San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-01
BIC QUESTION
INVOLVED IN
BENTON FUSS
KeydIer Is Fighting for
Right Of League to
Rule Its Own.
SOME WOULD GUST HIM
Talk Of "Scalping" Heydler
Shoes Dove of Peace
From Baseball.
SOME WOULD GUST HIM
BY GEORGE CHADWICK.

Copyright. by The SAN Antonio Light
New York. March 31.-Some one
has started a rumor that the scalping
knife has been unsheathed for John
A. Heydler, president of the National
League. 1t may be presumed that a
lot of loose and idle talk has been
floating around because of the recent
Benton episode.
Poor old baseball. Just one dose
of alum and bitter sweet after an
other. Heydler, presumably trying
TO protect his league and the hon
esty of baseball. is to be discreditcd,
because there has been difference
in opinion between him and others.
An eminent baseball man, who
knows the laws of the game fairly
we'll and its traditions very well,
was asked whether it is not possible
in baseball for any league which docs
not wish n certain player TO instruct
its clubs or to have its clubs take a
vote as to whether the player shall
be permitted to join its organization
and at the same fine recognize the
fact that the player may go with any
other league with which he cares to
play or which cares to have his name
ATTACHED to contract.
He answered that he believed such
n condition to be quite possible with
out violating the law of baseball or
the law of the land. He looked upon
it simply as matter of preferment.
Matter of Selection.
ait is true" he said, that a man
may be member of one secret or
ganization in the United States and
not another. That a man may be
elected to the Masons and not 10 the
Odd Fellows does not in anT sense i'm
ply anything personally wrong with
the candidate if one order rejects him.
Its question of selection.
Il believe it to be strictly within
the law of baseball that a league may
not be compelled TO accept a contract
with player if that league votes that
it does not wish him as n member. IL
one club in that league insists on
having him as member it then be-
comes a matter of league discipline.
For example, player might be
absolutely above suspicion as far as
charges of playing dishonesty were
concerned. He may never have play
ed a crooked game or may never have
been associated with players who did
so, but he may have been violator
of good baseball in other respects. .
The question at issue seems to rest
upon the right of league to govern
its own organization. Granting that
there is a high power in baseball
which says that a Certain player is
eligible to play, the point is whether
| it implies that the player can be
forced upon league if the league
does not want him.
Take the present case. Benton is
given clean bill of health SO far
as the commissioner of baseball is con-
cerned. Now the American League
may take action regarding. him and
say that he is not eligible TO that
league. At least that much seems to
have been done. because both New
York and Detroit drew out of nego-
tiations for him.
The National League may have
done the same thing so far as any one
knows. The president of the Ma.
tional League has made his utter.
ance in regard to the player, but one
club of his league. Cincinnati. is de-
termined to play him. The point aris-
ing is whether if a majority of Ma.
tional League clubs vote that the play
er is not wanted in their league. he
can be forced upon the league because
the commissioner of baseball sides
with one club as opposed to seven. OF
course, this is a suggestions case.
The point arises whether the National
League has lost its autonomy because
1t cannot control the personnel of its
own circuit.
These are the points which are. be.
ing discussed with no end of freedom
both in the major and the minor
leagues.
The fact that this discussion of af
fairs should have gone TO such nm
extreme that some are talking about
change in the executive head of the
National League. shows that base
pail has not drifted nearer the harbor
Of peace after all.
1t is very ticklish situation in
baseball where an executive is 70 be
criticized for welding a broom TO keen
the affairs of his circuit circumspect.
1t will be recalled that great deal
OF trouble in baseball has arisen be-
cause punishment was not meted ont
as 1t should have been once upon n
time; Any suggestion that Heydlcr
should be attacked or criticized for
what he deems to be right will not
be generally accepted. The relations
between him and any player are not
the only points. involved. The cues
ton is whether league right of govern
ment can be ovcrrulo,l