El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-23
EM YORK. March %.

EW YORK, March 23,-In the not
too dim and distant future
unless the present dope is
wrong-organized baseball VIII clutch
the heckling Federal league to its
bosom and peace viii reign again in
the land. And, unless the signs point
wrongly. the consolidation viii result
in the formation of two II club
leagues, the American league absorb
ing four of the Federal leagues clubs,
and the National league lacking on
to its circuit the other four Fed
clubs
Looking at it from any angle you
wish, it seems that the ending Of war,
no matter what the compromise may
cost every one involved, VIII be for
the best interests Of the nagnaIeS.
And because the Federal league viii
insist that its clubs retain major
league status and because the organ
lied baseball persons now maintain
there is not room for three major
league organizations, the difficulty
viii be overcome by forming two Il
club leag CUES.
A disastrous financial season faces
most of the organized major league
clubs this season, and it's possible
that the dry spell, as far as income is
concerned, viii continue for two or
three seasons. All this is the result
Of the activity of the Federals.
Splitting Of Patronage and stars.
ne EAlSLEllGE Oh A4lE II Gus TINS D-AA
In some of the cities that had to go
the limit to hold their players VIII
cause a splitting Of patronage, and, OF
course, viii reduce the income Of the
organized clubs affected Other or
gained clubs whose cities were not
invaded by the Feds with franchise
viii feel the effect through the fact
that the Feds grabbed Oft some OF
their stars The Philadelphia Ma
tionals are one sample. The Feds
SHARED knabc. DOolan SeatOn, Bren-
nan and also lay claim to killlfer- No
club can lose five Of its best players
and not feel the effect.
Minors Plead For Aid.
The Feds also raided the Class "A
teams of organized baseball and did
it so effectually that they almost have
wrecked some of the clubs. This has
caused the Class "A clubs to shrek
for help from the organized majors,
and the organized majors are bound,
under the ruling of the national
agreement, to do something TO protect
Feds WIZ Open and Finish.
The Feds viii open the season and
they VIII finish the season and be
prepared to reopen IN lsl5-alld with
a stronger lineup than they have ar
present. That's Just about as safe q
bet as anyone can make The Federal
magnates have invested something
like S3,o00.000 in players. stands,
grounds and equipment, and It's
cinch when anyone is so deeply In
voIved in venture that there VIII be
no backing out.
The Feds refused to sign up any
players who were under contract this
spring although many OF the con-
tracted organized players, dissatisfied,
begged for a job in the Federal ranks.
Many other organized players held
only be the reserve clause, decided TO
stick TO their old clubs-because they
were a bit skepticaI about the Feds
and their bank rolls But at the. end
OF the 1914 season, when they have
discovered that the Feds Weathered
the storm, those players will be falling
over themselves in their efforts to sign
I'D with the Feds-provided, of course.
that the Feds continue their policy of
outbidding the organized baseball
people.
May Wreck Minors.
The Federals have the power to
practically wreck the minor leagues I
at the close of the 1914 season and !
it's q certainty that if organized base !
ball doesn't make peace Overtures !
they viii proceed to do so. The minor 4
leaguers make their profits not 4
through gate receipts, but through /