New Britain herald., 1919-11-26
OPENLY DEFY COMMISSION
pecree Against Exhibition Games Has Been Much Abused

New York, Nov 26.-That old fla hiliar saying While the cats away . he mice will play" has been changed his fall to When the magnates scrap he ball players make hay"
 Several years ago the National com hission adopted a stringent rule gainst major league players taking art in exhibition games after the laying of the championship season Originally this rule applied only to the layers who were on the worlds Championship agSregations, but later was promulgated to include all play rs. Fines as high as $100 were plastered n players for taking part in exhibi- lon games against the commissions S rders. The commission drowned on III fall barn storming trips, and the Rnly trips sanctioned were those, which Eere arranged by the officers of club tself and in which the entire team look part
 Though this rule of the commission ever has been repealed it was violat- Id during the present fall as never be- ore. Few ball players paid any at ention to it. and any player who could iCk up a little "velvet" after the sea- on did so.
 Big Leagucrs on Sand Lots.
 In the Sunday semi-pro game round New York directly after the losing of the season the teams were banned almost entirely by big leag- ers. Players of the caliber of Ruth, chang. Strunk, Pratt, Ring and Ru- olph were featured prominently in heSe exhibitions
 Even some of the worlds champi Reds ignored the order. In Brooklyn jimmy Ring appeared before his home ans, and "Shad' See, substitute out elder on the Reds, also played on To- al semi-pro fields. Out in California Walter Ruether has been pitching tight along. In one game he opposed Babe Ruth, the crack pitcher-mauler f the Red SoX. Swede Risberg, hortstop for the Chicago American eague champions, is playing winter eague ball on the coast.
 While 1t was the National commis- ion which originally put the ban on all players picking up a little "eNtra' ' h the fall it was really Ban Johnson, president of the American league, who Eas behind the agitation against big eaguers participating in exhibition ontests. He was very bitter against his practice, and it was at his request hat the commission took such drastic ction against players violating the rder.
 Whether the wholesale violation of he order shows signs of Johnson's Faning strength or that Ban is too busy punishing his dishonest" club owners to punish more players is not Iuite clear. .,Fst .r.,,. ..t Ill. :; I {eJ, l., natter with John Heydler, president bf the National league. He called at ention to some Cincinnati players vio- ating the order against worlds cham pions playing in exhibition contests.
 Permission Granted to Ring.
 In reply Heydler called attention to he fact that when Ring played in Brooklyn it was with the permission bf the Cincinnati club and that major eaguers violated the order against barn storming and exhibition games - hll over the country. -A
 Heydler does not seem to be par icularly opposed to the practice, pro- yided the players do not overdo it. He kaid that in the last war year, 1915 he order was not enforced and that he players went ahead this fall under he lax system in vogue year ago. In 5iew of the shortened 1919 season he saw no objection to player picking Ip a little extra money this fall, but lie is strongly opposed to a player playing ball the entire winter.
 .'Such a player cannot give his club he best that is in him.. said Heydler, for any player who plays in the Win Fer will get stale before the following ssason is over"
 The writer is by no means opposed o ball players taking part in exhibi- #ion contests, but he points to the |oractice to show what respect the av- srage player has today for the author ty of the muddled National commits Eion: