Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-10
MINOR BASKETBALL LEAGUES
HOLD FULL SWAY IN THIS CITY;
OFFICERS DESERVING OF PRAISE
Players Selfish Attitude to Blame for the
Eastern's Blow-up-For Themselves,
First, Last and All the Time

AIOW that the Eastern Basketball
IN League has decided to call it quits"
until next season, the minor leagues will
jump to the fore in this city. and those
desirous of witnessing the sport can see
excellently played games in the Amer
lean League. Industri3l League, or
Brotherhood League These organiza-
tons have encountered as difficult prop
ositions as the major organization, and
it speaks we'll for their officers that they
are "up there" as usual.
At many Eastern League games. not
only Greystock and De Neri, there were
small attendances-the real figures
would look shameful in print. and GER
tain digntaries took offense when II
was said the attendance was not up to
the usual standard.
Players are Unfair
And out of our personal experience
we warn the minors, especially the
American, not to ''go on the rocks by
lopsided payrolls.
That the big circuit has gone up Is due
to no one except the players. They
are for themselves first, last and always
When the magnates were taking IN
money with good houses they paid IT
all out and never squealed The play
ers received 1t ALL The war put a crlmp
into the game and yet these selfsame
players wanted something that was not
coming in and refused to accept any
less. Not only this. there were numer-
Gus instances of where they wanted con-
siderably more, one even demanding
three times as much as he had been
previously receiving.
When the question of amateurs was
being discussed at a recent meeting. Bill
Kennedy said: rs that what you call
them? I tried to sign one up who had
never seen big game and he only
wanted 500 a month"
We'll. we beat you" chimed in Doc
Helms. of Camden. IL tried to land one
and he requested the modest sum of
$3.50"
one Eastern League manager was
tickled to death in way that the league
had disbanded. because. he said. 1t may
teach these fellows a lesson.
Minors Beware!
When the Jasper club landed the
pennant of the Philadelphia League in
1901 with such players as Winsch, Cam
eron, Obermier, Mallon, Baltzel, Schwer
and Featherstone these men averaged
just $2,25 a night. When Fred Eek
hardt's Jaspers tied Trenton and PLAYED
19l1-12 the men all received 81 per. Two
years afterward, when Jasper won the
title. the payroll averaged two to three
times this amount.
Harry Schroyer, president of the In
dustrial League, is not receiving the
backing he should from the teams that
compose the organization. This is due
possibly to the fact that most of the
managers are In their first year at
league ball. Then maybe Nonpareil Hall
is trifie out of the way. but all these
little troubles are expected to be ironed
out in a few days.
Camden to Play Trenton
The remnants of the Eastern Basket
ball League, Camden and Trenton, will
clash this evening on the latter's floor In
the first of series of seven games for
the championship of New Jersey. They
were arranged on Saturday evening,
when 1t was decided to disband the
league for the season. The failure of
the managers TO get the players In line
made the move imperative.
Johnny Linton, of Jasper, yesterday
mailed to all his players checks for
the month The Jewel magnate ex-
pressed a willingness to re-enter the
league next season, but didn't care to
have his views expressed in print. The
uptowners were credited with dropping
out not alone from the attendance
standpoint, but Linton didn't care to
discuss the matter.
League with perfect record, having