New Britain herald., 1923-02-14
lands TO settle
STATUS OF Benton
Heydler Refers Matter 10 High
Commissioner Of Baseball

New York, Feb, ii,=Fusiness o
passing the buck in the Ruhe ReRtel
ease featured the spring meeting o
the National league al the Waldorf
Astoria yesterday, The club owner
passed the unwelenme package alonl
20 John A, Heydler, and the nFesi
dent OF the league, with eommend'
able perspieaeity and extremely good
Judgment, passed II right an Il
Judge Lands, II now rests with the
commission 20 decide whether or moi
the Cincinnati club may close It's deal
for the left handler with -, Paul and
use him this year
Heydler divulged the fact that
Judge Lands investigation into
Benton's history Is not quite as ran
dom and informal as the judge has
led folks 20 believe. II developed
that a decision by the commissioner
had been made mandatory through
a complaint entered by the st. Paul
club, In which IL demanded an OFF,
ciai establishment OF the baseball
status OF Benton. Judge lands has
quizzed Heydler twice about the
southpaw.
In announcing the sense of the
meeting on the Benton matter Heyd-
Ter said: THE National league de-
cided unanimously 10 leave the case
OF Benton In the hands OF Its presi-
dent. may say that ] will be guild
ed wholly by Judge lands report
on the st. Paul clubs complaint,
This report will establish the posi-
fion OF the pitcher not only in so far
as the National league is concerned
but for all organized baseball.
Has Blocked The Deal
II will say that thus far ! have
blocked the deal between Cincinnati
and st. Paul. The Cincinnati club re-
Gently sent to me an order for release
of Cliff Markle, pitcher, to st. Paul,
in which it was stated that the player
was going as part payment for Ben
ton. ! refused to promulgate that re-
lease and declined to permit Mr.. Herr
mann to close the deal for the sery-
ices of the left handler. I now await
the decision of Judge Lands on the
case.
Mr.. Hermann once more made a |
streng fight for the pitcher and there |
was a lot of discussion here about |
this interesting matter. But Mr.. Herr
mann concurred with the other own
ers that 1t was best to leave the mat
ter in my hands. No, we did not call |
Mr.. Herzog," Heydler added when he
was asked if the former Giant had |
been requested to give further evil
dence about Benton. Charley came to
the Waldorf armed with a lawyer and
his second wind but Herzog never got
any further than Peacock Alley.
In view of the fact that the Ben
ton case involves many knotty legal
problems-and in view of the fact
that the Judge gets quite salary to
work out the puzzles of organized !
baseball-it seems that Heydler did
the right thing in asking Lands to
say the last word ON the RUDE.
Heydler announced that his league
had reiterated with greater firmness
than ever its stand on the well known
draft question and had pledged i'm
perishable allegiance to the new rule
whereby all players sent down are
made subject to draft. He added that
the National league had resigned it.
self to a shutdown of releases to the
three double-A leagues.
Heydler said that the National /
league had increased its waiver price
from $4,000 to $4,000, a figure which +,
meets that of the American league
and the inter-league waiver price.
Heydler said that some had supported
d $500 waiver price and others had q
favored making it $4,000. He laid q
The increase to the rise in the cost of Il
players. s
The proposition to make the clubs G
number theirsplayers was brought up 6
suit no definite action resulted. The /,
eague decided to leave the matter to "
he individual clubs. Two clubs OPP ]
posing placing numbers on their play G
.rs while two others came out with o
strong arguments in favor of the in I,
,ovation. Charley Ebbets. who le
brought it up, said that he was will
ng to tag his men. q
Rigler Quits Umpiring =
Heydler announced that Charley
sigler had resigned from his staff of
Impires. Rigler, who came into the ,
eague in 1906 and has had quite .,
uccessful career as an umpire, is q,
making a lot of money locating oil q,
nd gas leases in Kentucky and feels ~
hat he would be cheating himself -
If he went back to the pad y,
nd mask-and certain modicum
( abuse. :,
II regret greatly that Mr. Rigler ~
ill not return" said Heydler. II ~
ave signed eight other umpires- 4,
Iank ODay, Bill Klein, Ernest Quig-
", Charley Moran, Barry McC3r- =,
lick, Bob Hart, Paul Sentelle and
harles Pfirman. Bob Emslie, who is 60
n the retired list, will be member
the staff in an advisory capacity to ~,
lie president 81
The list does not contain a new
anne.
The league voted to rui big ceie-
.ation to commemorate its fiftieth ~
in 1925. That's a long a. a.
ay off, but it is intended to have ~.
lite a blowout and perhaps some 70;
ing concrete to mark the event. ~.
bbets, Barney Dreyfuss, George w.
rant and William Veeck were named G
work with Heydler on the plans for r
is celebration. n
Fred Tenney, former first baseman l.
the Giants, went before the league q
tn a plea for an annual old timers "
me, alternating between the two n
ajors and between the East and q
est. Il