Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-15

sion OF the newspaper men 10 counSei
with the moguls. The annual meeting
of the Base Ball Writers Associa ton
will be held at the Waldorf and when
it's business is cleared up the mem
bers will adjourn in a body to the Bit
more, where they will meet with the
suggestions for the betterment of the
sport.
Minors the Big Problem.
1t is the minor league question that
| transcends all others at this epochai
confab of base baildom's leaders. eX-
ceeding in importance even that OF the
reconstruction of the national commits
sion. The bush circuit delegates ar
rived in the metropolis breathing
defiance and scattering threats with u
reckless disregard for the lessons to
be learned from a perusal of the his
tory of the pastime.
Most belligerent of the lot was
Josephus Tinker. famous Cub short
stop of the days when Frank Chance
was winning pennants for Charles
Webb Murphy, and now owner of the
Columbus club of the American As
ISOLATION. Tinker, with AL Tearney of
the at present imperative Three Eye
League, and Ed. Hanlon, who runs the
st. Joe club of the Western League
when that organization is running.
formed the committee named by the
minors 10 present theif grievances "
the national commission at its recent
session in Cincinnati
He has ideas. Tinker has. and an
impressive way OF giving voice to
them. He hadn't been in town more
than an hour before he let it be
known that the miners intended TO
take the bull by the horns and wrest
from the majors the concessions
wanted, inferring that unless all
drafting was stopped and the optional
agreement done away with the Ma
tionaI Association of Minor Leagues
would Withdraw from the national
agreement.
Thinkers yelled threat would be In
teresting if 1t were not absurd. If the
minors severed relations with the ma
jors the latter naturally would grab
all the players of promise the little
fellows owned. The minors would not
even get the draft price for them.
knows this any better than Tinker,
and it is hard to conceive that he
made the statements attributed to
him.
Ban johnson just about hit the nail
on the head today when he said the
bold front being put up by the minors
was bluff, pure and simple. The
American League leader said it was
thoroughly appreciated by the big
leagues that the plight of the little
fellows entities them to some relief
and that it will be accorded as an out
come Of the meetings here this week,
but that it will not mean abolition
of the draft, which he regards as vi
tally necessary for the welfare of or
ganiZed base ball.
in all likelihood considerable con-
cessions will be granted the minors
johnson said. For the past five
years conditions affecting them have
ytrt or Thew
were hard hit by entrance of the Fed
eral League into the field. and war
conditions have served to hold them
down. Just what aid will be extend
ed to them will depend upon the re-
suit of the conferences here; but, for
one thing. the rule regarding optional
agreements will be amended. At
present big league clubs can send
eight players to the minors. subject
to recall. This number will be re-
duced
'Despite an apparently existing i'm
preston to the contrary, the major
leagues always have sought to foster
the minors, and they will continue to
do so.
However. it would not be for the
best interests of the game in gen
eral. the players or the minors them
selves to abolish the draft. The one
reason that it would prevent advance
ment in his profession OF the player
is sufficient. A man in any line of
endeavor is entitled to rise as his
ability warrants. With drafting not
permitted, players capable of holding
their own with the best in the bust
ness could be compelled 10 spend their
careers in small towns al small saia-
ries If their owners did not care to
sell them"
Sale of New York Giants.
The sale of the New York National
League club is proving a favorite
topic with members OF the base ball
fraternity. Rumors that President
Hampstead would dispose of the con-