Evening star., 1923-02-10

This practise has grown so weighty
that the sums at times have reached
$4,000 and more, and the sturdy
butcher boys and farm hands who
are applying for positions in base
ball are asking why they don't get
a chance to sign their names in the
autograph album. Some of them
would not ask $500. but only a small
part of that sum to sign weekly.
1t all narrows down to a dead,
feud between the college mans auto
graph and the sandlotters' autograph
So far in the spilling of ink the col
legian has had all the better of !,
and the sandlotter has just discovered
that fact. That's all.
1arry Hermann, president Of the
CINCINNATI club, II is reported vii
raise the issue and something else
besides in his league as to why Rube
Benton, southpaw pitcher. can't Ma
eor the Reds. and still can play 10,
81. Paul This Benton matter has
peen poultised by the National
League. the American and the com
missioner of base ball for some time
ana G. Hermann is determined -,
bring it to a head.
~ would seem that neither the Ma
tlonal nor the American has much to
say about this case until there is
rullng from the office of the commits
visement. du
II there is anything in the new dis.
pensatlon In base ball it would seen.
ma the matter is really one for fnaI
aaaJJustment by the commissioner
once; II being up to him to say
above all reproof. -
Inc interesting side to the incidenr
IS mat 1t is really an argument be
tween tne old chairman of the ma
eion commissi n-Herrmann-andt the
new commissioner of base ball.
- aerrmann may press the matter in
ms own league. hoping that a victor
mere will end the whole thing. Ever
II ne ooes, it remains to be seen
"netner the court Of final resort will
resort to final decision.
Some of the major Ie.gu. o,,,h
nave indicated that they are beRips
nlng to wonder whether they made
anything by adopting the resolution
permitting all major league teams
20 mold all players up to forty until
June 10. The teams which are
tions. Both New York clubs bofI
Chicago and Pittsburgh are wen
blanketed with funds, but some Of
the other teams when they snuggle
into the financial bed cloths find their
rect sticking out in the cold.
1t is the old story of the clubs
with the long bank rolls having the
better of the argument. The lads
with the small stack of chips are
less able to make big bets to
strengthen their playing forces. Bets
is the proper term. for in reality the
majors are gambling in the player
market. With all the traffic tied up
for sixty days. the majors cannot
we'll negotiate with minor league
clubs to stop a gap here or there as
one may develop. because the minors
will not have much to offer that is
desirable if the bigger majors have
decided to hang on to their full quota
of players allowed under the resofu-
tion.
More than LOG players can be held
by the big major league clubs If
they decide to dawdle along and pay
salaries for an extra month Take
100 players out Of the available sup
ply and there is bound to be a
shortage all around in the. minors
who are not going to do business
with any one unless they can first
fill their own gaps.
gloating. They would not express
any keen sorrow if the weaker
majors all tleo the "ell known mill :
stone under their chins and jumped
in the nearest lake. The lesser major
league clubs mean nothing much in
their young lives. 1t would be sad.
however. for the majors to find they
had stepped on their own feet in
an effort to get even with Mccarthy
of the Pacific Coast League and
others of the lighting Irish because
the latter would not accept the draft.
Stranger things have happened.
Copyright, 1929