The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-11-03
SPORTING RK|!Glg:A4Ek
sho are expected to have the call
over Johnston.
VETERAN RULE
is DISCUSSED
Sporting News Tells of Advantages
and Disadvantages of This Famous
Piece Of Baseball Legislation.

Sporting News Tells Of Advantages
and Disadvantages Of This Famous
| Piece of Baseball Legislation.
The Sporting News, published In
! the interests of organized baseball,
has an editorial in the current issue
which is especially interesting in this
! part of the country because of the
| fight in the Central association last
| summer over the so-called veteran
rule
The Sporting News seems to think
that the only reason the veteran rule
is in force in league the size of
the Central association is to give the
young players chance, with the
possibility of their sale to the majors
at the end of the season. This may
be one of the reasons, but it is not
the important one.
The veteran rule was put in force
in the Central association to cut
down expenses and give the clubs IN
the league IN even run for their
money. A ricn town could afford to
secure the services of number of
veterans and in this way have the
edge on the smaller towns which
could not afford to hire the higher
priced players. Without the rule, the
club that could afford it could use
all the veterans it chose. With the
rule, the youngsters are not only
given a chance, but it is possible to
cut down the salary limit and make
the pennant race close one. seclr-
ing the while, just as snappy brand
of ball
The veteran rule has certainly been
one OF the life savers OF the Cen
trail association.
The Sporting News article follows:
1t is taken for granted that all
hands, according to their lights,
stand for the principle that the
player. as an essential part If the
game, shoui1 have square deal.
however much he viewpoint may diff
fer. That being the case it may be
well at this rime to call attention to
a growing policy of the minor leagues
to restrict the employment of play
ers whose only offense is that they
have at one time or another been
fortunate enough to be identified
with leagues higher up-an expert
ence that can by no stretch of the
imagination be called criminal
through adoption of the so-called
veteran" rule, with the determine
ton of what constitutes a veteran
subject to the fancy Of each league
concerned.
The idea of what has become
known as the veteran rule" is plain
enough and in a sense it commends
itself-it is to restrict the use of old
timers so that the youngsters may
have better chance, for themselves
and for the club that hopes to de-
velop them into salable material
hnr hoc
prejudice against Indifferent veterans
who give as little of their service as
they can in order to get by and who
think more ana prate more of their
past than they do of giving the fans
run for their money.
That is the viewpoint Of the minor
leagues adopting the rule. 1t is their
side of the case. On the other side
is the argument-upheld by the ma
tional commission-that it is repug-
nant to the principles for which or
ganized ball stands that a ball player
in good standing should be barred
from employment when he is salts
factory otherwise merely because he
happens to have been good enough 4:
one time or another to be connected
with a club of higher class. The
player who has identified himself
with organized baseball, having de-
cided to make the game his profess
sion, is entitled TO expect employ
ment if his record is clear and his
services meet all requirements. The
commission has taken the ground !
that it is its duty to see that he gets
such employment.
Moreover the rule restricting use
of veteran players is an actual
curb on ambition. The player in class
D may hesitate to accept berth
with team in higher class when
he knows that if he fails to make
good and Is released he will be
barred from returning to the only
class in which he is capable because
of his service, brief or otherwise,
higher UP.
When the veteran rule" was con- |
fined to the class ! leagues its oper-
alton was not given great considera- |
ton, because CT the understanding of |
the problems of the little fellows |
But the, rule Las spread until in the |
past season It was in operation in |
at least one cass 3 league, while !
now it is reported an effort will he /
T1ade to extend to IL all the minors, /
even to inclIle the class IA leagues.
Under the circumstances, In view
Of the declaration Of the com mission, |
and in the interest of players who
have adopted baseball az profess |
sion, it seems time TO call halt or /
at least to nave definite under !
standing az % just what RESTRICT ons |
are TO be imposed. Certainly the |
minors should not act without con-
sidering all the interests involved |
and the national commission should (
be awake TO ne situation and permit /
no legislation tat denies a square |
deal.