New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-31
Draft Is Sure
To Play a Big
Rolein Baseball
Government Will Call Stars
and Major Leagues
Will Strip Minors

= Il,
~ On next year. Governor Tener
"a Ran johnson, as we'll as various
= the club owners, have recently
.irsn assurance that the game VIII VII
= played next season unless eond,.
.;o,s develop which will positively
prohibit it. thew are re.
liking that war is all that sherman
' aIsIi 4 was, and while sequesterins
, e t,s = customary winter oblivion the
- ~ who handle the reins, and IKE
me. The money. sre making plans
~ some radical changes for wna'
~. consider the most uncertain sea-
son In many years
4 Double Meaning :,
?. {. The opinion Of most baseOSii
80, .h,. the draft is going 70 nsufe
r,r7 prominently in baseball De' .ss
,.r, y.ss, and in this instance Wv
sr.s. has a double meaning. The gov
.--.ot will undoubtedly draft heavily
men ball players before another spring
oils around, and IS a measure OF re
,ri,l for self-preservation the DIG
;.,gu., will have TO draft heavily on
the minor league players to I'll the
ranks. -,
In this manner the big leagues VIII
he kent in operation, but as conse-
ov.nee many minor leagues when
ges,hered the last season Will pc prSc'
ti,slly put out Of business.
Baseball a Bit Backward
Baseball as yet has not made any
considerable contribution in men to the
army. Comparatively few ball players
b,vo either volunteered OF been draft
ID. Many Of them escaped the draft
during the summer because they had
drawn high numbers and were NOT
called. Hank Gowdy was the only big
league player deliberately 10 quit base
ball to 20 into the army.
But baseball men see big inroads
being made on their talent By the new
ruling on the selective draft Law, by
which the men have been classified.
Single men and those without depend
ants are to be drawn first. AS a result,
many players who escaped last summer
will be taken into the army on the next
draft, and the result undoubtedly will
MAKE IL necessary to rebuild many o.
The CLUBS.
Rotn New York clubs stand TO lose
tome men by such action. McGraw may
lose Benny Kauff and one or two other
men, while the Yankees may be de-
prived Of Pipp, Gilhooley and Shocker.
Such Il blow would be a staggering ono
10 the Yankees.
The plan to recruit from the minor
leagues. which was talked over by
Ban Johnson and Ed Barrow as early
Is last summer, would keep the big
leagues afoat, though the standard
would be slightly lowered. But the
major leagues would still represent the
best there was in the country.
II is not expected that many minor
leagues below Class A will even at
tempt 10 open their gates next year.
Many Of the smaller organizations quit
daring the past season with heavy
financial losses, while others that fin
ished will not attempt 70 operate until
he war is over. So the big leagues
will have plenty OF material TO draw
from, and ball players are liable TO be
drug rather than q scarcity on the
market.
War Contracts
From now on war contracts are going
10 have an entirely different meaning,
according 10 the club owners who are
aow trimming sail for next year. Where
he Federal League wartime contracts
we're highly inflated, the new war con-
tracts will be reduced IN like proper
ton.
Practically the last Of the war con-
tracts that sbounded in the Federal
League days expired this year. very
few remain in force. And II is certain
hat none of those which expired will
Uer be renewed at anything like the
tgures in the original. Ball players
Will hardly expect such renewals. There
has been hint that the Players ira
t.rnity would show new signs OF NE
his winter II big cut was made In
salaries, but club owners hardly an
aelpste any trouble from that source.
There is no question but that sal
aries will be cut next year" said one
club owner. "We have to cut salaries
Y We expect to play ball next year, and
he players will have to be contented
With smaller salaries IL they want TO
I Play a. all. II Is not a question OF
aking advantage Of the players but
Of promoting the game. And 1t was
act to be expected that the big con-
uaets would be renewed"
But four players on the entire Yankee
team have contracts that carry them
INTO next season. AL the others ex-
pred this Year. Among them were
nose OF Ray Caldwell, Ray Fisher and
Aaisel. Caldwell drew $4,000 last sea-
son, minus fines, and won thirteen out
twenty-nlne games. Fisher drew
1900, and won less than half his
games, while Maisel had his worst year
n the big leagues, finishing the sea-
Sn with a batting average Of .1s1.
None OF these players will look for
renewals at anything like those figures.
okcourse at this time Of the year,
snn sprng long way off and the air
aliec With war talk, there are apt 10
many plans proposed which will
sever be carried out. But the club
yl.ness are making every effort 10 cut
.neH Operating expenses from 25 to
!" per cent. and this will mean big
sais IN salaries as the first item. II
10y mean, too. the end OF luxurious
HEelilng conditions. which have pre-
sHea IN the major leagues, at least
sven hotels, taxis and private cars
sy De abandoned as part OF the reg
st isre for the coming year. At least
-, Is the threat Of some magnates
"hs present time.
II PIssidsnt uinLau IL L.