The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-02
BASEBALL FANS
!, kept GUESSING
sMagnates Will Undoubtedly
Call Halt If Star Players
Are Caught in Draft.
MANY ALREADY GONE
: Athletics, Cleveland and Red
Sox Hit Hard; Worlds
Champions Escape.

Will baseball survive the second big
draft or shut up shop and await
eventualities?
Here's a real problem for Mr.. Fan
and it's one that can't be answered
until the next big haul in the draft
dragnet by Uncle Sam. who has
launched out in the war business on
large scale.
There Is little doubt among base
ball men that the magnates will call
halt and quit the game il a large
number of the star players are drawn
in the next big lottery. which is to be
thorough and searching.
Caught in First Draft.
The first draft caught few of the
ma jor league players of class. Most of
those up for examination escaped on
the score of having dependents. Most
Of the stars are married men. Several
who are single. like Red Faber of the
Chicago White Sox and Rob Roth of
the Cleveland Indians, were not called,
for the reason that they drew high
numbers.
The new draft Will include many
who were exempt in the first allot-
ment. Even some of the married men
who escaped via the family dependency
route will be drawn in the next draft.
Leniency will give way to severity. ac-
cording to a straight tip from Wash
ington.
No Eligible Man to Escape.
The 16.page QUESTIONABLE compiled
nv draft nXnorf1 pivnS inklinSr nf
what the next draft is going to be. A
thorough search into the life of each
person will be made. An attempt will
be made to permit no eligible man to
escape. Chances favor many of the
baseball stars donning the khaki before
spring which would eliminate them
from the game indefinitely. The ques-
tionaire automatically revokes all ex-
emptions
Players like Roth of the Cleveland
club and Faher Of the White Sox, who
are single, are virtually certain of being
called.
Many baseball stars who drew low
numbers, but escaped for various rea-
sons. probably will be called among the
first contingent of the second draft |
Ray Schalk. Buck" Weaver. Happy"
Telsch, Chick Gandil "Swede" Ris-
berg and Dave Danforth were players
who drew low numbers. but escaped
because they had dependents. All are
married.
Uncle Sans argument with the
kaiser has not cut deep into the profess
sional ranks OF athletics Joe Jen-
kins, catcher, and Jim Scott pitcher, |
who were not championship entities on |
the Whjfo sEnv hn
bers Of the present worlds champions
to don the khaki for their govern !
ment. Scott was a volunteer and .Icn- |
kins was drawn in the draft Joe's !!
number was s64 and he didn't claim |
exemption.
Athletics and Indians Hit.
The Athletics and Cleveland Indians
suffered most of any American league
teams in the first draft. Mack lost
four men, among whom was Ray Bates,
his clean up man. "Wn" Moves, Il
pitcher, also was drawn. That injured
Mack's pennant hopes for 1915 The
others were Naylor and Sharman, re-
cruits
Cleveland has lost three men, among
them Joe Harris, heavy smuggling first
baseman and Ed klepfcr. pitcher. Out
helder Elmer Smith also was drawn
These three didn't go when called last
summer. but have joined the colors at
Camp Sherman Their going Just about
ruins the pennant hopes of the Indians
Tor next season. Third Baseman Joe
Evans and Louis Guisto of Dunns
team have Joined the ever-increasing
increment Of national defenders for
Uncle Sam.
The Boston Red SoX will be hard
hit. II all those reported to have VOL
untcered go through with their inten-
lions and enlist in the navy. They in
ciude Manager Jack Barry. Outfielder
Duly Lewis and Ernie Shore, pitcher.
Substitute Infielder Mike McNally also
has volunteered.