Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-25
MUST
DEVELOP STARS
SAYSSAM CRANE
Failure Of American and National
Players to Jump Means Work
for New League.
BY Sam Crane.
. row that the Federal League is
" having great diff1culty by all

, Reports III signing the star
players whom they most desire to
boom the new organization, an OPP
portunity will be afforded it for the
development of young players, and
this is a chance the Federal League
officials should not ignore.
Not only will they relieve them
selves of much hurtful antagonism
but many players who will be OF great
value in the future will have been
brought out, the field for develop
ment having been greatly broadened
The new league, If it adopts this
plan, will make many friends and
place itself on more substantial
! basis than If it sticks to the raiding
of players OF organized baseball. The
stigma of outlawry makes a very bad
start for any new organization. 1t is
a handicap that should be avoided Il
possible.
All the clubs in organized baseball
| consider their players under reserva-
ton as their chief assets, whether
legally so or not is a question that
is not to be discussed in this article,
but the clubs under the National
agreement are sure to make a big
fight to protect their interests and
player possessions as they are now
doing and stealing marches on their
new rivals. The fight. too, will be
carried to the bitter end il the plan
of wholesale raiding is the policy to
be adopted and players under con-
tract are induced to do the hurdle
act.
Have Played Best Card.
That players have not flocked like
sheep TO the new league, as its pro-
motors anticipated with 80 much con-
fidence after they had secured Tin
ker, Brown and Knabe, ought to con-
vince them, that they have played
their only ace and had nothing, net
even the sentiment and well wishes
OF the baseball public in their new
venture, to back up their first play.
The American and National Leagues
are altogether too well fortified finan-
cially with their big war fund for the
Federals to make Roadway in q battle
for supremacy on a general raiding
proposition or policy. This fact may
not appeal to the visionary minded
and overenthusiastic promoters just
now, but it will surely as they get
deeper and deeper into the holes they
are digging for themselves.
They have met their first setback
and 1t is a tough Que, toby the
players as a general thing refusing
to listen to their inducements, no
matter how fiowery and enticing.
The ball players of to-day are a
thinking lot of men, and so it has
been a surprise to me that so few of
the young players have refused to
cast their lots with the new organize
ton and throw over a certainty for
an experiment The oldsters who
have signed, and who have only q
very short baseball career ahead of
them at the most, looked after them
selves pure and simple, and while they
may be accused of disloyalty to the
game that has made ,nem, still that
is the worst that can be said of them,
and / can not see how they can be
blamed for securing all they could in
their declining years as players.
Veterans Taking Chances.
They have signed their contracts to
play with the Federal League with
their eyes wide open, and know the
consequences If the new organization
makes losing fight.
If there is a chance for a third big
league let the Federals prove it, and
If they win out by fair means they
will have earned their spurs and In
all fairness by right minded and non
prejudiced people be welcomed for
| what they are worth, and that will
mean able to cope with their rivals in
all that goes to make up-t date
baseball, and the fans of to-day have
been catered to most lavishly and lib
orally, and are very exacting in con-
| sequence.
| The Federal Lea gues only chance
now to make any real showing
against their strong and well forti-
| fed rivals is to develop young play
ers. and there Is just as good oppor-
4 ft.,, 80 fN, "a -
! their rivals, and If they do both the
organization and players will receive
| due recognition.
Has Been Done Before.
| It was the Players League in 1896
| that forced the National League to
| dig up and develop an entirely new
crop of young players, and the old
league did so with grand success
Such great stars as Amos Rusie
kid" Nichols, Herman Long and
many others of almost equal note
were direct results of the Brother.
hood war. and possibly but for thai
strife those players would never have
been prominently heard Of just fol
lack of opportunity to demonstrat,
their abilities.
The present war will doubles.
prove another blessing in disguise L
young players by affording them tn,
chances they otherwise mighty no
have. The Federals should awake
too. and grasp the opportunity. TIL,
field is open to them, and instead O.
their league becoming an asylum foI
players of declining ability, it would
branch out as help to the sport ant
promoter of its future success. in.
stead OF an obstacle. 1t would gair
and hold staunch friends.