The Washington herald., 1918-02-11
SMITH AFTER
GRIFF'S ROCKS
Atlanta Business Manager
After Pitcher and Out
fielder Of Nationals.

the Atlanta club Of the Southern As
sociation. wants to separate Grifr'
rom a couple Of pitchers and an OUT
fielder. Billy breezed into town last
night for q conference with the Old
Fox but got mighty little satisfaction.
sT don't know what I've got my
self." declared Griff, this draft bus
mess may rob me of several promis-
ing youngsters-I am In no position az
present to talk about selling players
IN fact I'm out to buy 'em-"
Smith Is on his way to the big meet
ing in New York He predicts tnat
the southern Association will have
prosperous season and bases his optn-
ion solely upon the extra rush OF bus
iness which has marked the progress
of every theater In Atlanta He saio:
everybody in Atlanta has money
IT'S the same throughout the South
Baseball Is sure to get q big play JUST
as the theaters have been getting; the
people want relaxation-something De-
sides this horrible war to relieve tneh
minds and they are just bound 10
turn to baseball"
Ray Morgan, the watch charm sec
md sacker of the Nationals, was on
q 1QTTleu nCAC yCoNNAN-Sf
never got in touch with Boss Grl1-
f,th. Morgan has not yet signed his
contract for 1918, but he Is by no
mean. a hold-out. He claims that the
Old Fox and himself understand one
another and that he will fall In line
long before the whistle blows for the
southwark journey.
Morgan is in the best Of shape, as
he has gained but little weight and
claims that he will be ready when
the gong sounds to play the old key
stone sack. Ray has been making
more efforts this season. to- stay IN
shape than at any other time in his
career. A daily training period at the
Central Y. NJ. c. AZ in the Monumental
City has keep down the poundage OF
the Baltimore infielder. and 1t Will
not be surprising to see him report In
better shape than any OF griffith
veterans.
One of the big debates which Will
come before both meetings OF the
American and National Leagues III
NeU York, this week. will be the COM
pulsory drilling Of the members OF
the teams of each circuit. The opln-
ion of the moguls differ on the ques-
tion. but it is reported that the ma
iority in each League are in favor oi
continuing, and the holding OF
competitive drill during the month oil
August. The question may not be de-
cided before either body but VIII d
left to a ruling of the National Com
mission.
Last season when Ban B. Johnsor
issued the drill orders for the team,
he M
hers OF most of the clubs were in
cIined to take 1t as a joke but when
drfllmasters started appearing on the
scenes. thing went along more seri-
ously. During the middle of the sea
son every player in the league agreed
that they enjoyed the work.
II the ruling Is handed down, there
will be a wild scramble for drillmas'
tiers, as at present good drill sergeants
are badly needed by Uncle Sam, tc
nut the finishing touches on oul
first national army and to start the
rockies off in the second national
army. which Is at present being
raised.
John Heydler, secretary of the Ma
tional League, issued a list OF the nu'
merous changes made in the new ma
tionaI agreement, recently drawn VI
by the National Commission. Most oi
the work was done by August Herr
mann, chairman Of the commission.
The object Of the new national
agreement was to rectify and correct
faults which developed during the thir'
teen years the old national agreement
was in force. 1t also gives the minol
leagues some of the reforms they re
duested a year ago. and, though the
agreement no longer recognizes the
Players Fraternity. it gives the play
ers all the concessions granted then
while their organization was factol
in baseball.
It also provides for voluntary re
tired list. in which classification are
placed players who have been drafted
or have enlisted. Such players do moi
count against the player limits Of theil
respective clubs, -Heydler's statement
follows:
The new national agreement for tht
government OF organized baseball wal
recently promulgated to all leagues
and clubs, and is now operative
throughout the country. The docu
nent carries the signatures of B. b
johnson and John K. Tener, represent
ing the two major leagues, party oi
the first part, and N. H. Sexton, presi'
dent of the Association Of Minol
Leagues, party OF the second part. The
revision was mostly the work Of Chair
man Hermann, Of the National Com
mission.
In disputes between a major ant
minor league club, the president
and secretary of the minor league
shall sit with the National Commits,
sion.
Players purchased or repurchaset
by a major from q Glass AA clut
may remain with the latter unit
the end of its season
The forty-five-day probationary
clause in contracts OF young play
ers. by which they could not in that
period receive q salary larger thar
IS per cent,increase on their minol
league salary. Is abolished.
Whenever in its judgment eithel
major league decide changes ir
the playing rules are necessary, q
meeting must be called of q rule!
committee of three from each majol
league and one minor league, no
later than March 1. The president.
of the major leagues will sit al
ternately as chairmen OF this com
mittee.