The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-06
Third Big LEAGUE IN
BASEBALL INEVITABLE,
IS THEORY ADVANCED
by FRANK G. MENKE

Much language gyrates in the ozone
along these lines
"A third big league in baseball is
inevitable
And to support the contention the
utterers point TO the opposition Of the
minors to the draft rule and say
Those fellows are fighting the
draft so they can keep their star
youngsters for themselves-and any
way from the majors. What does that
mean? Nothing more nor less than
that in a few years the Glass IA minor
league teams win have all the brilliant
Youngsters in the game and the major
lneups will be composed of feeble
veterans.
In the olden days the majors raided
the minors each year. When they get
through they had all the great young
sters, the minors had nothing left but
the culls. So. of course, they always
remained as miners, as far as the
standard of play was Concerned-and
the majors, through drafting, retained
their supremacy.
But the draft rule. in its present
form, has changed things radically.
Where are the great youngsters OF to-
day? In the class AA minors? And
who are in the majors? Veterans and
men who will have outlived their use
fulness in few more years.
What Will Happen2
What will happen by 1925 If pres
ent conditions exist then? Why, the
minors will have the greatest young
sters in baseball harness and their
standard of play will be the REAL
standard in baseball. The majors fail
ing in that time to replace the veter-
ans with youngsters, will be composed
Of old timers-and the standard Of
play in the American and National
Leagues will be under that of the
Class IA minors.
IT'S youth, speed and ability that
make a ball team-and a league. The
minors will have all that by 1925
through development; the majors will
have only fading and faded athletes
who are years beyond their prime be
cause they aren't getting any new
blood from the minors"
Individuals close to the dominating
moguls in the minors insist that the
fight against the draft rule was start
ed solely for the purpose Of bringing
along a time when the Class IA min
ors would be powerful enough in play
ing strength to cope with the majors.
The New Circuits
When that time comes there1l be
a third league" is the declaration
The Bronx section of New York City
Cleveland Detroit, Baltimore, Buffalo
Milwaukee, Louisville and possibly
Pittsburgh will make up the circuits
Some of the teams are to be trans
ferred in their entirety from either the
American Association or international
League to the third major outfit; otheI
teams win be recruited from the piCl
of the remaining teams in the Clas:
IA circuits
In rebuttal, when 4 third major
league talk is secuted, and the stCry
is repeated of the disastrous Fedora
League venture, the statement /:
made.
The Feds as a third major league
and the third major league which |:
planned to come into existence in tive
or three years, are two entirely differ
ent projects. Six years ago when tn
Federal was formed. time wasn't quit
ripe for a third major outfit. But It'll
be different in 1924 and 1925,
Cities Will Grow
Pittsburgh will have population
around or beyond 1000, 900. If the,
could support one ball club through
the years when their population wa
only 100000 up to 100000, they ce1
tainly should be able to support tw
teams in 1924 or 1925, especially
the schedules we're non-cOmpeting.
The vital reason for Tie Fed failur
was lack of talent. They had a fey
stars in the circuit-but very few
Most of the players we're either ur
developed rockies or maior league ha!
beens The Feds lacked class anC
therefore, didn't get support
But this third major league that
the dream of the big powers in tn
minors just now will be a real leagu
because by that time, with the presen
draft rule operative until then. they
have all the real stars Of the game
and the present major leaguers wi
have the skidding old timers"
And there you are.
tCOpyriEht 1921 BY King Features
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