Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-14
SER|OUSS|TUAT|0N
FACEDB minors
Effort to Solve Problems Will
Be Made at Meeting Opening
in New Orleans Today.
FEDS SUIT TIES UP CASH
BY J. ED GRILLO.

BY j. ED GRILLo.
The annual meeting of the National
Association of Minor Leagues, repre-
senting the little fellows of base ball,
will open in New Orleans today.
This conference is fraught with pos
sibilities. and on the face of things
should be the most important meeting
vet held by the association.
1t is no secret that the minor league
situation at the present time is pre-
carious. The lesser lights We're lead
ing sufferers during the disastrous two
years warfare between the Federal
League and organized base ball They
were the Belgians of the big base ball
strife.
Last ,vinter peace brought back pros
perity to the ajors. but the minors
continued to shoot the rapids Espe-
cialiy was this true of the Internal
iional circuit. formerly the king of the
minors.
Four years ago one of the six
franchises in this league could have
been purchased for less than 100000
Today MANY would hesitate to take one
as gift
The minor leagues are confronted
with the fact that there has been
something in addition to the Federal
League war which has kept interest at
low ebb.
1t is difficult to discover the basic
causes for the lack of interest There
are moving pictures. popular priced
motor ears and the great strides made
in recent years by golf and tennis
Those who assemble in New Orleans
will look these conditions straight in
the face and enact legislation accord
ingly-
While Hoelke. the Giants young first
bdSeman. leading al
League with batting average of 351
he took part in only thirty-four games
however. hence Hal Chase. with 14o
games to his credit. is the real leader
of the old league. with an average OF
$50
Jim Shaw has become Il resident of
Washington. He and his bride are
living with aunt in G. street
Mr.. and Mrs. Shaw called on Manager
Griffith yesterday afternoon, and one
of these days James will drop in and
sign his contract for the season of
1917.
Several days ago Charles Weeghman.
PRESIDENT of the Chicago Cubs. an
nounced that If il We're up to him to
appoint manager. Joe Tinker would
succeed himself. Yesterday Weeghman
was reelected to the presidency of the
Cubs. aud while no official announce
ment was made to who will manage
the team. II he stands by his word, it is
certain to be Tinker
The national game is about TO receive
another airing iii the United States
courts.
Attorneys for organized base ball.
which embraces the two major and all
the minor eagues governed by the ma
tional commission. have filed a yolum-
nous answer to the 100000 damage
suit brought last spring by the Balt
more Federal League club. and the now
celebrated case will be heard early in
the coming year.
The trial probably will he a repe
tion of the Iong-drawn-out contro-
verSy between the defunct Federal
League and orga mixed base ball. which
was dismissed by Judge Lands at the
request of rival counsel last spring.
But this time the Baltimore Feds. ac
cording to their legal advisers. will
conduct a fight to the finish.
When the leaders of the defunct Fed
eral League agreed to withdraw their
circuit from the base ball arena last
December their copartners in Balti-
more were left out in the cold.
BY the provision of the peace agree
ment the Wards, who ba cked the
Brookfeds, were to receive 100000 in
twenty annual payments of $4,000
each: Charles Weeghman, owner of
the Chfeds, was accorded the right
to buy the Chicago National League
club. Phil Ball. owner of the st. Louis
American League franchise. Harry r.
Sinclair. hacker OF the Newark Feds
was allowed to sell the release of GER
tain star ball players for about 100000.
at the same time receiving a guarantee
of $4,000 a year for the rent OF the
Harrison IN. j. grounds, while Ed
ward Gwinner of the Pittfeds agreed
TO close up shop for $4,000 cash.
As the Kansas City and Buffalo Feds
had gone into bankruptcy aud had
forfeited their franchises before peace
the negotiations. No provision was
made for the hackers of the Baltimore
Feds, it seems. although the Fed lead
ers who signed the peace agreement
insisted that they acted with the Bal
timore clubs consent.
But as soon the so-calied outlaw
league had been officially laid away to
rest. the Baltimore stockholders de
clarcd war. They brought suit for
asOo.u,". three times the amount Of
their alleged losses, and named both
major leagues. the national commits
sion. Weeghman, Sinclair and James A.
Gilmore defendants They ais"
charged organized ball with conspiracy
and violation Of the sherman law.
Attorneys for the majors at once or
dered payments TO Fed hackers held
up pending the result Of the trial. As
a result the Wards. Sinclair and GwIn-
ner have received no money from th"
big magnates. while Weeghmau and
Bail. conducting the Chicago Cubs and
u
themselves involved in y legal bait L.
which will make them testify against
their former Baltimore partners.
To offset the charge that the Sher-
man law has been violated attorney vs.
for organized base ball will set forth
there is no pooling of interests tina each
club handles its own affairs. and that
the league is not Incorporated, that IT
is managed by the president to enforce
the rules Of the game. 1t Will be shown
that the control of the minor leagues
IS necessary 20 carry out plans for the
betterment Of the game. and that the
national commission is nothing more
than board Of arbitration to settle
disputes.
Kiechkefer Wins at Billiards.