Evening star., 1923-12-02

1t has been the "old guard which
has been instrumental and foremost
in pushing all legislation that tended
to put check on the richer clubs,
and everybody knows that the target
in more recent years has been the
New York club, which has not had
consideration for clubs in its own
league or cities in its own league if
it could get what ii wanted for
itself.
willing to Go Limit.
That policy is permissible in base
bail. so there is nothing unfair in il,
in a way. The New York club simply
goes the limit of the law 10 get what
1t wants. Hence the ceaseless at
tcmpts to make the laws tighter all
the time.
Last spring owners of the National
League were outspoken in criticism
of deals which had been made by the
New York club. 1t was not affirmed
that there was anything about the
deals hy which they could be pre-
vented They had been passed upon
and sanctioned by the authorities,
but 1t was declared that the general
good of the league had not been con-
sidered I'VE are it," say the Giants
in substance.
Little by little mental opposition
on the part of the league to the ef-
forts of the Giants to win pennants
has intensified until now certain men
are quoted as openly asserting that
no club in the National League should
sell players to the Giants. This doc
trine of club rights, which seems to
he one of stepping on the toes OF
the Giants owners, is that or the
old days when the little fellow de-
nanded that he get consideration for
the good of the game
Sellers are Responsible.
Had there been no transfers of
PLAYERS to the New York club by
clubs of its own organization since
1919 it is quite possible that the
Giants might not have won so many
championships. That brings the sub
ject back TO the point that there can
not be buyers unless there are sellers.
This condition is indigenous to the
National League. 1t does not exist
in the American League. There have
been transfers of players in the
American League which We're resent
ed by other clubs in that organiza-
tion, and there We're transfers or
players which led TO lot of fuss IN
the American League. out there IS
not a faction in the American League
that would check New York. unless
you can call seven clubs faction, for
there are seven teams now plotting
to lick the Yanks in 1924. while there
are three or four in the Nationai
the Giants are unable TO recruit
enough strength to patch up for the
coming season.
If Hornsby should go to New YORK
from st. Louis there would be a howl
from ST. Louis to the Atlantic ocean.
In ST Louis 1T would be the shrleks
of the maddened fans. Fans have
shrieked before. In the second diVl-
sion cities of the National League IL
would be the sneering jibes of the fell
lows who say We'll. they're AT 1t
again" But if that should occur St.
Louis will have done only what BoS-
ION did. what Philadelphia did, what
st. Louis did before when ii let Sallee
and Snyder so to New York, what
Cleveland as National League clup
did in years gone by. what Brooklyn
did when Dahlen went TO the Giants
from across the river, what Cincin-
natl almost did with Roush, what Chi
cago did when zimmerman got away
to New York, but what Pittsburgh
never did. And Pittsburgh is one of
the "old guard"
Copyright. 1921