The Washington herald., 1921-12-10
Majors to Urge Acceptance
At Meeting Next Week
Unlikely, However, That Little Fellows Will
"See the Light"-Griff Returns From
Buffalo in Fighting Mood.
By RAY HELGESEN.

and more widely known as the MI
rors, ended their annual meeting
N Buffalo Thursday night without
eaking any definite action on the
draft clause. The association did,
However, leave itself enough of
lpophole so that IL the three Class
"A leagues-the American Associa-
ZION, the International League, and
abe Pacific Coast League-change
their collective minds inside the
aext two or three days, the draft
ylause may be accepted at the an
suaI meeting OF the Majors in New
York next week.
= From present indications, how
Ever. the leaving OF said loophole
Nas merely a precautionary meas
IRE. 1t is almost foregone conclu-
zion that the Minors, led by the
three Glass "A leagues, have de-
sided to buck another season with
Gut the draft.
= The Majors undoubtedly will exert
Every Effort to bring the Little Ones
back into the ford at their meeting
next week. From their standpoint
Ehe draft Is almost a necessity. And
nccording to the way the Majors ex-
6lain II to the Minors it is even more
Of a necessity for the smaller leagues.
: But Jack Dunn seems sto be the
beIl-cow of the Minor herd. and as he
rs absolutely opposed to any such
arrangements with the parent organ
ration. II is almost a certainty that
Baseball will go through another sea-
con. at least. without the draft
: President Griffith returned from
The minors meeting yesterday. He
II ,faff 10
There was a CLINT of fire in his eye
and the old oil was missing in his
speech. Here and there in his con-
sersation were disrespectful utter
snces anent the little leagues and
their way of handling a strictly
business proposition.
: Grifrs fur had been rubbed the
wrong way. He had been crossed.
In fact he had been crossed in
several ways and in several DIFF
ierent places. Thoughts Of Mr.. w.
VI. Klepper. president OF the Port
1and. Greg, baseball club of the
Pacific Coast League. were upper
most In his mind and conversation.
And Griff freely admitted he wasn't
Saying half of what he thought.
Klepper Pours the OIL.
Keeper. who among other things
Is the owner OF a perfect poker
face. was through here about a
week ago. He was. according to
his own statements. peddling pair
6f high class hurlers. In return
he wanted plenty of cash and some
olayers with which to build up his
club.
'Grir thought well Of the two pitch
ers. PiTette and Johnson; well enough
II least to take them of Keepers
hands for a reasonable consideration.
Klepper, by the way, had, according
to Griff, promised the Nationals the
first chance at the youngsters.
So Keeper and Griff. in their own
ininitable way. began talking trade.
While here they couldn't seem to agree
on the price or the players Washing
ton was to turn over. or something
like that. At any rate they both said
they expected the deal to be consum-
mated in Buffalo. Griff probably did.
But Mr. Klepper, We understand, was
giving a Portland. Greg, exhibition OF
pouring the W. K. oil"
Arriving in Buffalo Griff encoUn-
tered President Navin. OF the
Tigers. In the conversation Grill
mentioned that he was angling for
the Portland hurlers. Navin was
surprised. not to say shocked.
Delving into his quart hip pocket
Navin pulled forth contract prov
ing he already had title to the two
youngsters in question. Further
more. the deal had been negotiated
some days before the affable KEEP
per had arrived in Washington.
Grin Hits warpath.
Griff, to express it mildly. was
somewhat taken aback- He I'M
mediately hunted up the child of
Mr.. webster's brain, got a few
needed adjectives, and then hit the
warpath. Keeper was at the rain
bows end. And when GrIh found
him the air Immediately took on 4
blush tinEe. IL you know Grin you
can visualize for yourself the scene
and much of the conversation. Grlh
admits that after Kidding himself
Of thoughts regarding a certain
westerner he felt much better anc
is now almost back to normally.
Regarding the Minors possible
acceptance Of the draft at the
Majors meeting next week, Griff is
not over optimistic. He hopes the
little leagues will see the light and
IL they don't. he says, he fears for
their future. But as long as they
follow Dunn he considers ii hardly
likely that they will come in.
Providing George Mcbride doesn't
accept Griff's offer to scout for the
Nationals this coming season il is
possible he will go into the
gents furnishing business with his
brother in Milwaukee in case his
physician consents to let him en-
gage in business of any kind. Nc
Bride. according to Griff, is I'M
questionably much sicl<er than he
will ladmit and it is unlikely he will
l. ha