The Washington times., 1921-01-25

company. '..
Then competition among the minors
became fiercer. Older and more ex-
perienced players were needed In their
business and so the youngsters slipped
back farther into the tan grass. For
several years they received their
drilling there, but even that seems
now "A lbst art The smallest clubs
have slipped training players. The
supply Of promising baseball players
IN this country is growing smaller
every season, despite the fact that the
game Isl fiourishing more tnan ever.
For a while zee rtain managers, not
ably Jack Dunn in Baltimore, trained
players .andtsold them for high prices.
That is how, Babe Ruth and Ernie
Shore were developed. Dunn training
each of them until he. was prepared to
advance. Z. Now that custom has
passed and we see managers in the
minors working players to death with
never thought Of preparing them for
future advancement
NOW FOR NEW METHOD.
AS result OF this, situation, stag
nation has hit baseball No new
players are coming up. To make
matters worse, at least two of the
larger minor leagues, the Information
al League apdlthe American Associa-
ton, have derided against the draft.
BY the draft system at least one play
err on each, club was assured of promo
tion each. season. going by lot to some
major league club. Today no real
training school for promising players
cxi&ts. not even in the colleges ,.r &
But a new method has come into
thef game with the intent of benefit
ting certain clubs, especially those in
the larger cities. This scheme is most
insidious in that Il works to make a
PLAYER dissatisfied with his berth and
wish for q change.
Who is to blame for the scheme?
Ask the wild west wind. But the
scheme is being worked now and has
been worked for several seasons. In
deed, a rule had to be passed In the
major leagues forbidding one club
from tampering with players on other
clubs. :. This very rule indicates the
weakness of the former Federal
Leaguers' contention that baseball is
a trust. As a matter of fact profess
sional baseball Is a case of dog-eat-
dog.
ABOUT JOE JUDGE.
J4e Judge is the latest big Lacquer
to tall q victim of the new method.
The only other Washington player
thohght worthy of being considered
feet that Rice would figure in a
trade and play in New York next sea-
son died a-borning because of Clark
Jiriffith's immediate denial. Now Joe
Judge 10 being traded" to the
Yankees.
Suppose you're a ball player.
You've been playing with a certain
club for, say. five years. Your club
has won no pennants. You pick up
newspaper and see that you're wanted
by club you consider certain to be
ii the money, il not winner of the
nenpant.
Well. you may do lot of thinking
about that. You may decide, if you
can't get away to that stronger club.
to hit up the boss for fat and juicy
raise, pointing to the alleged de-
mands of the other club. You'll rea-
SOM that IL your club can't pay the
added salary, it may trade you or sell
yougand you will get more money and
a whack at the world series melon.
Is young player to be blamed for
falling for this latest method? Is
club to be pardoned If 1t bowls In
rage at the scheme?
.HoRNsBY WAS A. TARGET.
Rogers Hornsby was target for
the buyers" and Graders" for the
past two seasons. More than one
club in the National League was cru
mored to have made fabulous offers"
for him. Only a few weeks ago
Branch Hickey, the st. Louis mana
GER claimed that the New York club
had offered 100000 for Hornsby.
In the American League, within a
few weeks, Joe Dugan, of the Phila-
delphia Athletics, has been a target
for the Graders" Dugan, IL he reads
New York papers, may become dis
gruntled because he must stick
around with a tailender when a pos
siblo .pennant-winner, the Yankees,
would gladly give several players or
a barrel of money for him And is
Dugan to be blamed? ..-.
II is An odd thing. but these
~trahes' and purchaser are usually
by New York clubs. though not all of
therp. Chicago has had a few. But
New York provides the largest num-
Der lof these shadow, dreamy deals.
Furthermore. looking over the Giants
lineup for the past three or four
seasons, one might easily point out
players who were disgruntled when
With other clubs and finally landed
in tbe metropolis.
YANKEES Rave A PAIR.
The New York Yankees have today
two star players who were dis
gruntled members of the Boston Red