The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-12-10
BY RODNEY f. BUTCHER
Leased Wire to The Age-Herald)

CHICAGO, Dec. 9.-MaBnateS OF
couple of dozen baseball leagues had
nearly all arrived here Sunday night
for a week which may bring forth
more than a gale of hot air, but
not necessarily.
However, there is a beautiful lay
out, of rumorS and possibilities for
them to begin on, and the changing
of the cash registers may be as the
jingling of sleigh bells in a day or
two. The only thing that seems GER
tain at this writing is that nobody
is going home with any belief in
Santa Claus.
There is some, but not much,
chance that somebody may start
riot with move to curtail the pow
ers of X. NJ. Lands, the unchallenged
autocrat of all professional baseball.
No one will essay the Jovian task
of abolishing the office of the base
ball commissioner or of finding a
new man, as the old white-haired
judge has a seVenyear contract that
looks like Plymouth Rock, but a lot
of the little fellows and a few of
the big ones are toting peeves
functioned, which they would be GER
tain to air if they dast.
The majors Wednesday will tackle
the II proposals to amend baseball's
operating agreement. Chief among
these is the one that would give
Lands APPELLATE power in disputes
involving big league umpires, and the
one providing for the inclusion of
playing managers and exclusion of
coaches in the player limit allowed
each club in June, July and August.
Neither of these proposals is eX-
pected to become an amendment.
The national league, the national
board of arbitration and number
of the minors will go into action
Monday. The arbitration board is eX-
pected to determine who is president
of Pacific coast league and may also
have something to say about syndi-
cate baseball in connection with the
recent purchase of the Seattle club.
The International, American asso-
citation and Pacific coast leagues are
expected to devote considerable time
to the draft question. The draft is
"out" with these circuits, but all of
them, perhaps the coast teams in
particular, realize that they've fot
to get some playing help from the
for the gelt, which latter is said
to be a prospect particularly dis
pleasing to club owners hence, they
may consent to take on some of the
excess ivory from their more exalted
Brethren if they can but be allowed
the right of selection.
The venerable Rogers Hornsby
rumor has been gaining momentum
this last day or two. All that is
needed to bring Hornsby to Chicago
is a compromise between the flat
statement of the Cubs management
that: they want the whole Cub team
for Hornsby" and the even flatter
assertion of the Cardinal heads that
we wouldn't trade Hornsby for the
whole Cub team" The Cubs, accord
ing to as good a rumor as any of
the others, recently offered four good
players and long check for Horns
by, and the offer still stands.
Eddie Collins seems likely to go
to Washington as manager, but a
lot of Kid Gleason's old friends are
hoping and even expecting that Glea-
son will be named by Clark Griffith
here during the week.
Other interest centres on Muggsy
McGraw, it is much speculated upon
as to whether John is sufficiently
satisfied with his present collection
of rare ivory, following the recent
question is, whether the recent Bos-
ton deal was the last of its kind,
IS McGraw says, or whether it was
not the first move in a thorough
shakeup of the team.
Regardless of what McGraw or
Comiskey or anyone else does, how
ever, it has already become subtly
apparent that the most beatific
smiles of all, as the magnates check
out late in the week! Will adorn the
faces of the bootleggers they leave
behind them.