Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-06-25
LEAGUE
MAY Be FORCED
T0QUlT SOON
Is Struggling Against Hard
Times-War Tax Largely
to Blame, it's Said.

San Francisco, Cal, June ga
great deal Of uncertainty exists at the
present time as to the ultimate out
Of affairs in the Pacific Coat
league, the, smaller leagues through
out the country are struggling against
hard times and the local organization
is no exception to the rule. 1t is evil
dent that every effort will be made to
the game, the managers of
the various teams considering it
somewhat in the nature of a calamity
to close the gates OF their parks.
This is shown by the fact that they
say they stand ready to fill the places
of those men now on their pay ross
who do not feel that they can coop
crate in the matter OF r%etrenching.
It Is considered only natural that
the players should do all in their
power to avert any cut in their sal
aries but, failing in this. it is expected
that there will be no general defec-
ions from the ranks for the reason
that all the lesser leagues are in the
same position. In act h possibility
looms for no job at all as compared
to a job at a somewhat lesser figure.
The cause for the retrenchment is
not blamed SO much to the lack OF
attendance, which is considered fair
ly good, as to the loss which will have
to be met through the war tax on the
SdIH0. Ills, Tile OWIlclo VI lIC SAupo
say, will make it impossible for them
to continue unless there is a CORE
spending cut in the overhead expenses
somewhere. The sixteen player limit
as against the former allotment OF
eighteen per club was the first step
IN this direction.
Whether or not the importation Of
smaller league players to replace the
ones in the Pacific Coast league who
might withdraw would not lower the
standard of the game. and hurt it
more h the closing of the gate; is
a question which is being argued pro
and con. Poor games, it is held,
would Immediately cause a. falling off
in the attendance which would defeat
the very purpose Of the owners.
Release Causes Surprise.
The release Of Harry Woiverton as
manager of the San Francisco team
of the Pacific Coast league came as
a distinct surprise as there had been
no intimation that anything of the
sort vas under consideration. VOL
verton brought the team out of a dol
drums when he took charge in 1915
and ended the season by landing the
championship 'pennant. While he
did not manage to hold or to the GOV
eted emblem last eason the team
played strongly all through the year
and always was a factor to be reck-
ened. IhlS year ne mas Dul!t mp a
machine which is playing smoothly
and at the present time is reckoned
as the favorite for the 1917 cham
pionship Of the coast. y
Wolverton. by thus making a team
that is a contender at all times for
first honors. has won the confidence
and esteem of the baseball public,
which accords him the major portion
Of the credit for putting it where it
is. 1t is notable that he is popular
with his men and has thorough con
troll over them. this discipline being
regarded as one of the factors which
has made for the Seals success. VOL
verton has beer actively connected
with professional baseball, both in the
major and minor leagues, for approx
imately twenty years and he has a
reputation as being n Of the best
posted men in the game in the coun-
try.
Henry Berry, owner Of the San
Francisco club. has stated that his
reason for disposins of Wolverton
was because of certain irreconcileole
business Disbursements between the
two. Wolverton's contract with the
San Francisco club which was for