New-York tribune., 1921-11-20
Commissioner Will Sit In
at Buffalo Farley of
A. A. Circuits Masters
BY w. !. Macbeth

The football season runs into eter-
nifty the end Of this week and baseball
Immediately will step back into the
limelight for a time The hot stove
league season opens next Monday week
in Buffalo with the annual conference
OF all the minor leagues. From then
until almost the holidays there will be
one merry time OF conference after
conference in the East.
Usually the minor leagues hare held
their Annual pow-wow about the mid
die of November; but as Buffalo was
chosen as the scene Of this years go
nS-you-please Il later date was chosen
so that the little fry would have an op-
portunity TO attend the annual meet
ings of the two ma jor leagues, if they
so desired Though President Ban
Johnson HIS rot yet issued his call for
the annual meeting of the American
League, it is generally understood he
will this year name New York as the
rendezvous. It was agreed when Judge
Lands was named as commissioner Of
baseball that the two major leagues
annually would meet jointly, these
meetings alternating between New
York and Chicago, and now it is New
York's turn for the honor.
There is nothing in the American
League constitution to prevent john
son naming New York as the annual
meeting place. The National League is
obliged TO hold its conclave in New
York on the Tuesday following the sec
ond Monday of each December. The
American League is required to con-
vene one day later, though at no spe-
cihc place. Wherefore, as all the West
ern magnates will have to come to New
York in any event, it is believed the
Eastern contingent will be saved the
trouble and expense of the usual pill
grimage to Chicago.
Lands to Aid Minors
Up in Buffalo they are preparing to
make the minor league conference
something out of the ordinary. Judge
Lands will attend and monster ban
quet will be held in his honor. This
viii be the occasion of the commission
er's first official visit to the minor
leagues, who see in his presence an op-
portunity to iron out and smooth over
4 number of problems.
1t is predicted that closer harmony
will be established between major and
minor baseball as whole az q result
or the Lands visit TO Buffalo. The
three Class AA leagues, as we'll as sew
eral A and B outfits, are working in
dependently. That is, they do not per-
NIT draft by major league clubs and
are denied the privilege of draft on
circuits of lower classification An Ell
fort will be made 1t Buffalo, it is said,
to restore the old order of things so as
to renew closer cooperation from top
to bottom.
Aside from few particular in
stances, and these largely in minor
leagues of the higher classifcations
minor league baseball the past two sea-
sons has prospered in no measure re-
the draft was first abrogated the Ma
tional and American leagues have de-
pended on outright purchases on rec
ommenation CT scouts. Consequently
the market for minor league players
has been limited and minor league pro-
moters, especially the little ones, de-
pend directly on the sale OF players to
make both ends meet. And the elimina-
tion of the draft has hurt in other
ways.
Big Fight on Draft
Promoters of minor league baseball
DeloW the A grade nave had the great
est disseulty in holding their players
to contract because of the inroads of
commercial enterprises. There was one
steel league which paid salaries CORE
spending to the best of the two major
leagues. Promising young players
easily could be allured, especially as
with stagnant market, on account of
the elimination of the draft, there was
little or no hope of advancement.
Around the draft rule, doubtless, will
center the big fight of the minor
leagues at Buffalo. The majority OF
Everything For