The Washington herald., 1921-12-02
Many Smaller Leagues
Tired of independence
Buffalo Meeting Most Important in Baseball
History-Internation Stars in Open
Revolt Against Dunn.

NEW YORK. Dec. Peace ana
harmony in the ranks Of organized
baseball depend, to a great extent
Nupon the results obtained In the
annual meeting of the National As
ISOLATION of Professional Minor
League Baseball Clubs to be held
in Buffalo. N ~, next week.
This years meeting Of the minors
will, for many reasons. be the most
important ever held. 1t Will be
nothing less than a general get
together" conclave of all promoters
interested in organized baseball.
Commissioner lands will be one
Of the celebrities attending, and
practically every president OF the
sixteen major league clubs VIII be
on hand with his associates and
retinue. Lands is the head Of the
two major leagues and that part
Of organized baseball in the minors
that works in close cooperation
with the big fellows-the minors,
in short, that subscribe to the time
honored custom of draft.
There is movement on loot
among the great majority of the
minor league family to return TO
the old working order of universal
draft or the privilege Of all leagues
drafting on others of lower classi-
ficatfon. The New International
League. which was the ringleader
in the reputation of the draft, as
well as the American Association,
has a majority that is tired of pad
ding its own canoe. The New In
ternational League split out be-
cause il had designs on eventual
major rating.
Dunn Dominates International.
Jack Dunn, president of the per-
ennial Baltimore champions, so
dominated this Glass A A circuit
that he was able to thwart the ma
jority of his colleagues. Dunn has
gathered together an unusually
strong minor league collection. He
refuses to sell his best chattels at
any price. As a result his team so
far outclasses its company that the
New International is forced to make
circuit shifts every season-to dig
up new cities and new angels ev-.
cry year. Three OF the eight towns
now represented are on the ropes
and will not continue under exist
ing conditions another season.
Then, too, the International
League players are in open revolt.
They have called on Lands to right
their wrongs. They claim Dunn
policies block the way to their ad-
vancement in their profession. They
are barred from an opportunity to
reap the rich rewards of the Ruths,
the CObbs, the Hornsbys. the Sis
lers and the Speakers. Heretofore
Dunn held out the bait Of the "lit-
ries with the winner of the Amer
lean Association. But this series
last fall was a distinct bloomer
The winning Euerdon was a paltry
few hundred dollars.
Judge Lands is going to the Buff
falo meeting to use his influence
for the betterment of the game gen
orally throughout minor circles
Major league baseball can stand on
its own footing: but the little fell
lows have been hit and hit hard, as
a result OF the abrogation of the
draft The great majority OF major
league club owners will go to Buff
falo to assist Judge Lands in any
possible way in this missionary
work. The meeting also will afford
them opportunity to bid for minor
~ ~ NoANhN sun dNdAldDAts dS ven
as to negotiate possible purchases
or trades among themselves.
Coast League Opposed TO Draft.
The Pacific Coast League. which
was the only one of the three Glass
\. \. minors to show utter indiffer-
cnce to the draft question hereto
fore. seems now to be opposed to a
return to old conditions. Indeed.
the circuit is on record by a vote OF
seven to one to vote against the
draft, according TO the statement of
William Klepfor, president of the
Seattle team, who called at the
Yankee Office yesterday afternoon.
From the talk of Klepfer the major
league idea OF rating is now buzz
Ing in the bonnets of the Coast
manSates as it buzzed for the New
International is few seasons back.
Hlepfer. who owned the Oregon
team until a few weeks ago, be-
licves something should be done to
safeguard the interests of minor
league players so far as their
chances for advancement are con-
cerned. With the majority he op-
poses major league draft privileges
on his circuit, but he believes a
means may be easily found where
the same purposes of the draft may