New Britain herald., 1918-07-23

busy pickering and calling each other
names. The national commission kept
laboring under the suppositiop that
Mr. Bakers known friendlineSs toward
the game was safeguard enough.
When the secretary of war some ten
days ago declared that he was f.-or-
ably disposed toward the rnai0r
leagues the commission started 20 take
final nap for itself as far as the in
terests of the game were concerned.
The ruling last Friday caught organ
lied baseball asleep at the switch.
John Bruce still was busy getting
players afidavits and preparing the
brief which is to be submitted to Mr..
Baker and General Crowder today.
There is no getting away now from
the fact that a thorough hOuseclean-
ing is needed in the commission.
What Drcyfuss Says.
, The method of doing things pur-
sued in the major leagues lacks even
the semblance of efficiency. With the
major leagues fighting for their very
existence one would suppose that they
would get together in spite of all pre-
vious differences between them or
their presidents Instead they scam
ingly have decided to go at the thing
Independently.
from Pittsburg that Barney
Dreyfuss had announced that
under no circumstances would the
National League act with the Ameri-
can The Tener organization is to
act altogether independently. We
heard last Saturday night that the
National League was playing 'possum
that it was waiting for the Ameri-
can League to announce a suspension
before goobling up the players made
available thereby and continuing the
schedule We doubt if the National
League ever entertained any such
idea. If the American League found
it advisable to suspend because Of
Mr.. Bakers ruling tho National would
not have the face to stay in the field.
The National League meeting which
was to be held here Tomorrow, yes
terday was shifted to Pittsburg, and
will be held today. The club owners
will be able to do little, for, like the
American League, they will have to
mark time until the final decision
comes from Washington.
About TOncy.
That the New Y ork National League
club faces the future With confidence
was demonstrated last night when Nc
Graw closed deal for the cash pur-
chase of Fred Toney the pitcher,
form the Cincinnati club. It was re-
ported that the New York club had
gone as high as So, 600 for the right
handler The Cubs are leading the
Giants by only three games and seem
TO be slipping. Charley Hollocher al
ready has left the club, Bill Killifer
is due to join the army any day and
several other players are reported to
be on the fence as the result of Mr..
Bakers decision. The Giants have
assured McGraW of their decision to
stand by him until they are forced to
quit the field. In view of the i'm prov
ed situation at Washington and con-
ditions in the league, the chances of
the Giants seem to he quite roseate.
The acquisition of Toney is part OF
movement started some time ago
by McGraw to strengthen his pitching
staff. Bob Steele appears to be a
real find for the Giants and TOneY is
very likely to return to winning form.
AS member of the Reds this season
Toney won only one out of ten games.
Just what the attitude Of the New
York fans toward Toney will be re-
mains to be seen. II will be remem-
bered that last spring Toney was
tried on the charge Of draft lodging,
and later another serious charge was
made against him.