The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-08
Nv HUGH FULLERTON

Harry Gardiner, secretary OF inc
Chicago White Sox. former oftlce O"H
and now spokesman for Charles n Cpi'-
isky. makes a rather serious accusH''""
against the other clubs or the America"
League, and incidently the entire IA
tioaal League. He states that the HlaJo'
Iaapue club owners refuse TO trade
sell or deal with the White soX' anu
have forced them 10 drop all Idea OF
trade and rely upon purchase iEo'" ''e
minors to build the team.
whether this charge IS true or NOT
,bs white Sox are certain 10 benefit
because, after all, the only system or
building n team which Is sound ana
beneficial TO the sport - the develop
m.nt OF Young players. The worst fea-
tur. OF modern baseball Is the refusal or
the owners and managers. and TO some
extent the older players. 10 give
younester real chance TO make g"od'
But under the surface OF Grabiner
statement is tho Implication that the
club owners Of the two leagues are IN
conspiracy against Com!sky. There IS
no doubt that since the expose or the
white Sox crookedness Comtskey has
heen attacked viciously. both openly and
under cover. There Is no denying the
fact that since tho expose monF OF
Comiskeys friends have turned AGAINST
him, and his enimies have used his un-
comfortable position 70 get even win
him.
n there Is a flrht between Comis-
kew and the baseball powers that have
fought him for years. the public has
small interest. be- II II IL struggle
toforce Comlskey out Of baseball and
turn the ownership OF his club over
70 the old gang, then the public Is vastly
Interested
Tho complete story Of the White SoN
scandal never has ben told The Fclsch
attack upon Comiskey Is merely ball
player's Interpretation Of the scandal
that was circulated by Comiskey's enc
niles In their efforts to hcsm'r"h his
reputation Commy Is n badly broken
Nd man now-but his fighting spirit
ls not broken If the men who have
been pulling tho gossip behind his hack
would say Il out loud the whole case
could be cleared in short order.
Decline In Competition
Tho decline In international athletic
comhe,itIon II called to attention nv the
acclsIon OF Japan TO keel out OF tho
Davis Gun competition. The small entry
list OF American amateurs IN the British
amateur championship. the probability
that fewer British will compel" In the
American amateur this fall. and tn"
quick decline In International events.
Indicate that there Is n decline In inter
est Some Of the sporting writer's think
this Is due TO growing GOODNESS In Inter
nationtl affairs. others have the Idea
that the greater part of tho falling Off
Is due to financial causes.
II IL evident that both are correct,
or rather that II Is due In a combination
Of circumstances. The failure or
American golfers 70 appear In British
events Is due primarily TO lack or funds.
Few of our good golfers and very few
OF the best OF the British amateurs can
n ford TO make trip across the water
and pay their own expenses. Tho Jap
anese refusal TO 20 into the Davis cup
seems only an admission that the cx-
penss are too great for individuals n
stand 7 know half a dozen American
amateurs who would have gone 20 Eng
land this spring. but who could not az
! ford TO do Il. since their chances--cs-
peclally under the British qualifying
| rules were dependent upon luck
! rather than ability.
Yet. In spite Of financial reasons
there Is a certain decline In interest In
! international events. We have been
| nrachinR for years that the spirit II
true craftsmanship would help revive
the good feeling Of the nations instead
Of which the spirit OF good sportsman
ship seems To have suffered kick In
the shins. The truth in that neither
American nor British srortsmen like the
French, Belgian or Italian athletes or
their methods. The Americans who