Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-19

ASE bali men throughout the
United States. now that the
major leagues and the Federals
have decided to bury the Ratchet
are waxing enthusiastic over
prospects for the return Of halcyon days
OF old in base bali. But will peace be-
tween the warning magnates bring base
ball back to its old pinnacle as the great
est American sport? 1t is true the cessa-
ton of internal fighting between the
leagues, the discoptinuance of long-dis-
lance Jumps by players and the atmos-
phere of peace will have a tendency to
attract fans back to the game In the
majors. Peace may mean a new era of
prosperity in the big circuit But will the
minors also profit by peace7 They may,
as the magnates assert, but 1t would seem
that much is yet to be done II the turnstiles
in the little leagues are to click merrily
once more The minor league owners
have got to see the light. They have got
to stand up for their rights and their
rights are many for It Is really the minors
that made base ball the national pastime.
The minors have been toys for the major
leagues for a number OF years. They
have a few more rights now than they
formerly had. But they are still under
the control OF the majors. The National
commission, which is purely a major
league organization, can swing the club
over the little fellows any time It
chooses and many is the time it so
chooses. The big circuit fellows seem
of late to kave come down off their high
horse a bit-the peace negotiations prove
that-and the minor men are not likely
to find a better opportunity than the
present to press their demands. They
deserve recognition on the National com
mission, they should demand that one of
their number be placed on the board. and
they would be granted this privilege. II.
indeed you can call II privilege instead
of a right, would they only demand It.
a place on the National commission
would be an inaugural step toward other
rights and privileges which would be
of benefit TO the kerosene circuit chaps.
and the number of minor leagues would
not drop from half hundred to one-half
that number as occurred during the last
twelve months but would increase instead.
Dick Rutherford, captain of the Corn
husker eleven this year, is suggested as
possible candidate to succeed Jumbo
Stiehm as coach at Nebraska. 1t is said
portion of the alumni urge the selection
of Rutherford. Nebraska might not do
better than choose Rutherford for this
important position. To direct athletes has
long been an ambition of the Beatrice
boy and he has made a study OF coach
Ing. During the entire three years he
played on the Husker eleven Rutherford
drilled his mates. II was Rutherford and
Chef Dudley, who was assistant coach at
the time, who devised the remarka BILE
defense of the Comhuskers against the
dreaded Iowa spread play in 1913. And
that was Rutherfords first year on the
team. Surely If Dick could assist in max
ing up and teaching the men so clever
and successful a defense during his first
year on the squad. he should be able to
assume the responsibility after three
years. 1t is said, however, that Ruther-
ford might encounter a few difficulties
In the politics of the school 1t is sadly
true at Nebraska that politics enter into
the athletics of the school. Rutherford
might incur some enmity as a result and
1t would most probably prove fatal to the
teams chances for winning year. Out
side of this fact Rutherford should make
an accertable man. He knows foot ball
from the ground up and he has tho
ability to coach. Also he is a basket
ball man and could coach basket ball as
well as foot ball. II is pretty hard to
find a man who can coach both foot ball
and basket ball successfully, but that is
the kind of man Nebraska must find
on account OF the ali-year rule in the
Missouri Valley conference. Nebraska
could probably find a better foot ball
coach than Dick, but not one who would
be willing to serve all year.
You have got TO hand 1t to Ban johnson
for persistence Following the usual Gus
tom the American league this year neg
lected to compute the number OF games
won and lost by the pitchers. The pitch
ing averages contain every possible bit
OF Information about each pitcher I'm the
league, except the all-important facts
about the number OF games won and lost
The average fan In scanning records OF
hurlers looks to see how many games he
won and how many he lost and let's 1t &c
at that. That Is all that interests. Yet
the American league keeps this informs,
ton secret for some reason or other
and has done so for years.
me American league has decided no
TO allow its players to take part. in barn
storming tours after the season "a over
This move is a slap at Frank Bancroft
who In some way brought down tn
wrath of Ban Johnson upon his hea,
this year Even granting that barn
storming does base ball no good-anl
there may be two sides 70 that-has tn
league the right to conuol the activitie
of its employees during twelve month
out of the year when II pays salaries 10
SIKH
The appointment Of Jimmy Callahan a
manager OF the Pittsburgh club cam