Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-15

At Brighton. Mass.-Deelares Con.
! tinuance Of Such Occupations Sec
| ond AIRY to the Winning Of the War
Relief Afforded BY Game Great
! ~ Overesti:nated
! Boston. July 14-Baseball was
! classed a reproductive occupati
by the Brighton local draft board to-
! day in deciding test case brought
| by John Park Henry. catcher for the
Boston National league baseball team
against Provost Marshal General
Crowder's work or fight" rules. The
board found that the amount Of relief
from war strain furnished by the
game was over estimated by the reg
istrant in his affidavit and that base
halls financial contribution to the
war was not larger materially than
the voluntary sacrifices of many
millions of citizens
All three members of the board are
agreed in the finding that baseball is
a nom productive occupation. but enc
of them, Justice Thomas II. Connolly,
recommended that Henry be not re-
CURED to chance his occupation be-
cause he could not do so without
substantial financial loss to himself
or others"
Henry. justice Connolly finds. is
paid $3.50 a month for playing base
ball and is not qualified to take up
any other occupation which. from a
financial standpoint, would be com
parable TO the compensation he re-
ceives in his present occupation"
Justice Connolly also interprets
Others would be financially injured
by Henry's removal fror, 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 is
necessary as affordirg needed recrea-
ton and in contributing to the con-
duct of the war by taxes, the pur-
chase Of liberty bonds and other con-
trlbutions. say:
We believe that the continuance Of
the businesses of the registrant's en-
ployers is secondary to the winning of
the war and that they must necessarily
expect to make some sacrifice; that the
financial welfare OF the registrAnts Is
empty provided for in manufactyI ing
business located at Amherst. Mass.
which he controls. and that he and they
must necessarily expect to share in the
sacrifices that are being demanded of
American citizens: that the amount OF
recreation and relief from stress and
strain derived from base oall by those
who are not going to war, or who are
not employed in lines of Industry that
will contribute to the winning Of the
war. is greatly over-estimated by the
regstrant and. finally. that the pronor-
ton OF the earnings of himself AMI his
employers that goes into war taxes
Liberty bonds and other war contrilu-
tons is in no material measure larger
than that Of many millions Of citizens
who have already contributed generous
ly not only with their money but witt,
their flesh and blood"
The board states that 1t made careful
inquiry into the measure Of recreation
furnished by baseball From Walter
Hapsood, business manager Of the Ros-
ton National League club, it learned
that the seating capacity of the four
baseball parks in which the eight teams
of the league played games on July 3
and 4-New York. Boston, Pittsburs and
st. I-ous-was 10000
From the newspaper reports of at
tendance figures it found that only
ten per cent of the seating capacity
of these parks was taken up with
the games on July 3 and that on
the holiday, July 4, the seating ca
pacity was only 50 per cent.
To Henry's request that he be ac-
corded the same consideration
granted others engaged in theatri-
cal and amusement enterprises the
board quotes General Crowder's "a.
ceptions from those engaged in "le-
gitlmate concerts, operas, Or theat-
rical performances In no way.
the board continues. does Henry
lead them to believe that profession
al baseball is a concert (either in a
musical or literary sense) an oper.
ate performance (either grand or
comlc) or theatrical performance
OF any Of the well established varie-
ties Neither are we led to believe
that he is idle. and on that account
subject to the withdrawal Of his de-
ferred classification and order num-
her"
The board. which covers the dis
trlct in which Braves Field, the
nome Of the Boston Nationals, is
situated, submits its findings to
Henrys home draft board in Am
nerst, which is to finally decide
Henrys status. with the statement
mat it is reluctant to recommend
the withdrawal of his deferred clas-
siflcation and order number because
OF the lack of more intimate infor-
nation Of the condition of DEEPEN
oency In his case. and of his con-
nection with his manufacturing
business.