The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-16
PACIFIC CLUBS
MAY SEVER WITH
NATIONAL BODY
Opposition to Draft to Be First
Step Toward Big League
Claims.
BY JOHN II. FOSTER

b1 5OnN ID. fOcIBh-
copyright, 1922. by The Argus.)
New York, Jan. ia decision
TO oppose restoration OF the draft
is expected to be taken this week
at the meeting OF the Pacific Coast
league, as the first step toward de-
claring the circuit major league
1t may mean that the west coast or
ganization eventually will cut loose
entirely from organized baseball
unless it is permitted 70 have its
way.
The immediate effect of what
would amount to defiance OF the
recognized heads of baseball who
think the draft is necessary to the
good of the game, would be to
stabilize opposition in the other class
A. A. leagues. Perhaps the draft
will apply only to those leagues
which are willing to agree to it.
Baseball hackers in the east must
begin to realize that the Pacific
coast is all of one side of the Unit
ed States which feels that its de-
velopment in everything that has
to do with sports gives its right
which are co-eQual with those Of
other parts of the United States.
The present domination of base
ball is assumed by men, most of
whom have had nothing to do with
the development of the national
game in any way, but are simply
self-constituted bosses" insisting
upon sole authority and are re-
cruited from all line of occupation.
They are bosses" because they
- y,
in" simply because baseball ap-
peared to be good speculation and
not because they were particular
ly interested in it as a sport.
The owners of the baseball clubs
of the Pacific coast are quite as
well aware Of that fact as others
and they are not in the least over
whelmed by any attitude which
may be assumed by organized base
ball. They are too far away to be
bothered much by what organized
baseball thinks.
II is seemingly overlooked that
the Pacific coast once before
went independent and was so
successful in il that organized base
ball went to the Pacific coast ami
begged the organization to come
back.
The writer happened to be a party
to the conversation which has he'd
informally with one OF the Pacific
coast owners when negotiations
were opened to bring the Pacific
state bail clubs back to the fold.
The man from California never
hesitated moment as to where he
stood. He frankly said that so far
as he and most of his asSociatl IS
were concerned they did not care "A
rap whether they were amalgamat-
ed with organized baseball or not.
For the sake of convenience they
might join the organization again,
but they had not experienced the
least dlfhcultv since they had been
separated from it.
They would respect reserve rule
and they would respect contracts
and what could be more fair. They
would a T.. however, give to the
cities o. -,ew York, Chicago and so
on the right to take eight of the
best players that they might de-
Velop simply because New York. /
thcago and so on were members |
OF an organization which said il
could help itself to players of other !
clubs at its convenience. Give US |
the right to draft from New YorI, !
and Chicago and your other clubs |
and We will talk business"
That would make you a major |
organization" was the reply,
What's to prevent?" was the
quick answer. Our cities have as
much right in baseball as yours /
Come day they will be as large or +
larger for all any of US know. |
Moreover, even if they never. it |
does not alter the fact that we have
a perfect right to consider our /
selves what we will do so long as
we pay the bills"
That expresses the attitude of the !
Pacific coast in baseball Whether
1t comes now or later the time is
approaching when the Pacific coast
league will ask major league
classification and if it does not
happen to be answered in the af-
fTmative will take one OF its own !,
account.
1t would be absurd for the major
leagues to fight such a move be-
cause they do not need to fight il. |
There is absolutely no conflict be-
tween the sections. The Pacific T.
coast is raising enough boys to put
together professional baseball and
1t Is TO continue in the boy bust
ness with the same success that it