New-York tribune., 1920-12-24


aside judgment Of $264,000 for the
court was asked to amend its decree
appeal to the United States Suprem
All of which indicates clearly that
the moneyed interests behind the old
Federal League club Of Baltimore,
which claims it was left out in the
cold at the time of the settlement of
the "outlaw" war, intend to fight to
the last ditch not only to gets its
money, but to have baseball declared
trust" as it was declared by the
lower courts.
Ever since this suit was inaugurated
three years ago those who backed the
Federal League in Baltimore have had
visions Of one day crashing into the.
major league circuit. For short time
during the preliminary stages of the
present suit it appeared as if the dream
might be REALIZED An earlier suit was
called off after having been before q
Philadelphia jury for three days.
Something GSes Wrong
1t was rumored at the time COM
promise was to be made whereby the
Washington franchise, then in serious
financial straits, was to be transferred
to the Oriole City. Something went
wrong with the scheme, if, indeed, 1t
ever had been contemplated. New
capital was interested in the Senators,
and shortly afterward the suit now
pending was launched at Washington
in place of the one withdrawn from
the Philadelphia courts.
AS organized baseball has every
thing to gain and little to lose, George
Wharton Pepper, the eminent Phia-
delphia lawyer who scored so heavily
for the major leagues in the Court of
Appeals, has been instructed to carry
the fight through the Supreme Court
as speedily as possible. 1t will PRO-
ably require two years at the ven
earliest for the case to be reached on
the docket.
One important point seems to have
escaped the magnates as the case now
stands. 1t is a point that was called
to the attention of his constituents by
John Conway Toole, the new president
of the New international League.
Should the Supreme Court uphold the
ruling of the Appellate Branch, the
major leagues would be vindicated Of
I'll suspicion Of operating as "trust';
they would likewise save the $264,000
and costs, and would have one neces-
sary evil of the existing contract
tho reserve clause-validated
But this substantiation of the re-
serve clause might in the end act as
boomerang to the prestige of the
two major leagues. In case of base
bell war there no longer could be
traffic in players such as aracterized
the American Leagues fight against
the National League in the old DAYS,
and later the Federol Leagues raid
ing of major stars If the reserve
clause in organized baseball had to be
respected, then also the reserve clause
OF league or leagues outside the pale
would have to be respected
International Ambitions
It is known the New International
League for many years has been ambi-
tlous. Two years ago it asked for rec
ogn'tion as major league. If the
Class AA leagues, N the settlement
which is to be effected in Chicago at
the big conference on January u next.
can carry their point against draft privi-
leges by the majors (and the New In
ternatlonal and the American Associa-
tion both have ALREADY declared against
the draft, there is nothing to prevent
either or both, perhaps by combination
OF the best cities in the two leagues.
from declaring major league presum D.
tions and fighting ont the issue, un-
hampered, before public opinion. Here
Is point the major league clubs
should keep in mind during the big
rally IN the Windy City next month.
Manager Miller Higgins Of the Yam
KEGS is in Cincinnati for the HOLIDAYS
but he expects 1t the big Chicago con
ference next month to effect several
trades that will send his team &c
Shreveport the choice Of the field fo,
the 1921 pennant race.
Hugglns has not despaired of land
ing second baseman Joe Dugan from
Connie Mack, even though Connie ha
spurned every advance so far. Connie
is none too we'll provided with pitch.
ers, while Higgins is overstocked ir
this commodity and may be able tc
OTTER for Dugan the equivalent in play.
ing value.
If straight trade for Dugan canno1
be effected it is said a three-cornerec
trade among New York, Philadelphia
and Washington may result. Conni,
while Clark Griffith is quite as anxiou
to land Joe Dugan as is Huggns Cos
sip has it that Pipp may 20 to tn
Athletics, Dugan. to Washington an
perhaps Sammy Rice to the Yankee,
This deal would involve big none
outlay on the part of New York, bu
the Coionels are ready to spend som
- OF the excess profits to strengthen tn
team.
II Secretary Joe OBrien of the Giant
announced an additional spring exhibi
ton game yesterday afternoon. O
their way from Texas to join force
with the Senator's at Jackson. Miss
McGraw's men will daily with the Ath
letics on March 25 at Lake Charles
Louisiana, where PHILADELPHIA is I
train It is possible New York ma
engage Connie Mack's minions in
couple more games about that time i
some Southern Association city.
It has been learned on apparentl
good authority that Outfelder Benn
kauf, who was sent to the Toront
Club Of the New International Leagu
last year, viii in all probability b
traded to the Boston Braves in tn
near future. Fred Mitchell consider
kauf an ideal man around whom T.
construct picket line, and has opene
negotiations for his services. Maran
vile will not be included in the deal.