The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-24
Fears for Minor Leagues
Through Initiating Prices
'redicts Approaching Prosperity Of Nation
VIII Keep Fans at Work Instead of Pay
ing to See Diamond Stars Perform.

Jonnsons OF the Ahcfieoh W.
says so. He declares the magnates
y the majors and minors are not
hing il. and as a consequence may
have to suffer in the future. Un-
lass they come out of their delirium
Ind stop paying and demanding
outrageous prices for players. they
are likely to have a sad awakening
as early as next season
I Prosperity in the past two years
Vas carried them of their feet anu
hey are forgetting what the word
Prudence means. II they have any
they are not using it, according 10
Johnson. who is not bubbling over
~ith optimism over the outlook of
DE 1898 season.
we are and have been travelling
along on a fictitious prosperity Tor
De past two or three years." said
Johnson today. and the sooner we
step down the better 1t will De for
the game and everybody concerned.
for the owners. They have had two
wonderfully prosperous years and
have allowed that fact to affect
their Judgment. There is likely to
be a sudden slump in baseball In
dications are that the industries
will reopen full blast next year.
II they do, the men who attended
~. Attrfn0 thu m o
will be at work and will have no
time for the game. II the club
owners. majors and minors, are
wise. they will prepare for condi-
tons of that character.
Deplores imitation Of Prices.
Major league club owners un-
consciously are doing baseball an
almost irreparable injury by infiat-
ing the prices on players as they
have this year. They are slowly
wrecking the minor organizations.
the bodies from which their stars
must come. They do not realize
Il now, but they will later. Play
ers for whom exorbitant prices are
paid get a distorted idea OF their
ability and demand more salary
than they are worth. II they do
not stick they are sent back to the
minors, where they insist on a sal
airy that the small magnate cannot
pay. This condition comes not
from only one player, but hundreds
of them. with the result the salary
Lists of the minor league clubs are
so high they cannot operate SIC
cessfully."
President Tom Hickey. of the
kpnArfaan Aaanafafinn al ad
ridicule the noble effort of the majors
to clear the road to the top for the
youngsters by having the draft in
every minor league. He started to
make a speech before the advisory
council in New York. in which he
accused the magnates OF having self
sh motives rather than one to as
sist the athlete. President johnson
took exception to his remarks and
said:
That does not apply to me, Mr..
Hickey. ! have always been for the
ball player and insist that he get
his just dues today. When he first
drew up the original national agree
ment. 1 suggested that the player
be given the right to take his cases
before the commission for a hear
ing. The player is the backbone Of
our game and must be given every
opportunity to advance, but he can
not do this unless there is an eduita-
bic draft. The price cannot be too
high. II II is. an obstacle Is i'm
mediately placed in the path of the
aspiring recruit. for the majors will
not go out and get the men for
trial"
CHICAGO, Dec. 23.-Aithough Mr..
Frazee. Boston's champion ivory
dealer. enriched himself to the ex-
ant of about $4,000 by his recent
deals with the Yankees and Indians.
he put his nose into a peck Of trouble.
He probably will 1earn this after He
recovers from the ride" the Hub fans
and scribes now are giving him for
lasting adrift what few stars sur
vtved the one-time powerful Red Sox
machine.
For a starter. Stuffy McInnis Is
lot satisfied with the deal that sent
him to Cleveland. This means.
Frazee. TO reach an amicab'e settle
rrent. ill have to slip the great first
sacker a slice Of coin and lt~rnight
a. well for the latter to know that
ne Cleveland Stub. in addi.IoA to
4iNlnk NAlIct ptdgcAss OFcI a
check for $4,000. This little feature
sasn't announced at the time the
rfansaction was Put through.
Jack Quinn B.Iks.
Another complication is the pos
~ibility that Jack Quinn. the vet
Yankee hurler who with Piercy.
Collins and Peckinbaugh, was
shipped to Boston in exchange for
Bush. Jones and Scott. will never
report to his new master. Quinn.
Who long since passed over the hill
as consistent pitcher. said not
long ago that II the Yanks ever re-
Ieased him. he would retire from
big league ball. seek a steady posi-
don in some other line of endeavor
and pitch semipro baseball on the
side.
Z Quinn resides in the vicinity OF
Chicago and is away at, the present
time, so 1t is not known how ne
took his transfer. However. II Is
said that he Is as good as signed
With a local team and will spend
next summer hereabouts instead Of
trying to win games for the greats
spd not-so- greats who will parade
under the Red Sox colors. Quinn Is
at that stage where he could hard
ly take his regular turn for a big
league club, but not teo old to be
q winner in the semipros where he
would have to toll only once a
week
sui another thing that may
Bring a surprise to Frazee Is the
fact that joe Harris who made up
part Of Cleveland's payment for Nc
Innis. has a pair of bad legs. His