Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-02

DEATH-BLOW TO MAJORS
Plan Wholesale Jump Join Federas-Cause Is Lack of
Support From Organized Observation-Disclosures
Are Frightened Into Action

A concerted movement by every minor
league In the land to deal organized base
ball the most crushing blow ever sus-
. tained Is being made. II the present inten-
Ation OF the minors is carried out at the
meeting OF the National Association Of
Professional Baseball Leagues. scheduled
\ be held In Omaha Neb., November IL
u 16 the result will be their complete
hdrawal from organized baseball.
Ihis in turn means that instead or
being united with the two major leagues
Tor mutual strength and protection, the
minors will be associated with the Federal
League in the same way that they have
previously been associated with the Ma
tional and American Leagues. This will
leave the major leagues out in the cold, as
far as baseball is concerned, and will
either cause their ultimate dissolution or
drive them as supplnnts to the newly
formed baseball organization, composed OF
the minors and Federals
Not until recently did the heads OF or
ganized baseball learn, or realize, that
the minors really intended to bolt. There
had been some whisperlngs In baseball
circles to the effect that the minors were
not satisfied with the treatment they had
received at the hands of those higher
up" but such a sweeping movement as
tho one contemplated was probably never
dreamed of by Ban johnson, Garry Herr
mann and Governor Tcner until lately.
This is evident from the fact that last
week Ban Johnson, president of the
American League, called hurried meet
ing Of the magnutcs for the coming week
stead of waiting until December when
the league was scheduled to have Its an
nual session. II WILL Furthermore, not be
surprising to see an announcement by
Governor John X. Tener within the next
few days moving up the date of the
NTaN al l.,
he held before the date OF the minors
meeting in Omaha.
An extended baseball war is not eX-
pected. If the minors are not foresta'Ieu
in their Intentions the conflict Will be
short and deadly to organized pasepall'
Briefly, the Federal League will take the
place held by the American and National
Leagues for the last u years,
CAUSE AND EFFECT.
II this condition OF mutiny exists, and
II unquestlonably does, one naturally
wishes to have several questions answer
ed: What Is the cause OF the minors re-
bellious attitude? What Is their object
in joining with the Federals? What Will
be the result If the minors carry out their
plan? What will organized baseball do
to prevent such Il disastrous step?
We will attempt to answer these ques-
the minors planned revolt is dissatIs-
faction received by organized baseball.
Naturally, the minors being the under
,s so to speak, have always been
ore or less dissatisfied and always will
be. Even though many concessions have
been granted them through the National
Agreement through the Baseball Play
ers' Fraternity and through agreements
made at the annual meetings of the
minors, there are still some privileges
withheld. All of these things might have
been remedied sufficiently but for the
poor financial showing made by the mi
nors during the last season.
1t is believed that half of the minor
leagues are In such Il state of financial
embarrassment that they would not be
able to begin the season of 1915. and the
other half could not complete their sched-
ulss. A few days ago the salary limit OF
the clubs in the Pacific Coast League was
lowered. Many other leagues have failed