The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-19
BASEBALL MUST
BE REORGANIZED
War Is Causing Demand for Changes
Smaller Player Limit Is One of
the Measures Proposed

| One OF the effects of the war is the ne
cesslty for a radical reimbursement OF the
professional baseball structure and Of
the many proposed innovations and eur
| tailments suggested, the limitation of
each club roster TO Is players has aroused
the greatest discussion. Magnates in
both of the major leagues are sharply
aligned in favor or opposition to this
| amendment to the rules and il is likely
that there win be considerable contro-
versy before the matter is adjusted
The proposal is one which permits of
much argument with plenty of facts to
support the contentious of the debaters.
For instance it has been pointed out that
no club is required, at the present time.
to carry the full limit of players and
might go through the season with Is if
it so desired. Clubs favoring a maximum
of Is offer in rebuttal the statement that
certain organizations, financially capable
OF supporting % player team, would
under such condition have a decided ad-
vantage over the club which could not
afford. in war times, to carry more than
20 at the outside. From other I'M
official sources comes the claim that the
reduction is advocated by certain clubs,
the pennant chances of which would be
greatly strengthened if other formidable
opponents were forced to cut down their
playing staff to conform with the pro.
posed requirements.
The adoption of the rule would also
require, in all probability, a change in
the national agreement which at the
present time places a maximum limit OF
25 players upon the clubs of the Amer.
lean and National leagues during the
greater portion of the playing season. |
This is further reduced to % in the case
of the National league through regula
ton in force in the senior organization, |
while the American league holds to %.
One baseball authority brings out the |
point that the cost of maintaining big /
league team has increased tremendously |
in the past II months and is likely to |
advance still further during the season |
of 1918. The charge for hotel aeeommo- |
dations and meals, both ON the trains |
and while playing in rival cities have
reached figures far beyond those existing |
in previous years. The war tax alone |
on railroad and Pullman reservations
will add something like Is per cent to the
charges of travelling
teams.
That numerous pennants have been won
in past years by clubs with considerable
less than the number of players allowed
at this time is shown by search of the
records of the national game. During 4
the early 70's National league teams
played through the season without APP l
the lS player total. The first
Of the American league clubs ranged
from II to 20.
A fair line on the number OF players
used in recent years can be gained from
The lists of eligibles for the world series
as promulgated by the national commit
sion each season since 1905. The teams,
Of course in each case were the winners
IF their respective league pennants and
vet the records disclose that there has
been hardly a ease where the full num-
Der of eligibles were actually called into
action. Eighteen players registered by
he New York Giants and the Philadel-
lhia Athletics in 1905 is the minimum
md the average for the entir, Is years
5 % and fraction players per team.
The list follows: