The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-23
BASEBALL PLAYERS
PRESSED To ENLIST
National League Asks Its Athletes 90
Offer Their Services for the War
In Some Branch of Service.
GAME. TO BE CONTINUED
President Tener Says PastiIne Need
Not Suffer If Men of Draft Age Join
Army.

The National league has made an
important announcement. in which it
called upon its players to offer their
services unreservedly to the United
States. This announcement came as
Il result of a midnight meeting, which
was held by the owners last week on
the eve of their going to Chicago for
the joint meeting with the American
league. This attitude was adopted by
the league I'm the form of a resolution
In which it was stated that the league
believed that the game should go on
las long as the welfare OF the country
admitted of its continuance, but
should not stand In the way of the
young athletes entering the service OF
the government.
The action of the national league,
in calling upon it's players to offer
their services to the army and navy,
comes as a direct rebuT to the sug-
gestion made by President Ban John
son, of the American league, few
weeks ago that the government be
asked to exempt eighteen players from
each of the major league clubs. With
out authority, President johnson In
eiuded not only his own organization
| but also the National league iii his
intimation and reused the ire of the
National league club owners, especial
" President Tener, who Immediately
denied that It had ever been the in
tention of the older league to ask for
such exemptions. The resolution of
the National league follows;
Resolved, That the stress OF mind
and body. incident 10 a. war OF the
magnitude of this, with its resultant
spiritual depression, requires as an
antidote and corrective the continu-
ance Of all sane and normal forms of
recreation and diversion; and
Believing that, of all such, base
ball is the most important and bene-
fetal. 1t is our purpose to continue
and foster it as long at least as the
welfare of our country shall admit OF
its continuance: and
Resolved. That. at the same time,
we have soiemnly in mind the prt-
mary and paramount demands of the
hour; and. indeed. 1t is our wish that
the young and virile manhood Of the
profession OF baseball shall offer itself
unreservedly and enthusiastically to
the service of the great league of al
lied nations in this hour of its need
Corrccts Wrong Impression.
The Indifference with which profess
sional baseball players, as a class,
have regarded enlistment and the
draft has placed the game in bad
light The many reasons which were
put forth for their exemption and the
cry of some of the club owners that
they weuld have to keep all their men
10 ~ret-ln the high, standard OF the
game. mas caused baseball players to
u Yfer1%t xsfa 4ui~es
Not only has the best element
among the players resented this but
also the club owners. There have
been a few who advised their players
to do nothing until they were forced
Ito, but this element among the base
ball men constituted a minority. AS
soon as the players realized the un-
favorable light in which they had
been placed before the public, many
OF them volunteered for service. Hank
Cowdy, of the Boston Braves, left the
Boston team last summer and enlisted
in the national guard in Ohio. but he
was the only player who left the
game last season. Gowdy Is in France
now.
Within the last few weeks there
has been a great change in the atti-
tude OF both the players and the club
owners. Captain Huston, part owner
of the Yankees, was one of the first
TO respond TO the country's call. and
he is now in France. 1t was not until
this week, however, that any of the
players of the Yankees entered the
service.
Baseball players are especially suit
ed for military service and as in the
case of Bin O'Hara, the former Giant
player could be developed into valu-
able soldiers especially adapted to
throwing hand Rrenades Within the
last two weeks players OF nearly every
club in both OF the major leagues
have entered the service, and before
the season opens neSt April II Is be-
lieyed that the national game Will be
well represented.
Baseball I'm No Danger.
The cry OF the club owners that
enlistments and the draft would
wreck the game il now regarded as
a faliacy. The best judges of the
game believe that all clubs will be
affected alike by enlistments and the
draft, and that the ranks can easily
be filled with players who are under
the draft age and veterans who have
retired from the majors to otherr
leagues. President Tener, for one,
does not believe that any one club will
be so powerful next spring as to make
the pennant race one sided. Condi-
tions will develop players who under
normal conditions would never have
had chance TO play in the big
leagues.
CONVERTS BUNGALOW