Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-08
TWO EVILS DRIVEN
OUT OF BASE BALL
Ban on Exhibition Games by
Champions and Curling of
Traffic in Players.
BOTH LAWS WILL BE
OF Benefit TO GAME
Commission Proposes to Pro-
tect Against transforming
Promoters.

Special Dispatch to The Star.

CHICA4O, H., January THE cor.
rection of two evils which are a menace
to base ball is the aim OF new rules
agreed upon by the national commits
sion at its annual meeting. The one
Of these In which the public is most
interested relates to exhibition games.
The other. although no less important.
concerns the business interest OF the
game. being designed to curb the traffio
in playing talent which has spoiled or
discouraged many a possible star
The ball player will consider the ac-
ton regarding transforming trips as
another attempt by the national COM
missioners to deprive him of his honest
dues and inalienable rights. because IL
may prevent picking up a few stray five
dollar and ten-dollar bills between PEN
nant finish and snow flying. The public
invariably sides with the ball player
against the powers to whom the player
must bow.
In this case, however, protection Of the
public is the only end sought by the COM
mission. and those who take the trouble
to inform themselves of the situation will
not be fooled by the revival of the ball
players cry Of slavery" Except In the
case OF worlds champions, the commits
sion or club owners will not stand in
the way Of players earning all the ex-
ira dollars they can SO long as they
do 1t honestly. Future attempts to earn
dollars under false pretenses will be curb
ed, If possible, that is all.
A Case in Point.
Suppose the New York Giants fall down
on McGraws predictions and fail to win
the pennant next season. Then suppose
q dozen or--so OF the players. including
Mathewson, Ames, Crandall, Drucke.
Meyers. Merkle, Doyle. Bridwell. Devlin,
Murray. Snodgrass and Becker want to
partake Of transforming tour. with or
without the chaperonage OF Manager
McGraw. They will not have the slight
est difficulty In obtaining the consent OF
the New York officials. in all probability,
and having that. the commission would
oppose no objection. The only hitch would
arise in case the players wanted to en-
year by playing all winter or making
some round-the-world jaunt that would
not bring them back before April 1. 1912.
Those men could play under the name
Giants or New York because they would
be the regular New York team. But &.
suppose Christy Mathewson should ar
range transforming trip to include
himself on first, Merkle at second, Bird
we'll at short. Sweeney of Boston on
third. Crandall in right. Snodgrass in
center. Drucke in left and Bergen OF
Brooklyn to catch. II that team went
out into the suburbs booked as New
York Giants" it would be sailing under
false colors. II those players would be
content to advertise themselves as the
'tMathewsons'' or "Christy's Stars" the
commission would not object IL the club
owners did not.
&C. he boil ~ 1,or v,lo
that they draw all the money through
the turnstiles, and these would not be
averse to discarding the well established
trademarks under which they play dur
ing championship seasons. But the small
club owners. with whom transforming
that the trademark Is q strong magnet,
and they will use 1t to the limit for adj
vertising purposes.
Public Is Deceived.
A few years ago when patched-up. mis-,
fit teams OF Cubs and White Eox barn.
stormed around Chicago In the fall the
players would have been willing to b
advertised as themselves only. but the
semi-pro and other promoters. who booked
them, advertised them as "Cubs' OF
white Sox." And to this day there
are scores of semi-pro patrons In Chi.
cago who believe the defeats or marrow
escapes from defeats Of those misf1t ag-
gregations at the hands OF local teanA
were genuine battles with genuine major
league teams.
To guard against this quilting Of the
public by transforming promoters, &C.
Quiesed in by the players, Is the purpose
of the commissions latest efforts to
the ground Is taken that they
have profted handsomely out OF the
worlds series receipts and VIII profit
further by increased salaries the follow.
ing year
players who have attained hat dizzy
height to go out looking for pennies
In the bushes. to say nothing on taxing
with them the laurels OF the base ball
world and getting them wiped In the
dust by some team which would not
win one game in forty from q team OF
worlds champions intact and in con-
dition to play real base ball.
When club owners In micseason. wnlie
put teams OF substitutes to play exhi-
billion games in minor league cities, the
can regulate that through the
uD " So HsSn snd cas-. Of
the public. for many e minoS
eaSue club owner would be willing to
deceive his own public to make q few,
extra dollars ana snen snrow Ins O,s stas
eague club which failed to send all its
tar players to exhibit in his town.
This evil 10 diminishing. because exhi-
,ition games are becoming less and lesa
as the public gains experience.
No major league club owner is to be
,lamed IL he does not compel his regulars
o work In exhibition contests. provided
10 notifies tho other club what kind OF q
cam will visit his town In time to permit
of . game IL desired or. Il not.
o avoid misleading the minor league
ans In advance OF the game. There is
10 harm 1t ell IN q game between a
minor team and Q bunch OF major league
ubstitutes IL tho game is advertised q
UGH.
Another Good Rule.
The nsw commission rule to rssulats
he sv1l q trafncking IN players a an
&Continusd On Third. Paga)