Evening star., 1922-01-18
LARGE MINOR CITIES
HANKERFORRAT|NG
No Threat of War Made by
Coast League in Again Re-
iecting the Draft.
BY JOHN B. FOSTER.

JEW YORK, January lS.-Gos-
IN sip again is heard among
baseball men that another
effort may be made before long to
establish third major league in the
middle west and east. This talk is
coincident with discussion of the
stand OF the Pacific Coast League
in declaring war on the draft, which
is regarded as the forerunner of a
demand by the far west circuit for
major league status.
There are number Of minor
league owners with major league
aspirations and there also are cities
with major league aspirations These
latter might not patronize base ball
one bit better because it happened
to be labeled major league" but
they have not forgotten that they
once had a taste of so-cRlled major
league base ball, and they would like
another morsel to satisfy an appetite
keen for q change. Baltimore, Louis
City and other good sized cities have
had major league clubs in the past
and they have not forgotten it.
In rejecting the draft the clubs Of
the Pacific Coast League have follow
ed the course which they had out
they held among themselves. They
have adhered to the decision that
was made before the president OF the
league and many of the owners
visited the east.
No Threat Of War Made.
No threat Of war is made and no
intimation is given that they will
follow q course one bit different from
that which they pursued in 1921
They are satisfied. with the success
of that year. and with the progress
that they made In base balEsand they
are not going to rehnquish their
theory that it is justssas well for
them to raise and hold their players
as it is for them to place any avail
they can be drafted on laSniinute's q
notice when the season OF drafting
players arrives.
The Pacific coast declines to become
subservfept to the Atlantic coast IN
base ball. If the. Pacific coast cir
major league It is a. little dffiicult
to figure how any one could prevent
it from Assuming that rank in base
ball.
The National League and the Amer
ican League would not of necessity
be compelled to admit the Pacific
Coast League to the agreements which
bind them in a way as a dual or
ganizatiop, or. TO be more specific, as
individual organfzations working un-
der dual a agreement, But they could
hardly prevent the Pacific Coast
League from asserting that 1t was
q major organization within its own
province.
TOOle and Hickey Mum.
Both -Toeie and President
Hickey. who are"at the heads of the
other class AA organizations. have
nothing to say as to the probable ef-
feet of the action Of the Pacific Coast
League upon their 4or1EnfzSf6Rs. but
the chances are that they will side
with the coast league and decline to
consider the drafting. OF players as
panacea for any Ills, which may be
presumed to affect their existence.
The majors can take any acton
they see fit, but 1t ts not PRO oba9le
that they will start any plan to take
players away from the minor organt-
zations, except by complying With
rules which are in e6ect now.
The clubs Of the class AA circuits.
having become bolder by a years
experience without the draft, express
themselves strongly as opposed TO
any plan which permits clubs to take
away from them and hold players IN
Derpetuity, when the same privilege
10 not allotted to them.
Copyright, 182z.)