New-York tribune., 1918-07-15
Baseball Held
A Non-Essential
In First Ruling
Massachusetts, Board Re-
fuses Redistribution of
Catcher Henry

BOSTON, July 14.-Baseball was
classed as non-essential productive oc-
cupation by the Brighton local draft
board to-day i'll deciding a test case
brought by John Parker Henry, catcher
for the Boston National League base
ball team, against Provost Marshal Cen
eral Crowders "work or fight" rules.
The board found that the amount of
relief from war strain furnished by the
game was overestimated by the regis
trant in his affidavit, and that base
balls financial contribution to the war
was no larger materially than the VOL
untary sacrifices of "many millions Of
citizens"
All the three members of the board
are agreed in the finding that baseball
IS a productive occupation, but cne
Of them, Justice Thomas H. Connolly,
recommends that Henry be not re-
quired TO change his occupation on the
ground that he could not do so with
out substantial financial loss to him
self or others"
Henry, Justice Connolly finds. is paid
$3.50 a month for playing baseball and
"is not qualified to take up any other
occupation which, from a financial
standpoint, would be comparable to the
compensation he receives in his present
occupation"
Justice Connolly also interprets
jured by Henry's removal from the
game to include not only dependent
members of his family, but also his
employers.
The majority of the board. in dis
putting Henry's claim that baseball ia
necessary as affording needed recrea-
ton and in contributing to the conduct
OF the war by taxes, the purchase Of
Liberty bonds and other contributions.
say,
the business of the registrant's en-
ployers is secondary to the winning of
we war, and that they must necessar-
ny expect to make some sacrifice. that
the financial welfare of the registrant, I,
is amply provided for in q manufacture
ing business located in Amherst, Mas.
which he controls, and that he and
they must necessarily expect to share
IN the sacrifices that are being de-
manded Of American citizens: that the
amount of recreation and relief from
stress and strain derived from base
ball by those who are not poinr to
war or who are not employed in lines
or industry that will contribute to the
winning of the war is greatly overesti-
mated by the registrant, and, finally.
snat the proportion Of the earnings Of
himself and his employers that goes
INTO war taxes, Liberty bonds and other
war contributions is in no material
measure larger than that Of many mill
IONS Of citizens who already contrib
uted generously not only with their
money bat with their flesh and blood +"
The board states that it made care
full inquiry into the measure Of recre-
alton furnished by big league baseball
and found that only 10 per cent of the
seating capacity of the Boston, Pitts
burgh and st. Louis baseball parks was
taken UP at the games on July >, and
that on the holiday, July 4, the seating
capacity used was only 33 per cent
The board covers the district in
which Braves Field, the home of the
Boston Nationals, is situated and sub
mits its finding to Henry's home draft
board in Amherst, which is to decide
further upon Henry's status. 1t con-
cludes its finding with the statement
that 1T is reluctant to recommend the
withdrawal of his deferred classifica-
ton and order number because of lack
of more intimate information of the
kind of dependency in his case and of
his connection with his manufacturing
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