The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-26
LIMIT IS
 VERY WISE RULE Major Leagues Will Stick to the Rule This Year GOOD THING ALL ROUND Big League Clubs Will Save Money and Players Will Get a better Chance to Show What They
 Can Do.
GOOD THING ALL ROUND
BY w. J. M,RETH.

BY w. J. M'BETH.
 New York, December 25-The major leagues have wisely adopted sensible roster limit Hereafter no club will be able to carry on its reserve list more than s5 players at one time Between May 10 and August 20 of each playing season this number will have to be tenn porarily reduced to 2b.
 It is now up to the national commits sion to see that the major leagues re- spect this wise measure which both ma- 3or leagues have adopted The national commission Is composed of men directly interested in major leagues affairs. Two of its three members are the presidents of the rival leagues. Under the cir cumstances a rule could be incorpor- ated by the commission which would make any chance violations an impos- sibility
 Until the national commission takes such action there is no certainty that either of the major leagues will stick relisiously to the reform. The National league simply indorsed d measure which the American league adopted of it's own free will. True, there must have been an understanding between the two The American league would not have un- dertaken the step single handed. It would have been too great sacrifice or drafting privilege if 1t was limited to e few minor league recruits while its rival remained unhampered in numbers of substitution. The American league nI~ fal mained a dead letter. It was when the rival organizations did not pull togeth- CT. The National league competition for new players was so keen that American club owners could not stand the sar
 Old Rule Too Radical.
 The American league in the old days may have been too radical. The roster list placed at I8 That was too few players for a major league club. Then, too the wartime troubles made it impossible for Lajoie, Flick and Bradley to play in Philadelphia. Injunction pro- ceedings barred the trio of stars It was Cleveland that was indirectly re- sponsible of the end of the defunct American league roster lirnit
 1soW IL ID du aiUOBetnef QIu61eHt prop osition. The leagues are in harmony. A mandate from the national commis- sion would straighten the matter for all time. An unlimited roster is not only an injunction to the minor leagues but to the playing fraternity as we'll Play CTS cannot develop by warming the benches. Throughout. the entire past season the Yankees carried 35 active players Brooklyn carried s1 and the Giants 30 Many of these performers were of absolutely no use to the club. Their salaries had to be paid They had to be toted around at tremendous expense. Had they been actively en- gagged in the best minor leagues they would have not only benefited baseball in general but improved the usefulness of their future.
 The major leagues might go even a step further and limit the roster to few CT numbers than the present plan calls for.
 Many Utility Men.
 Twenty-Five players throughout the 1 brunt of the season leaves each club manager with four catchcrs. 10 pitchers six infelders and five cutfelders. This i gives each club couple of utility out | f1elders as many spare infielders and more catchers than are usually neces-
 
 l of ten pitchers, fully four more than Is usually necessary to develop a winning combination. It leaves club fully forti- fled against any possible chance of dis aster from bad luck and injuries. l In salaries and expenses alone the big league clubs will reap small for tunes on the enforced economy. While 1 few majors take south more than 35 candidates for trial many carry that number well into the season. The new rule will tend to make the managers rid themselves as soon as possible of surplus talent The wholesale grab bling" tactics by purchase prior to the drafting season and later by draft will | save all but the cream of major leaguers from the big league mills of chance spec | ulation.
 | Lastly, the boon Is one for which the 1 minor leagues have striven In vain for some time. The implied protection was granted the big minors last spring at the famous Cincinnati conference not because the majors feared the Amer fcan association and the Eastern league but because the burden of the unneces- sary expense was felt by the majors. If the plan fizzles now there will be no one to blame but the national commits sion.