Evening journal., 1912-08-12
DRAFT AFTER
AUGUST 26
National Commission Fixes
Date for Majors to SCuttIe
the Minors
NAY DO AWAY
WITH THE OLD PRACTICE

The national baseball commission
has decided that the period for draft
ing players from minor league clubs
should start August 26. After that
time no minor league club will be al
lowed to sell player to the majors
or otherwise dispose of his services.
The legislation is to prevent clubs of
lower classification whose season
closes prior to September Is from
covering up players through collu-
sion with a major league club or
minor league club of higher classih-
cation.
The New York Sun. in a recent ar
ticle explained the situation which
the commission desires to remedy in
n way The article follows:
So many minor league ball players
are tied up by the big leagues that
something is bound to break soon in
the shape of a move 20 have the ma
tional commission pass new rules re-
stricting the practice Some Of the
weaker clubs in the National and AM
erican leagues are finding fault with
the methods employed by the strong
er clubs in this direction and soon
there may be some bitter talk right
ouf IN open meeting.
It appears that several OF the clubs
that have winning teams and conse-
quently are overburdened with money
10 spend for new talent are reaching
out for all the available minor league
players, whether they can use them
or not. and are sewing them up in
such manner that the losing clubs
cannot In any way secure them. The
scouts of the weaker teams invariably
tind that when a good player is spot
ted by them he belongs 10 a pennant
winner or club that has a position
near the top OF the heap A cham
bion team may be well equipped with
.pitchers. cstchers, infielders and out
felders, vet 1t Is charged that the
owner has strings on at least double
The number OF regular players plant
ed In the minor leagues. In many
cases It is shown that those desirable
minor league players are kept out OF
good positions in the major leagues
because the men who control their
services have no room for them. Yet
the weaker teams have no chance to
get them for love or money, the big
fellows, governed by selfish motives,
being afraid TO let their chattels 60.
In major league circles it Is freely
admitted that before another year the
weaker teams in the National and the
American circuits must be strength
ened in some way. II present meth
DDS continue to prevail it is argued
that this task will prove almost inn
possible but that n the stronger
clubs are compelled to relinquish
their claims upon first class timber
that cannot be used by them the weak
er teams will profit thereby. In pro-
viding a remedy II has been suggest
ed that each major league club be
compelled to give up players held In
minor leagues at the order and dis
cretion of the commission. II a weak
er club wants or needs one OF these
players II Is pointed out that a claim
can be filed, which the commission
can pass upon. II It is shown that 2
strong club doesn't need the talent
thus covered up II will be an easy
matter for the commission 10 reach a
conclusion
Much legislation has been passed
10 prevent the farming evil. but there
always has been a way TO evade the
law. In view of the distressins
plight of at least half dozen major
league clubs it is the prevalent opin.
Jon that the baseball governors mus
do something radical to relieve tn.
existing conditions. Just why tn.
moneyed clubs should be allowed I,
hog everything is a puzzle in view o
the fact that big profits can be. mad,
# the second division teams can b,
improved