Evening journal., 1911-11-06
MAY CHANGE
''FARM'' PLAN
IntimatiOn That Trl-State
Directors Will Reconsider
at January Meeting
CASSIDY BELIEVES
NEW RULE WILL BENEFIT

clause made at the recent meet.ns in
Harrisburg, may be reconsidered
There has, since the meeting, Dc,n !,
considerable protest against tho deci-
sion and in view of the fact that The
New York State league. the Tri-State's
most bitter rival, only last week adopt /
ed a rule prohibiting the use OF "iafla-
ed" players by its clubs, there IL some |
logic in the argument that the rule
might work a hardship on the league.
Pete Cassidy, however, is for IN > /
farm" rule 1t was through mis- at
vocacy that the rule was adopted, he
believing that it would benefit the
League. He has not changed that
opinion
Sporting News and other baseball
publications have published articles
condemning the action of the 1:i-
State in abOlishing the rule. Last sea
son the Tri-State clubs were not al
lowed to accept players who had
strings attached The New York Stdie
League permitted its clubs to do 30
The result was that the Now YORK
State League secured ali the hrst-class
material that the big league ha tol
dispose Of This was I'm a way respou-
sible for the Tri-State's decision TO do
llhGWlcis ANOW AAl' AN'N ARAA ANANN At@
abolished the rule and the situation IS
seemingly reversed At the same tine
the New York State league lowered us
salary limit from $4,000 to $500. The
Tri-State limit is S2,100. Now the tans
and critics ere figuring out what VIII
be the result
Many arguments on the question
may be produced Some will show tae
disadvantage Of allowing clubs to Use
players who are not their own ptv-
Derty and who are subject to recdh.
others are held out. equally as con-
vincing it would seem, to Illustrate
the great good that may result frcni
permitting the practice. It is possible
that either one or the other is wrc z.
but both may work out right unde'
certain conditions.
Majors May he sponsor.
There is just a possibility that the
major league financial lights are back
of the Tri-States action in abohsn-
ing the non-optional agreement clause
There is no doubt that the majors
would be only too glad TO have all tEc
minor leagues decide TO accept .drmea
players Then they would buy "a
what clubs they wanted and use tae1
as a training quarters for their youns
material. At all events there worlt
be a greater opportunity TO try OF
promising material in league ghes'
the clause is not effective than Ia
some organization where its ircn-r,at
ruling is respected.
It. is a well-kdown iact tha, bettei
baseball is PLAYED In a league vner'
the managers are permitted 70 &C
cept players for ndcnIle peiincl
from big league clubs. In tnaF va.
more and faster players arc obtained
for I'm this day Of the high priced bal
player the minor league club cann'
compete with the majors Ia bidding 70
the services of any player OF nole. lG
result is that the minors dig al ali
start the youngsters OF ability only q
lose him at the end OF the season b
the draft route. How much better
would be if tho manager was permi,
ted 10 accept men for tme-men VII
have proven their ability on other cir
cults or even in the big league ranks
OF course they are subject TO roca
but not in history has any such az
ton undermined the pennant cndncc
Of any minor league cllb. Men Glmcs
as good or sometimes even better al
sent in their stead ia the club fTci
which they are recalled.
Another thing. II is an open secre
that clubs I'm The Tri-State Leagu
have been accepting "farmed" player
right along during the past few sea
SONS in defiance to the league ru
ing. why not be open and above boar
i'm the matter and do away with th
ruling? Surely the league has don
the best thing for all concerned. Th
comparison with the New York Stai
league is not a fair one. There III
pennant race has been such a run'
way match for so long. Wilkesbari
being the whole show that intere
has Jagged.
Change Was Needed.
Both leagues needed a change. Pc
hans the best move has been take
after ali The use of the non-option
agreement clause is hardly destin'
10 put the New York State League
its feet Neither was It responsib
for putting the league down, inanC
ally Tho same is true, only opposit
". of the Tri-State But somethi
had to be done at both places and q
change may work out satisfactorily I
both Sides
While the Tri-State League shou
do more than anything else is to abb
ish the individual salary limit. IN
is what is working out Dau lot l.
clubs more than lots Of other thinl
No player Of any real ability viii 81
a contract to play for $175 a mon
unless he is in very poor circu
stances. No big league manager "
send a good player to work for tf
amount Hence some clubs break I
rules and pay more. Others, tho
who want to do what is right a
abide by rules, will not. The res
IS the honest clubs suffer. Nario
means are employed to get around
dodge the rules. One of the favor
ones is to pay man $175 and tn
send the remainder of the salary
demands around to some third pa
and let him pay the player the b
ance That scheme has been (
quently worked in the Tri-State.
Everything considered the Tri-St
could not do better than to try
farm" method for one season at les
The article of ball can be no wo
than It has been during the past 8
eral seasons. 1t may be whole
better Then drop the individual III
and secure some players OF merit
ability and around them fill in
,ounsters. Place a veteran at
head of tho organization as mana
r Al. .f+ondanca will look after