The sun., 1918-07-31
NATIONALS TO HOLD
SPECIAL CONFERENCE
Parent Major League Will Dis
cuss Baseball Woes Here
Next Saturday.
By FREDERICK G. LIEB.

By FREDERICK G. LIEB.
Following a conference in which Pres
ident John X. Tener OF the National
League. Secretary John Heydler and
President Harry Hampstead OF the
Giaits participated, a call was sent out
Yesterday for a special meeting OF the
NJ tional League to be held here at 10
o'clock next Saturday morning.
Things are In a muddle in both the
major leagues and neither club owners
nor league officials know Just where they
stand. 1t is no exaggeration to say that
baseball is in it's worst predicament In
quarter of a century.
Questions of Cha nging the schedule. Sc
Letting a date to close the season ana
The advisability OF playing the worlds
series. are tho paramount questions the
National League officials will decide on
Saturday. To a certain extent whatever
the National League does next Saturday
can be only in the form OF suggestion.
as the schedule could not be changed
without first referring the matter to the
American League. Even the date OF
closing and the question of a worlds
series cannot be settled individually.
The National League directors will
likely suggest a Joint meeting with the
American League. as was held last
winter, but such a conference might
relations between the rival executives.
Tener and johnson.
worlds Series a Big Topic.
The question of the advisabllity Of
playing worlds series Is really the
most important before baseball at this
moment Tener yesterday made his po-
sition clear on this point. He says he
has not expressed himself as opposed to
the series in itself. Il believe the ques-
ton as to whether a series should be
played Is directly UP to the men who
have their money invested in the sport
and would not inject any personal
views into the matter said the former
Governor.
He went on to explain that the ques-
ton OF playing series was clVoely In
terwoven with the problem as to when
TO terminate the season. He said the
league should treat the question OF
worlds series after September ] with
great deal Of thought. He also declared
the leagues must be sure there is an
apparent demand for tho series before
deciding to play it
Discussing the same question, Presi-
dent Hampstead of the Giants. whose
team ia one OF the leading National
League contenders. expressed an opinion
somewhat similar TO that OF Tener. He
does not now take as strong stand Tor
the series as he did shortly after Sec
rotary Bakers reprieve was granted TO
baseball. He then believed the most I'M
pcrtant question before the major
leagues was to Immediately decide on
date for the worlds series.
Il am only one Of eight club owners,
and We all look at this worlds series
problem from different viewpoint said
Hampstead yesterday. My team may
be more concerned than most OF the
others as we feel we have spienolo
chance for the championship. but l am
willing to abide by whatever action the
National League decides IS Tor the oes'
int rests OF the game"
A despatch from Pittsburg last night
quotes Barney Dreyfuss as saying that
the National League will continue un-
Ill stopped by the Government, out
President Tener expressed no such sem
timents yesterday. On the other mana
he declared that Secretary Bakers Or
der should be punctiliously obeyed.
In Dreyfusss case 1t might be added
that Barney is all het up over the
climb Of his Pirates. He thinks II the
season could run until the regular clos
ing date in October his club would win
the pennant
The higher class Of baseball men
seem most anxious to avoid any posi-
hsllty Of getting another slap from
Washington. 1t is no secret that while
outwardly appearing pleased and CRATE
full for Secretary Bakers respite these
men. as patriotic men as can be found
IN any line Of business. feel the sting
keenly.
Attendance Falling OFF.
Men like Tener. Heydler, Hampstead,
Rupert. Griffth, Hickey and Comskey
were hurt deeper than the most raoid
baseball fan might imagine.
And the humorous thing about 1t,
though 1t Is by no means funny to
the club owners, is that they firmly be-
lieved they were operating patriotic
business. which was doing it's bit in
Keeping the national morale at high
pitch.
Whether Secretary Baker meant II or
not, he branded baseball as a Stacker
sport" and his arraignment Of the ma
tional pastime has done considerable
harm to it. That this view Is taken by
the fan may be seen from the wretched
attendance which has been noted at all
the parks since Bakers order went into
effect
Nowhere has this been more notice.
able than in New York. where the
Giant fans are the most numerous as
well as the most loyal of any in the
country. Last week less than 5000
attended a double header between the
Giants and the Cardinals. Last Mon
day, playing Plttsburg, a team in third
place and playing championship ball.
the crowd was scarcely 1000. Half
~ that consisted of service men, who
came in through the free gate.
Before the Baker finding in the Ain
smith case the Giants and Yankees
were playing to crowds which COM
pared favorably with their best turn
cuts before the nation went to war
Similar stories OF small crowds come
from the West-in Chicago, Cleveland
Detroit and 81. Louis where the Amer
ilan League clubs are now playing.
The public seems TO have lost its con-
hdence In the sport. not In its integrity
hH' in It's inability to weather the sea-
son.