New-York tribune., 1919-01-11
Busy
HeadoftheN Acknowledged
Also Opposes Draft Change
Willing to Meet Minors
Half Way, but Says
They Are Disunited
By Charles A. Taylor

John A Heydler, president Of the
National League, returned from the
Middle West yesterday after wrestling
with numerous baseball problems and
few snowstorms. During his alb
sence from this city Mr.. Heydler had
occasion to attend meeting of the
National Commission and a gathering
of the schedule committee of the two
major league. 1t is but nstural,
therefore, that he should be fairly
brimming with views and gossip on the
national pastime.
One great question which the powers
of baseball must decide very soon and
decide wisely has to do with the future
of the minor leagues, which were SO
hard hit by the war. Only a few of the
minors were able to weather the storms
of last season, and even with the re-
turn of peace they are worrying greatly
as to what their lot may be this com
ing baseball year.
They feel that large part Of the
burden they have been laboring under
even in pre-war times was due to the
draft system, and it is their chief plea
now that this system be abolished.
According to Mr.. Heydler ne and his
associates in the government of base
ball recognize that the miners have
just cause for complaint in some re-
spects, but the head of the National
was opposed to the abolition of the
draft, as he felt such action would de-
stroy the ambition to advance to the
big leagues among the younger players.
The committee from the minors,
which met the National Commission
few days ago, failed to put up a united
front, Mr.. Heydler says, and Until they
do get together the baseball rulers
will be helpless in the way Of giving
aid Mr.. Heydler hopes that the meet
ing Of the minor leagues, which IS
scheduled for this city on January 10,
the day before the joint confab of the
big leagues, will go far toward smooth
ing over this difficulty.
AS regards the one-man commission,
in behalf of which the National
League took firm stand at its last
meeting in this city, Mr.. Heydler said
he and his league were of the same
opinion still. If the American League,
however, declines to support the older
organizations view, the result will
naturally be deadlock, as Mr.. Heyd-
ler puts it.
One reform seemingly is most ur,,
League boss. He took determined
stand yesterday against the practice,
which is becoming more and more prev
alent, of outright sales of star play
ers by one club to another. The dis
posal Of Alexander and Killifer, the
brilliant battery of the Phillies, to the
Chicago Cubs, was the latest Of these
incidents to give weight to Mr. Heyd
ler's views.
The leader of the National League
feels that the time has come to stop
this sort of thing. "A trade between
two clubs is all right" says Mr.. Heyd-
ler, "but these outright sales are a
positive injury to baseball"
Mr.. Heydler also stated that he was
in favor of different distribution of
the world series "spoils," through
which the players engaged would re
ceive certain percentage of the. re
ceipts. He is not opposed to the clubs
the two leagues sharing as they did
last year.
Mr.. Heydler said It had been def
nitely decided to hold the coming joint
meeting of the two majors at the
Hotel Biltmore, this city. A special
meeting of the National League will
take place here on January Is, the day
preceding the big show. According to
Mr. Heydler, Major Branch Rickey
will be allowed to sit in the National
League meeting, the head of the
league holding that the case of
Hickey differs materially from that Of
Fred Mitchell, who was barred from
the last league meeting because of the
fact that he was both president of the
Chicago Cubs and manager of the
Louis Cardinals, but is not yet recog
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