The New York herald., 1921-01-10
WANT LESS POLITICS
AND MORE BASEBALL
Such Course at Meeting This
Week Would Suit the
Fans.
By WILLIAM d. HANNA.

Another week of legislative and other
wise baseball is upon us, which. II 1t Is
| TO suit the tastes OF the fans, will contain
a maximum Of deals and minimum OF
politics, with such brevity In legislation
as is consistent with needs.
To-day the minor league dignitaries
meet In Chicago. and on Wednesday
| comes the joint meeting of major
league folks to take further action on
the new national agreement The minor
league situation at present Is anything
but smooth and harmonious. with the
| Internatiorals and the American Associ-
alton rebelling at the notion OF going
! back to the draft and with a declared
purpose on their part of going their sep
arate way from the rest of the minors
| Such a course would not necessarily dis
rupt baseball relations and for a time
might be the most convenient solution of
| the situation.
| Commissioner Lands, however, will
| have the most engrosslng week OF his as
yet short career in that high office for
with the minors entertaining contrary
ideas of what is best for them, and the
American League or the johnson wing
| of 1t, disposed to balk at certain provi-
sions OF the agreement, there Is a great
deal for Judge Landis to do in bringing
about satisfactory arrangement He
may have to show extraordinary powers
as diplomat or mediator or something
of that sort
Still. although the American League
magnates or the Johnson persuasion
profess to object to an agreement for
twenty-five years. the chances are no
serious hitch will take place In the sign
ing by both leagues of the agreement
1t looks as If the National Leaguers had
the situation well In hand and were
pretty sure of their ground Neverthe-
less twenty-five years Is a long time and
the johnson preference for a seven year
compact not unreasonable. There's been
petty and piffiing politics played by the
so-called loyalist party In this league,
as witness the recent board of directors
manipulation, but every move of theirs
need not be so classed, and they may
have some ideas quite as sound as their
political adversaries.
1t Is in the air that deals involving
players have been brewing this winter
and that they will materialiZe this week
Maybe. The writer Is sceptical on this
deal business. So many are made in
advance which never are made In re-
| ality. There's this to be said, though:
| McGraw and Higgins are the boys to
make them IL anybody can. They've no
endSo enterprise in that capacity.
Fred Mitchell Of the Braves has
openly stated that Maranville probably
will be traded this week, and New York
ears are cooked to see II the Giants
land him. They'll be fortunate If they
do. Maranville as a Polo Grounds in
mate has as strong followers here as
Hornsby, though not as many. There
are at least four clubs-New York,
Brooklyn, Pittsburg and Cincinnati
that he'd come near making into pen
nant winner.
Miller Hugsins Is still active in quest
Of Joe Dugan of the Athletics. The
Yankee manager has made some saga
cious moves this winter and hopes to
put through at least one more. Batting
strength always Is nice thing to have
around, but I should like to See him now
tighten up his defence a bit II IL came to
choice between that and more batting
strength. The team needs defensive i'm
provement just now more than offensive
buttressng.
Whoever is responsible. the mighty
dollar Is again transcending the base
ball field, familiar winter condition
and n bad one. Base hits. double plays
and lightning throws run second TO
100000 offers or talk of same, which
distinctly is not as II should be. It's all
rather sordid and well removed from
real sport. and II Judge Lands can
muzzle frenzied finance as well as rid
the game OF evil associations he will
render service doubly timely and essen
tial to its welfare.
Lew Wendell. former catcher Of the
Giants and now manager Of the Green
Vile club of the South Atlantic League,
has signed numerous Greater New York
semi-pros for his team. this in spite of
the fact that he found a majority of
players hereabouts want salaries clear
out of reason. Players he has signed
are:
George Page. outfielder, of the Bronx
Giants. who has had several big league
offers Bill Pratt. a southpaw pitcher
from Long Island City; Bill Seibert.
another southpaw pitcher. from the Yon-
kers Industrial League Val Melvin.
catcher. from the same place; Joe Ben
nett. inhelder. from Atlantic Highlands.
wanted by Jack Dunn for his Orioles
william Mitchell. Langley. s. c., in
fielder; John Koval. shortstop. Winston
Salem