENT

ers is concerned, James F. Hart, presi-
dent of the Chicago National club, Is
inclined to the opinion that the minors
representative, Howard Griffiths of Jer-
sey City, might have accomplished
more in opposition to Ban johnson
and his associates Of the American
league II he had adopted n more circum-
spect and less belligerent attitude while
acting in the capacity of ambassador
extraordinary.
Mr.. Hart arrived i'm Los Angeles
from Chicago yesterday and will re-
main i'm Southern California until his
team leaves for the north. President
Hart does not wish 1t inferred that he
has anything but commentator for
Grlffiths' efforts in behalf of the union
leagues, and yet he does believe that
there was a certain hurtful antagonism
aroused upon the part of Ban john
son by the methods pursued.
Eastern critics of the Jersey City
magnate have declared that Mr. Grif-
fths lacks several of the character
istlcs possessed by born diplomat"
Naturally, partisan criticism has gone
much further than this. Griffiths has
been subjected to more abuse and mis-
representation than usually falls to the
lot of the baseball promoter. But to
know Mr.. Grifiths and talk with him
upon his plans and hopes for the up
building of the sport is to become
convinced of his sincerity and honesty
of purpose.
The object of the minor league alli-
ance, in the cause of which Griffiths
and Tip O'Neil came to California,
is, briefly to secure such changes in
the present minor league agreement as
to give the five leagues designated as
class A equal voice in the affairs of
the minor leagues in the lower classes,
B, C and D. The five leagues which
it is planned to include in the alliance
are the Eastern, Pacific, Western and
Southern and the American associa-
ton OF course, the arbitrary fixing
of prices by the majors in the drafting
of minor stars is virtually the cause of
the present rebellion. 1t will be re-
membered that the National league
voted almost unanimously to concede
pears that the obstructionist tactics
are inspired by Johnson alone.
When the Pacific Coast league went
into organized" baseball special
class, AA, was generously provided for
it's benefit and consolation. But this
AA class has about as much material
existence as a mediums prediction and
has proven a tin foiled brick. When
the Pacific Coast league found itself
nicely and comfortably under the
fatherly protection" of the majors the
fallacy and airiness of this special
class" soon became evident. The mis-
sion of Griffiths and O'Neil to the
coast has not tended to placate the
western magnates, and there is omi-
nous and pleasing promise of offensive
warfare in the future.
Hal Chase will play with the Seraphs
until his case is settled. He telegraphed
this decision to Clark Griffith yester-
day, and gave that aspiring manager
something to ponder over. Just whoI
will settle" the case of Chase is some
thing that the gods know not. If it is
settled" east of the Rockies it may be
put down as a fact that the infant
wonder will soon be preparing to de-
part-destination Montgomery, Ala.
If, however Gene Bert, with the well
come assistance of divers and sundry
gentlemen, sit in solemn Judgment
as to whether Griffith would be COM
mitting larceny or some other crime of
equal magnitude in OBTAINING Harold,
it is an equal certainty that the young
artist will use the NIT for Los Angeles
during another period of baseball hos
tilities.
Suggestions for the establishment of
new scale of weights to apply to
erous, followers of the game recognize
ing the fact that the prevailing stand
ard is inadequate and misleading. The
welter, middle and heavyweight classes
are satisfactory to the sporting public,
but it is the little fellows that demand
constant attention. For many years
the bantam limit was 40 pounds, but
gradually the weight was increased to
112. Pugilistic history relates that Cal
Mccarthy and George Dixon donned
the mits at trifle over this weight
for the bantam title. Dixon finally
became too heavy for the bantam ranks
and stepped up a rung to the feather
weights. After this the bantamweight
was raised to 116 pounds and so re-
mains.
Now the advocates of a splitting of
the weights figure this wise: If al
fighter weighs below or can do 116
pounds ringside he is a bantam and
if he tips the beam below 10 pounds
he is also a bantam. 1t naturally fol-
lows that the limit in the bantam class
should be 11S instead of 116 pounds.
With the change of 11S pounds as
limit for the bantams, the plan of