The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-21
MAJOR LEAGUE CLUBS
TO RtTRtNCH IN 1878

New York, Oct 20.--From present
Indications spring training operations
to tho sixteen major league ball clubs
will be conducted on very modest
scale in 1918.
the heavy expense OF taking a big
squad of bali players to the sunny
Southland has caused talk OF curtail-
ments along this line for several years.
but because Of the hard knocks base
ball has taken In q financial way ana
tho uncertainties Of what the futue
holds for the game owing to the world
war, there In little chance that the
club owners will be ready TO spend
money lavishly next spring.
A forerunner of the retrenchment
policies of major league owners was
found in the draft last Septem pei,
when ths major league clubs drafted
fewer players than for the past ten
years. The Chicago White Sox, Tor
instance. ala not draft a single player.
Neither ala the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Several other clubs drafted only one
or two men. and before spring train
ing time arrives next March there Is
a chance that some OF the drafted
players will be turned back.
The annual report of the national
rom n,fss,on, showing the players pur-
chased from the minor leagues by
major league clubs between the dates
of the 1918 and 1917 drafts. showed a.
totai of f27 players who were taken
by the big leagues under approved
Agreements. other than optional con-
tracts. In this list the Boston Rcd
Gox ala not obtain a single player by
the purcha Sc route, while the Boston
HrayeS got but one, The draffed
PLAYERS totaled thirty-three. twelve or
whom were drafted by American
Iearus clubs and twenty-one by CLUBS
IN the National league
In all the major leagues secured
total OF 100 players, including ooth
,hosA purchased for trial and those
drafted last month. or this numo Der
II IN said that not more than hrty per
cent will nc taken South next sprfng'
The cost Of taking major league
club to its training camp ana main
tanning Il until the opening OF the
hsv isaw,,e seasor is heavy. tn. aver
are cost Of a training trip IL about
400. and the clubs which take lons
trims spend In the netghhorhood OF
$4,000
Through the riaving Of exhibition
raues t., minor league towns the o'g
league clubs mana se 10 pick up Few
hundred dollars ON their way oack
fraxa the training camps. hut they SCI
dom ta9fe In more than sixth or the
total cost
Of The sixteen major league e'uhs
I. is proNaN rio that st least tan VIII
take much smaller squads South next
March than they have taken III the
mast stx nr sever years. only the
best looking recruits win make the
trips.
Aiorr the Same lines--the lines or
-etrenct7 m emit IL Timely to men
ton here that the opening OF the
major league seasons next year may
rs get for a later date than ever be-
fore,
A number ~ American league play
ora ard naEnates have predicted thar
this step will he taken at tho annuai
~s$r,e Affrey Of Ran Tohnsom's, sseEna tes
rita winter, and II is sure 20 com
nm ~ tho meeting OF the National
league
Charley E-obets. who has fought Tor
.sysral wears 10 secure a later open
ing date Will be on>hand at the COM
Ing National league confae with
facts and figures to show the fool
hardness OF deSstng early spring
weather. and the club owners VIII
have to listen. The fact that there
we're more than sixty-nve postpone
rnnts in the two big leagues during
the nrst SIX weeks of play Is expect
"a to have a heavy influence with the
r,uo owners who have baked at me
plan In the past.