Evening journal., 1910-09-01
NOW DRAFTING
BALL PLAYERS
Securing of Class A Stars is
Quite a Complicated Mat
ter---OtherS Easy
FORTUNES COMING
TO MINOR LEAGUES

The drafting season for the major
leagues starts to-day and will con-
tinue for two weeks During this
time quite a number of the stars of
Glass A clubs will be gathering into
the fold of the majors. The meet
ing of the National Commission will
be held at Cincinnati and is one of
the most important of the year.
To secure Glass A players the
majors have to go through consider
able red tape so that every club is
satisfied. The rules covering the
different drafts are as follows
Minor league players are promoted
in two ways On or before August
20 each year, the minor league clubs
need not part with their best players
unless they desire to do so and then
only on terms satisfactory to them
selves. The theory of baseball law
is that the minor league club is en-
TITLED TO remuneration for the train
ing of green players into candidates
for the stronger organizations. The
second way of advancement. is
through the draft.
The right to draft players is not
only a valuable privilege for the
majors. but It also protects the play
ers themselves. Only one player may
be drafted from each Glass A minor
league club. but an unlimited number
may be drawn from all minor league
clubs of lower classification AS a
result of this provision there is prac-
tically no danger that players with
ability to stick in the major league
will be forced to remain in the
minors.
At times uniform writer's rant about
the slavery Of players" but students
of baseball law know that the sport
would not be where 1t is to-day-at
the head of professional pastimes-
If IL were not for the wise regula-
tions drawn for the purpose of pro-
tecting the public, the players and
the owners. In baseball as in busi-
ness and politics, the trouble is not
with the law but with the occasional
violations.
The lengthy list issued by the com
mission after August 90 showed how
thoroughly the sixteen major league
clubs raked the country for players
OF promise. but on September each
club will add several more names
to its payroll The draft is the great
est of lotteries, because it always
turns out that many clubs try for the
much-touted players.
The drafting of Class A players is
quite complicated. Suppose, for in
stance, that the National Commission
receives checks from four major
league clubs for Jones" of Colum-
bus. two for Smith" OF the same
team. and two for Brown" The
| first thing to decide is the name
drawn. Then the next question is
which of the four clubs desiring him
is entitled to his services. The com
peting clubs may be Pittsburg and
Cincinnati Nationals, Cleveland and
st. Louis Americana The names oi
these four clubs are written on slips
OF paper and placed in a hat The
club drawn out gets the man.
Many high-grade players have beer
promoted through the draft Pitts
burg's best luck was in drawing the
right to negotiate with Chief" vii
son for his services. Brooklyn was
luck last September in gettins
Daubert Philadelphia picked III
Walsh, who although only a utility
man this year, will stick in the
league st. Louis picked up Houser
Other clubs Of the two leagues picked
up good players. There is, however
so much uncertainty about the draf
that major league clubs cannot AFFORD
to wait until September 1 to recruit
their clubs. That is why the minoi
leagues are handed a fortune ever!
August.