The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-15
CURTA|[MENT Of
GRAFT PRIVILEGE
Ban Johnson Favors Grant
ing Request Of the Class
A Leagues

the privilege to draft and purchas.
players from the minor leagues VIII he
discussed by club owners of the Ma
ttonal and American leagues at their
annual meetings in New York next
month. Ii the big leaguers arc able
to agree upon a limit, tn, restriction
will be framed into u rule by the ma
ttonal commission at its January
meeting.
President Johnson Of the American
league has stated that he favored "a
rule limiting major league clubs to
live drafted and five purchased players
each season. with a reserve limit of
thirty-tive players during the winter
and twenty-five players during the sea-
son proper. Tho National league now
has the thirty-fivc limit rule and the
American league q. forty player limit
that is. constructively-but there is
no limit on drafted or purchased
players.
Restriction of the drafting privilege
was n of the concessions asked by
the class A leagues at the recent meet
ing of the national commission in Gin
cinnati. but no action was taken. The
petitioners were told to present this
n other questions involved to the
national minor body al San Antonio
this week and to secure the appoint
ment of a committee with full power
to act.
The contemplated reform of the ma
Jors. however. Is not an answer to this
appeal only, but to curb the practice
OF major league clubs of rounding up
every player who shows more than
average ability. Most of these play
ers never get even a trial in the ma
Jors and'the traffic in players as we'll
as the raising of false hopes among
these youngsters, in the opinion of
many magnates, Is proving harmful to
the game.
With an allowance of only five play
ers by draft and five by purchase, it
Is thought major league clubs would
hoos their material more carefully,
secur better men and pay better
prices for what men they did secure,
even raising the draft price as re-
quested by the minors. Moreover. the
class A leagues would find the bushes
not quite bare when they in turn
sought to draft from the fellows be-
low.
If the National league takes kindly
to the scheme, for the approval of
the American league usually follows
any plan espoused by President john
of an idea suggested by Mr.. johnson
several years ago. At that time the
minors were seeking concessions and
complaining that their players were
being Sobbled up and their teams
wrecked by tho big fellows at each
drafting season. MIR. johnson then Of
fered to limit the number of purchas-
ed and drafted players and an agree
ment along that line was drawn up
but not ratified by the minors most
interested.
President johnson said that the BAN
quet to be given by the Philadelphia
Athletics in honor of winning the
worlds pennant probably would be
held at New York at the time of the
annual meeting of the two leagues.
Last year 1t was held here at the
spring schedule meeting. The Amer
lean league may drop it's schedule
meeting this year. as it m at a
time when clubs arc planning for their
training trips.
Robert s. Mercy. who is slated. for
the position of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
the Boston Americans, at the reor-
after January 1, left for
Springs Tuesday to make ar
for the spring training
trip Of the Speed Boys. Five clubs
will train in the Valley of Vapors next
and Boston will find itself
strongly outnun1bered by the enemy.
oS hc ottte1 IouT CLUBS arc NdtlOndI
leaguers. to wit: Pittsburg, Cincin-
natl. Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Three
parks will be used.
Mercy reports that work is being
rapidly on the new plant at
Boston. to be called Fenway Park,
is only ten minutes ride from
the heart of the city.
Hunter G. A. Comiskey is expected
from the north country tomor-
row.
President Murphy Of the Cubs left
on Sunday for San Antonio to 10
president at the meeting of the nil
nor magnates.