The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-20
NOT MUCH SMOKE
Nevertheless, Baseball Strike
May Be Serious Affair.
Big League Stars Liable to
Start New Circuits.

Most baseball fans do not seem to
be taking the threatened Players fra
ternity strike seriously and many of
the magnates are assuring the general
public that nothing can possibly come
of Fultzs threats. But the flame may
be bigger than the smoke indicates.
The situation may be a great deal
more serious than anyone on the out
side may realize.
made is to make application to the
American Federation of Labor to take
mis- fraternity under it's protection, and
if this happens t means that any ac-
ton the players decide to take will
be given the support of every branch
of labor and that the union man, who
is always a fan, will boycott clubs and
leagues that do not make peace.
Other Ends in View.
But it is entirely probable that Fultz
wants to get into the ranks of organ
lied labor for IN entirely different
purp 6 than to merely boycott the
magnates. In all probability he IS
looking to the time when it may be
possible, or necessary, to organize d
players league in order to bring the
moguls to their senses, and he knows
that if he does this with the backing
of every labor union in the country he
will be in a position to fight the old
club owners to the last ditch. He
knows, and the magnates themselves
know, that if the players fraternity
becomes affiliated with other labor
organizations and opposition leagues
are set up. there will be little division
of the crowds. Even the peanut and
the pop sellers know where they will
have to go to sell their wares.
Already there is underground talk
of the players of the big leagues who
are members of the fraternity organ
izing an independent league, and
many of the stars have enough money
to put it on its feet without ever miss
ing it, The organization of such a
league would be much easier now than
It would have been rev years ago,
because almost all of the big cities
have idle Federal league parks that
can be procured at very reasonable
figures.
Minors in Plan, Too.
And, if the big league players go
into the league making business, the
minor leaguers will undoubtedly fol-
low in their footsteps. They will have
to do so because it is entirely their
fight and the big leaguers are help
ing them out when they themselves
have nothing at all at stake. Fur
thermore, it would be necessary for
the minors to organize leagues so that
the circuits of the big cities might
have a field to draw talent from.
If this kind of war comes the whole
baseball world will be thrown into
chaos and the game will probably be
knocked lopsided on every corner.
Many small cities like Topeka, Wich-
| tia, Sioux City and Lincoln will find
themselves with two baseball organ
izations when they cannot possibly
support them.
But the magnates and the powers
that be in organized baseball are not
likely to let matters go that far. They
will tuck their tails and run to take
the pill DR.. Fultz hands them, no
matter how big or bitter it may be.
The magnates know Fultz. They know
he will give them a fight they will
remember if he is forced to it, and
this is the only thing that indicates
the situation may not be as serious as
| it seems