Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-21
BY J. ED GRI1Lo.

Criticism of the national commission,
which is being INDUCED i'm in many
quarters. seems entirely unoalled for. As
q whole the supreme court of base ball
has done much to elevate the game, and
while. is always the case when there
are decisions, one side is sure to feel
offended, the commission has been decid
edly fair in its rulings. To the fact that
the public and the clubs have confidence
in the commission can be attributed much
OF the success the game has attained
in recent years. When one recalls the
days when there was no commission, but
board of arbitration made up of Ma
tional League club owners rendered de-
cisiOns. theI, only can it be realized what
a blessing the commission has been. Tn
der the present system the players are
receiving Justice. Minor league clubs
get their dues, and the entire control of
the game is in better hands than it ever
was before.
No doubt there will be a clamor for Il
change in the control of base ball when
the present agreement expires next year,
but it is a safe prediction that, no matter
what changes are made, the national
commission will be continued.
1t remains for Manager Griffith to de-
eide the future of Infielders Scott and
Sheer, purchased by Washington from
Youngstown last fab. whom, according 20
report, Jim McAleer merely covered up
for the Youngstown club. Griffith will
have these players report in the spring.
II their ability is such that in his opn-
ion they can be used on the local team
he will retain them: if not he will very
likely return them to the club from
which they were purchased.
By giving them trial in the spring
Griffith absolutely eliminates the club
from being charged with covering up
players for Youngstown. Griffith realizes
that his forces are such that he cannot
afford to turn any of the youngsters
back without looking at them. His OBJ
ject is to build up young team here
and 1t would be a step backward not to
have a look at Scott and Sheer during
the training period.
Clean breaks will be the order of
things In all pugilistic contests in New
York hereafter. The action of the box
ing commission in preventing hitting
with one arm free will be hailed with de-
light by followers of the game, for up to
this time there has been no rule govern
ing the bouts and it has been left en-
tirely to the discretion of the referee
what construction should be put on the
rules governing these contests. Now
there is a uniform code which all th1
referees must observe and the game Is
all the better for 1t.
Many of the major league clubs either
own minor league franchise or have
some sort OF WORKING arrangement with
a minor league club which gives them an
opportunity to develop young players. The
Detroit club is the latest to make such an
arrangement, having purchased the con-
trolling interest in the Providence In
ternatiOnal League team. Cleveland owns
Toledo. while all the other clubs. barring
Washington, either own a minor league
club or have some satisfactory arrange
ment which allow them to school young
players. The local club is in need of a
farm, now that special effort to gather
youngsters for the team is being made by
Manager Griffith.
According to a New York critic. VOL
verton has only Connie Mack and Hughey
Jennings to fear in the next campaign. 1t
Is conceded that he will have II on all the
other managers in the American League.
though as yet he has never had change
to show in major league company. On
the face of the proposition Mack and Jen-
ningS look to have the better teams, but
WOlverton will find that there are other
teams in the race, and 1t is pretty safe
prediction that Philadelphia and Detroit
will, not be the only ones to beat out his
Yankees Boston must not be overlooked.
With Stahl back on first base and much
improved pitching staff. the Speed Boys
must be reckoned with. In fact, there are
those who predict that Boston will be the
IN the next flag race.
The very fact that President johnson |
has selected q rule committee to meet |
with similar one from the National