New-York tribune., 1921-02-11
Ruether Asks Squire Eb-
bets for More Money
TO Live i'm Flatbush
BY w. ]. Macbeth

special meeting of the American
League will be held in Cleveland to-
day. 1t was presumed generally that
no more meetings would take place un~
til the end of the prospective pennant
campaign. During the big conference
IN Chicago last month, attended by
delegates representing every grade of
professional baseball, Joint meeting
OF the National and American leagues
ratified their schedules for 1921, which
action dispensed with the annual Feb
rusry schedule meetings.
But the American League just simply
has TO meet, anyhow, for social rea-
sons. The fact that Cleveland has
been honored would indicate q social
rather than a business function. In
the old days worlds champion owners
invariably put on banquet about this
time of the year The practice fell
INTO disrepute during the evil days of
that President James c. Dunn of the
Indians intends to revive the custom.
Outside the idea of a stupendous
banquet in honor OF the players of the
Forest City there seems little reason
for an American League meeting at
this time. Certain routine business
there is that must be ratified by the
majors respectively, but these details
could easily have been attended to by
a mail vote.
Rules for Agreement Drawn Up
A number Of rules for an agreement
between the minors and majors and be-
tween the major leagues themselves
were drawn up at the first session of
the new council, consisting Of Judge
K. NJ. Lands and Presidents Heydler
and johnson of the National and Amer
ican leagues, at Chicago last Saturday.
The mutual agreement between the
two major leagues was ratified by the
National League at its annual Decem-
Der meeting here. The American
League held off for certain alleged
technical reasons, but it was generally
supposed had gone on record later at
Chicago.
The American League meeting in
Cleveland to-day is likely to be, more
or less. reunion of Ban Johnson with
his proverbial Loyal Five" Neither
the New York nor Boston clubs will be
represented. The notice from the office
of the American League executive did
not reach Colonel Rupert or Harry H.
Frazee until early yesterday morning.
AS both had important business en-
gagements that could not be postponed
It was impossible to get to Cleveland
in time. 1t is not known whether the
notice was withheld Intentionally, but
the procedure made little difference,
as the 'Big Three" can be outvoted at
any time.
The temperamental Dutch" Ruether,
whose indifference to contract last sea-
son is advanced as one of the main
reasons why Pat Moran's 1919 cham
pions did not repeat, seems little dis
posed to mend his ways. Ruether now
threatens to hold out on the Brooklyn
club, which assumed his contractuai
rights by giving in exchange title to
Rube Marquard.
Reuther is Native Son and from
his California home he has emitted a
big, though belated, howl against his
transfer to Brooklyn. He declares liv-
ing expenses around Flatbush are 81
or So a day higher than in Cincinnati,
and that unless Squire Ebbets makes
good the difference the National League
will see him no more.
Deserves Little Sympathy
Ruether was under contract to the
Reds for the coming season. The con-
tract was transferred to Brooklyn.
Baseball law would require Ruether to
fulfill his obligations under Uncle
Robbie. 1t is a small matter at best,
as baseball player has free board on
the road.
But it shows the viewpoint Of the
profession generally. Ruether, on last