New-York tribune., 1918-05-24

players that are not of draft age,
and if this cannot be done, there is
a possibility that our ball parks will
have to be closed, and the season
brought to all end.
"Since the draft or conscription
act has been effective we have been
operating with the understanding
that baseball was being encouraged
by the government, and players have
been responding as they have been
called under the provisions of the
draft in great numbers, and many
of them have volunteered.
Baseball also has been doing it's
share of war work in every way, and
baseball is only too glad to comply
with the new regulations, having
perfect confidence that it will not be
disseminated against by the govern
ment or any department. head"
AS supporting the assumption that
professional baseball will be DISRUPTED
by the new order, John A., Heydler.
secretary of the National League, said
at his Fortieth street Office yesterday:
There are about 1865 players in
the National League, about so per
cent OF whom are within draft age
Only, two of the clubs carry the limit
number of twenty-five players. The
remainder of the clubs are working
with a smaller number of men. If
Provost Marshal General Crowder's
order goes through, not a team in
the National League will be able to
play through to the end of the sea-
son and the league race will be auto
matcally stopped"
Statements similar to those issued
by President Tener and Secretary
Heydier were forthcoming from all the
recognized baseball heads who chose
TO comment upon the situation.
That there is some chance vet for
major league baseball was expressed
oy an American League executive who
found In the statement from the War
Department regarding baseball, tennis
and golf players some sense of Sc
curlty. This bulletin read:
NO ruling as to whether baseball
players or persons engaged in golf,
tennis or any other sports come
under the regulations regarding
,,olers and non-essential pursuits will
be made until specific case has been
appealed to the Provost Marshal
Generals Office
>, commenting upon this announcement
the American League executive said:
~ IS possible that sports are in
cIuded as non essential to impress
upon the general public the serious
ness OF the present situation. 1t NAV
De that IN due time some allowance
VIII be made for the relaxatory ef-
1ect OF baseball, particularly in that
we have understood that President
wilson has been outspoken in favor
of the league races.
1t was with the matter of the presi-
dents unofficial sanction that local
baseball authorities were most con
cerned. They cited the fact that dur
ing the mld-winter meetings Of the
MAJOR leagues it was determined to
carry on upon the assumption that
President Wilson was in favor of
baseball as an exhaust valve for the
public. 1t was declared that already
thousands of dollars had been spent
IN training trips and players salaries
that might have been saved had the
leagues originally decided to abandon
the races for the year, as they should
had they anticipated General Grow.
der's order.
Baseball Popularity Grows
They cited further the fact that the
popularity of baseball. gagged by the
attendance thus far, is ON the gain
In every enc of the big league cities
whose teams arc credtably repre-.
sented in either the American or Ma.
tiohai leagues there have been auspic-
ious attendances. This has been par.
ticularly noticeable in some cities, such
as Pittsburgh, an industrial centre
where the paid attendances of late sea
sons have been Improbable.
This augurs for a financially sue
oessful season, though the profits
which usually come during Luly and
August could not be had if tho league
races were abandoned after July 1. and
thus every major league owner would
suffer a monetary loss.
The condition in the majority of the
minor leagues, including the Interna-
tional. American Association, South
ern Association. Pacific Coast West
ern ana Eastern leagues. has been un-
usually precarious in that the scarcity
of labor in the smaller cities has rob
bed these leagues of their week day
support. They have lived by Saturday
and SUNDAY PATRONAGE alone. and no
week passes without the discontnuing