The Washington herald., 1917-12-18
WOULD
HIT BASEBALL
Magnates Agree that Major
Leagues Must Continue in
Operation at Any Cost.

Time alone viii tell whether or
not baseball is strong enough 70
live on through troublesome years
of war.
Baseball men have been trying to
stick to the optimistic viewpoint
and II is generally agreed that the
major leagues must continue in op-
GRAFTON at any cost for the good OF
the game. Should baseball be dis
continued entirely for . year the
game would receive Q blow from
which IL might not recover In Ave
years time, and the magnates
realize the necessity OF keeping the
ball rolling.
The season Of 1917 proved con-
clusively that the big majority OF
minor leagues cannot be operated
successfully in these troublous
times. Many OF the minors were
forced TO close their gates by mid
season this year. and although sew
en- or eight minors will make an ef-
fort to continue in 1913, the outlook
Is far from encouraging.
The length OF the world war
means everything to baseball
Should the war last three to Eve
years longer. every minor league in
the country would cease to operate
and even the majors might be
forced to quit. But until such q
time arrives the big fellows are
keeping stiff upper lips.
With the opening Of the 1913 sea-
son. the major league fan may find
1t a bit hard to recognize major
league ball as the same attraction
he has been used TO. There will be
many players missing from the
majors and tn makeup OF some Of
the clubs which will be hit hard by
the draft will be almost entirely
changed.
Should the war continue for sew
eral years longer and baseball as
represented by the major leagues
be continued also, q good many old
timers will return to the diamonds
to which they had said good-by for
all time. The veterans, old though
they may be. can still put up q
more attractive brand OF baseball
than oncoming youngsters who are
too young for the army. And the
players who are exempted because
they have dependent families will
be valuable assets to the club
owners.
The Brooklyn Dodgers furnish an
interesting example OF this. Presi-
players who will not be affected by
the draft. They are: Pitchers Mar
guard, Cheney. Coombs and Mitchell;
innelders, Daubert, Cutshaw. o'Mara.
O'Rourke and Olson; outfields, Zach
"hAof NrnH. TnhHGfAv,
and catchers, Mack Wheat and Otto
Miller. All other members Of the
Dodgers are either in some branch
Of the service at present or subject
to call through the draft law.
There are few clubs, however, with
so many players sure Of being ex-
empted as the Dodgers. The Cleve-
land club lost seven men and six
members Of the Boston Red Sox. In
cluding Manager Jack Barry, may be
missing from the 1918 lineup.
Manager Clark Grifnth. Of the
Washington club. generally has q
worry Of some sort on his shoulders.
He considered that luck was with
him when Foster. Judge, Rice and
Henry were exempted. but he has
been worried over the chance that
he may lose Walter johnson. his
biggest card. johnson, though q mar
ried man, is very wen OF and Il
Just within the draft limit. II John
son isn't called. Griff will have .
pretty good wartime club.
Other clubs In both leagues viii be
variously affected by the war. and
In the short space Of . few months
major league baseball as we left IL
the nrst Of October may be hard TO
recognise.
The big league club owners are
quite sure that Cen Sherman was
absolutely correct.