New-York tribune., 1920-02-16
Major League
Magnates Look
For Prosperity
With Peace Restored and
Higher Tariff, Weak Spots
Can Be Strengthened
BY w. ]. Macbeth

With peace established in the Ameri-
can League. major league baseball mag
mates look forward to one Of the most
prosperous years of the games history
Every move made since the belligerents
got together shows striking change Of
faith In baseball's future since year
ago, when promoters carried their pol
ieies of economy so far as to trim the
schedules from 154 to 140 games. But
nothing voices the sentiment moro
clearly than the decision Of the joins
meeting to eliminate "two-bit" baseball.
With peace restored and a higher
tariff prevailing it is likely that GER
tain presumed weak spots In both major
circuits will find financial assistance
lacking as at times in the past. The St.
Louis Cardinals, which were reported
close to the rocks on any number Of oc-
casiors during the last five years have
been so we'll reorganized that the stock
holders can now spurn 100000 cold
cash for Rogers Hornsby.
Even Connie Wakes Up
The Boston Braves. another presumed
white elephant, could not be tempted to
part with "Rabbit" Maranville, though
Charles A. Stoneham was prepared to
dig elbow deep into his Golfers. Connie
Mack, habitual cellar champion of the
American League for five years, is 60
ing to take forty players all the way to
Lake Charles, La, for spring training.
Where war time economy was the cry
year ago, the slogan now Is Loose
and lax"
The magnates excuse the boost In
prices and bring what strikes as rea-
sonable arguments to their defense.
They say the high cost of baseball pro-
duction, including travelling and hotel
expenses, not to mention salaries and
taxes, forced the issue. There can be
only four first division clubs. The sec
ond division clubs had little chance to
get by at the old scale. Certainly the
boost should be a good thing for Phil
adelphia, which always has been quar-
ter town. Hereafter visiting clubs may
expect to get hotel expenses anyhow, no
matter how lowly the Athletics and
Quakers may be.
When the fight was hot in the Amer
lean League outside capital was very
skeptical of baseball. 1t is admitted
now that Johnson and his loyal five at
tempted unsuccessfully from number
of angles to gain control Of the Boston
Red Sox and thereby eliminate one Of
the big three revolutionists. Harry
Frazee refused to be tempted by the
most flattering offers. 1t is suspected
that Matt Hinkel of Cleveland, was act
ing for the loyalists when he made his
advances to Frazee.
Frazee Ready to Sell
Now that the war is ended, however,
Frazee declares he is ready to dispose
of the Boston American League Club
for his price. 1t is not beyond this
realm of possibility that his price may
be met. Clarence Rowland former
manager of the White Sox, who recent
ly sold the Milwaukee club of the Amer
ican Association to Joe O'Brien and
three Milwaukee friends, is interested
in the Boston proposition.
Rowland is attempting financial al
lance with an oil magnate who lives in
Chicago. This magnate has become
multi millionaire within the last, five
years. He admits the money Is coming
in so fast these. days that he has to lay
awake nights figuring new schemes to
beat the income tax.
Not only is this particular pillar Of
the oil world a rahid fan, but, better
still, he was a minor league player with
one of the Rowland teams some ten
years ago. He is anxious for the no
toriety and advertising a big league
club might give him, SO Frazee need
not be surprised if Rowland and the oil
man should hit Broadway any day now
in quest of the Red Sox.