New-York tribune., 1918-03-28
Montreal and Buffalo Are
Biggest Problems in
Reorganizations
By w. ]. Macbeth

The intentional League may be dead
as so many of our brilliant critics have
been claiming some weeks past, but il
SO the death is that transition of which
the poets speak When the baseball
season rolls around it is quite likely tc
be found that all the old promoters
or at least most Of them-will be doing
business at the old stands
1t is very doubtful if the eight club
circuit, which carried the brunt of the
fight against the late Federal outlaws
will operate under the name which has
distinguished it since it rose to the
rank of Glass AA rating Also it is
doubtful if the association will seek tc
90 business along such an elaborate
scale as heretofore. 1t may sacrifice
some of its dignity of rank to maintain
an unbroken front against the wolves
Of business depression
The international League magnates
oeVoted yesterdays session to putting
their house in order They will meet
again this n.orning at $3.50 to Arrange
an elght-club circuit. Certain changes
mist be made toward territorial re-
adjustment, and some of the problems
confronting the "Fighting Eight" are
still gravely chaotic. But after yes
terday's meeting there was evidenced d
on every hand the spirit and breath
OF optimism. 1t was easily seen that
lhe majority had every confidence that
order would be reestablished before
the present conference adjcurns.
Six Ready to Go On
=, None of the m~gnates would discuss
lne possible circuit changes, at least
not Tor offl~ial publication. But it
mas s, oeen learned on absolutely reliable
authority that at least six of last sea
sons clubs G ready to nroceed mo-
Vl~ed the circuit is financed along war
time economical lines. Buffalo and
-Montreal present the major problems
M Montreal is undesirable because OF
ITS isolation. But Sammy Lichten.
heln, who has hung on grimlv THROUGH
the lean years and who is as game a
promoter as can be found in ORGANIZED
baseball, does not relish the idea Of
Delng counted out if his fellow mag
mates proceed. He is relying on the
future, OF course-the time to come
wien the war mas ended. Sammy
however, is loyal to the game and viii
not pursue a hard headed opposition
to elimination if it can be proven 10
his satisfaction that Montreaps ab.
scnce would benefit the common cause
Another vexing problem confronts
the international band in the CITY ii
Buffalo. That club some time ago was
declared bankrupt. At a sheriff's sale
a syndicate of business men of the
Bison City bid in the franchise over
the head of Joseph j. Lannin, who for
telted the franchise. Apparently thi.
was some sort of hold-up scheme for
which the willy Joe would not fall. He
attended the sale with an option on the
park property in his pocket, and when
ne failed in his effort to bid in the
franchise as matter of self-protec-
ton he Immediately closed for title to
the grounds.
Buyers Are Stung
Those who bought the franchise
were stung. The National Commission
has just declared free agents all the
Buffalo players because of the fact
that their salaries for the closing
weeks of the 1917 campaign were un-
paid. This action of the National
Commission has been resented by In
ternational League club owners and by