The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-10-09
BALL MAGNATES
 UNSCRAMBLINC
 KNOTTY PROBLEM
Present System Renews Op- tions by January First and Contracts by
 Feb. First.

New York. Oct. 9.-Mator league baseball magnates face a knotty problem at the coming annual meet ing when they will be called upon to decide the status of the player at present under contract or reserve. Very few of the club owners hold the opinion, apparently, that 1t will be possible to resume league operations next Spring. If such proves to be the case and there are few indica- tons to the contrary, 1t would appear that the majority of players who fig ured in the 1918 pennant races will not receive contracts during the early months of next year.
 According to the present system 1t is mandatory upon the clubs to re- new their options or reserve clause 1 upon players not later than January each year and to follow this action by { mailing contracts to tho players not 1 later than February l. It is extreme ] ly doubtful if this procedure will be followed in 1919. Under the ordin- ary ruling a player who did not re- | celve his contract by March 1 would become a free agent and upon the re- sumption of big league baseball would be in a position to sell his service to 1 the highest bidder.
 It is understood, however, that the magnates will hold that the business of baseball was suspended under in structions from the government and that since the right to operate was be- yond their control all contracts and other legal phases are suspended au- tomatically. Under tllis construction the contract of the player carries over until such time as the govern ment gives consent for renewal of the busiIless of baseball. Thus if the professional leagues do not resume until 1920 the year of 1919 would be considered as non-existent in so far as it might affect a players contract.
 There is still another angle to the proposition which involves the mag mates and the two major leagues as individuals and cooperating business organizations. It might be held to be within their rights to refuse to ne- gotiate with or for the services of a player who, previously to the suspen- sion of the game, was the property of another club. If such action were generally adopted the player would be obliged to report back to his original club for a renewal of his contract or a release, if he desired to re-enter play in either of the big leagues.
 According to the latest reports from Venezuela baseball beats bull fight ing. From the American point oi view there is nothing remarkable ir such a statement. We always knew 1t did. But Pitcher Mutis of the Bo- rinquer Stars, the Porto Rican base ball club that recently visited Vene- zuela for a series of games, says that the sentiment has got hold In the South American Republic where fol centuries "la corrida de toros" has been the national sport. People there still go afternoons to see the "torea' dor" give the deadly thrust to his vic tim but a greater number attend tho morning baseball game and their en thusiasm at the "juago de pelota" i: more intense and continuous. The! bowl at the players and at each oth CT, convincing proof that the fan hal appeared in the South American re public As players, the natives hav' not reached Porto Rican standards they are rather weak fielders and bat ters. But throw! Ave Maria! Hoy they can throw. According to Mutis
 Walter Johnson and Iris Speake would sit up and take notice if the, saw the 'rVenezolanos" "tirando la pc lota."
 So great is the desire of the peopl
 of Caracas to learn the America,
 game that Mutis and one or two of hi
 companions were persuaded to remail
 after the series to teach enthusiast
 how to play it. It looks as If tn
 pitchers of the future may come fror
 Caracas or Maracaibo instead of tn
 Texas League.