New Britain herald., 1921-06-03
MINOR LEAGUE IS
 GAINING STRENGTH
Teams Nearly Exterminated
 During the War

New York, June 3.-The minor baseball league, at It's height a short time before the entry of the United States into the World War and so nearly threatened with extermination during that period, is regaining it's former strength.
 Baseball men have watched with interest and optimism the gain of the many small leagues since the close of the war. They declare it is a matter of only one or two years before the small cities, which in years past have supported Class c and Glass D organi- xations, again will back the numer- ous leagues which formerly supplied the majors with playing talent. The frequency with which college and semi-professional stars of the past two or three years have entered ma jor league baseball successfully, is de- clared to be largely due to the paucity, during war times, of the small leagues.
 The high water mark of the minor league was in 1914. That year. in ad- dition to the two major leagues and three Class A4A loops. the American Association. International League and the Pacific Coast League, there were two class A organizations; eight in Class E; seven in Class C and 21 in Class D. The two class A orsaniza- tions, the Southern Association and Western League, withstood the war shock, although at financial losses to directors. They were joined in the classification last year by the Eastern League and this season by the Texas Legue.
 The decrease in the smaller leagues fr1m 1914 until 1918, when the min imum was reached, however, was marked. In 1915, the Class B group, which the previous year had compris- ed the Central. Eastern Association, Three-I, New England. New York State, Northwestern, Texas and Fri State leagues, dropped the Eastern Association and the Tri-State league. the latter composed of a group of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Dela- ware cities.
 By 1918. only thre leagues Of this class had survived, the Eastern, Pa clfic Coast International and Texas leagues. It was largely the vigor shown by the Texas and Eastern groups during this period that earned for them their present classification in Class A.
 By 1920, the membership of the N, including the Three-I Nichigan-On- tario, Pacific International. Texas. Virginia and Western Canada leagues. This season the South Atlantic league was admitted. making a mem bershiD of seven in the class as com rared with the eight of 1914.
 The Class c and D groups have thus far failed to "come back" so successfully. Only two, Florida State league and Piedmont league, are op- erating in Class c this season as com pared with the seven of 1914, &C., cording to official published lists. Only nine are operating in the Class D group as compared with the 21 Of 1914. Of these nine only four, the Appalachian, Georgia State, Texas
 'klahoma and Western association, ave endured through the critical
 "ars. The others now in this classi-
 "ation are the Blue Ridge, Dakota.
 :ssissippi State. Southwestern and
 est Texas leagues.
 Financially, however, the leagues
 at have remained are on a frmer
 asis than ever. Salary limits in
 1li in Class averaged $2,5O0
 }onthly: in Class c from $1,200 to
 100 and in Glass D from s1,o00 to
 400. Only in 1918 did they take
 pronounced slump. Then in the
 .ass D leagues the Blue Ridge limit
 $500 was the low level. This sea-
 on. the Class R salary figures range
 rom s2,5O0 to s3,250; Class c S2,400 q" $2,650 and the Class D leagues
 ny limit of $2,400, a figure un- trcamed of in 1914. The Dakota ague, one organization with such limit, includes Madison. s. D., with a population of 4,144; Mitchell, :. D., SAYS and Redficld, s. D., with ',755 among it's cities. Sioux Falls, s. D.. is the largest of the cities of the league. with population of 25,202. Baseball men declare that such SUD- port for minor league clubs from rities of that size indicates surely that the game will regain its former strength throughout the country, in- surfing for the major leagues a cor respondingly higher grade of base ball. The table showing decrease be- tween 1914 and 1918 and steady in crease since that year follows:
 ,1C1ass Major A n Total 1914 2 S 21 43