Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-07
PROFESSIONAL BALL
 WILL BE RESUMED
 IN MAJOR LEAGUES
General March Advises That War Department Secs No Reason Why
 Professional Ball Not Be Resumed.

Chicago Dec. 4.-The positive an- nouncement that professional base ball would he resumed in the major leagues next season with government sanction, was made by President Ban Johnson of the American League to- day.
 President J3hnson's announcement was made after he had received a letter from General March, Chief of Staff of the army, who advised that the War Department, under present conditions, could see no reason why the game should not be resumed.
 The War Department closed us down last September, by declaring baseball non-essential, and 1t was only proper that the departmen; should be consulted in regard to our plans for re-opening," president Johnson said. Consequently, I put the entire situation before General March for his approval"
 General Marchs reply to the Am erican League executive follows:
 q have your letter of November 30th, concerning the resumption of baseball next year, and would ad- wise you that the War Department,
 
 reason why the game should not be ual regular schedule.
 Tt is our policy to muster out of service as rapidly as possible all / men now ill the United States, who number some l,7G0,CoO, and we are returning fro maroad for the pur- pose of discharge numer of men which is only limited y the shipping at our disposal.
 Unless there arc some changes in the situation, which now seem inn possile, there is no reason known to us why the great national game should not be continued as usual next year. The wholesale efefct of a clean and honest game like baseball Is very marked and it's discontinu- ance would be great misfortune
 President Johnson understands that the stars of baseball who joined the service among them Ty Cobb, pitcher Alexander. Benny Kauff, Hank" Gowdy and others will be among the first to receive their discharge so they will be able to join their clubs on the spring training trips. Cobb is captain in chemical diviison now in France.
 Definite plans fer the resumption of the game will be launched at the annual meeting of the major leagu- es this month. Tho National League will hold it's session in New York on December 10th and the American League, in all probability, will con- vene in Chicago, two days later.
 President Johnson said he did not believe there would he joint ses- sion of the leagues. although the Ma tional League had requested it. Con- mittees from the two organizations, together with a committee from the National Association of Minor Lea gnes, probably will meet soon after the sessions of the majors to settle a number of questions of policy con- fronting them.
 The minor leagues, at their annual convention in Peoria, Ills, two weeks ago, demanded that the major leagues relinquish the right to draft their star players and also urged d number of other reforms.
 Many Major Players in Army.
 More than one-half of the baseball players who composed the eight clubs of the National League for a greater part of the championship season of 1918 are, or were up to the time the war ended, with the colors. Some saw actual fighting, two were killed in Uncle Sam's service. and the men were represented in pretty much ev- cry branch of the service.
 There were considerably more than half with the colors-a fraction over GA per cent, to be explicit Data which John Heydler, acting president of the National League, has just fi- nished, show that 1O3 of its players lv apart from those who went into essential work It means men in an- tvaI service tith the Army or Navv-
 The total number of r1ovars TO- served for the season of 1a1S.' was 257. which nnrohar ;ncidan+o,1v hss heen reduced to 15S. eo~ 1o1o r~o~, Nav 15 to the end of tue 1o1e cn-. san tha aipht Nat;onal O. one n,,,h- c"wr;nd an avoraoa of from 1Sn to 16n n1ava~s One hnrdred ord th~oo --tha nn~,har in thu corv;oo--;c e and 8 fraction ra~ cent of 1e0 tho ev+rar,ia limit of s,oon ca~r,oc j.ro-~. Nav 1 on {.
 ..Thore ic nothing whn tauar ;n thacn fsonrae suggestive of slacker .as an- riied to n~ofess'onal hasa~al, r,av. nrs as ia class On tho cont~arv, tho showing is an .avcal'ent orn and D crAdit tn the game I've n,ave-e os tho National Taaene' did +hair eh,~a fully as fghti"o men Tha statict'os show that s"The facts nrohn h,v aro'' aays Acting Presiden. Hevdler. who is given sto cons Arvative statemen's 'that baseball saye az. e'reat if not greater ner cent. of Sits employees HhSn pnv other cccllnatton" 45 A halt dozen 'n,er or so ipr,ned to shipvard and steel leagues hut twan- ty times that number were. or ;a-.. to he found in Army camns in Navy yerds. on fishting ships or in the ar- mics abroad.
 The 193 men in the service were anD0ytioned as follows: Arr,v fdrafted). AZ: Army (volnntenred\ 00s Navy (vrN1u~foorodl o,,;c&;o,,