The Washington herald., 1917-01-28
MINOR LEAGUES Fight
RECALL CONTRACTS
International Opposes Practice of
Grabbing Stars in Mid Season.

New York, Jan H.-When Ed Barrow
called his International Leaguers togeth-
er here during the early part Of the
month They passed upon a question that
has long been like a burr under the
saddle 70 minor league club owners the
country over.
The question was whether TO accept
players from major league clubs under
optional agreements which give the big
league owner the right to recall them
before the season closes.
The International Leaguers voted
against the practice. and from now on.
IL they live up 10 their agreement, no
player viii be taken of the hands OF
big .eaEue managers unless they are tt
~ stick throughout the
playing season.
-..- --.o.s vas just one more evidence
y. ...e unrest JnaI Is prevalent within the
minor leagues all over the country. Al
tine rscetIlg OF the National Association
In New Orleans last fall the club own
ers OF all minor leagues talked over
tions, and the optional agreement came
Iu ar a .,I...y % discussion, particularly
among the magnates Of the three big
minor leagues.
1t isn't quite fair 10 a minor league club
owner TO be called upon TO give up a
player in mid-season when his club Ia
likely to be in the midst Of a fight for
the leadership Of the league Take one
good player out Of a lineup. and the
winning combinstion-if the club ia a
winners broken up. Under the op-
tional agreement the minor Lacquer had
no chance to protest. He took players
with strings tied TO them, probably
against his better judgment. but princi-
lUHh
doing the same thing and he had to do
so in order to build up a strong team.
With the Interns tionsl League agreed
as a unit to keep away from optional
agreecents, no club owner in the circuit
will be in a position to benefit By
grabbing good talent OF the big league
benches and thereby putting it over" on.
his fellow mags.
That is-IF the Internstionsls live Up
TO their pledges.
Club owners in the American Asso-
citation and the Pacific Coast League
have long been against optional agree
ments. They realize that their ball clubs
may be weakened at any time II they
carry such players on their rosters.
Jimmy McGnl, of the Indianapolis In
dians, is one msgnate who has been
strongly opposed to purchasing such tai
ent for his teams Even when he own
ed the Denver Grizzlies. hcGiu seldom
took players with strings tied TO them.
and he has always managed to keep the
ball clubs IN the running.
Jack Curley tells US that Wlsdek
Zbyszko is preparing to go after the
catch-as-catch-can wrestling skypiece
with teeth and toe nails. The Pole, &C
cording to Curiey. has nicked OF the
championships Of all OF the foreign coUn-
tries at the catch-as-catch-csn style, and
Just as soon as Joe Stecher announces his
willingness to re-enter the wrestling
arena. wladek is going after a match
with him
I'm out for the championship and bar
nobody" says Zbyszlo. Il will go TO
anv country. any distance, to prove my
right to the title. Frank GOtCh is alb
sOlutely through. and he has so an
nounced. so ! figure StecheT the logical
man to seek for my first match.
IF Stecher don't want to wrestle with
in a reasonable length Of time III take
on anybody else. There's Rogers, HUs-
sans, Aberg, Lewis and Americus. ADt
OF these will do. All want to do is es-
tablish myself as soon as possibly can"