Evening star., 1926-12-10
TEAMS BROKENUP
! WHEN STARS LOST
Stern Opposition to Method
Is Spreading and May
Become Rampant.
by JOHN II. FOSTER.

A SHENILLE. \. G.. December
" 1O.-The old fight against the
"A draft has been started again
4 because of the scarcity oi
base hall material and the
fact that no minor league owner car
hold his championship team together
against the draft
The subject of the draft is per
pet,lal in base ball and always has
heen a bone of contention between
the minor leagues and the majors.
When a resolution was adopted at the
minor leagues session here that the
minors might declare before April 10,
1927 whether they wished to stick
along with the draft or Kick 1t over
board. the National Association was
right back to first principles in base
ball organization.
For some wears the International
League held aloof from the draft ana
would have none of 1t. Jack DUNN
of Baltimore WAS the malnSpl1ng be
hind that resistance. He told the fanS
Of Baltimore that he never would al
low his players to be drafted, because
his base bali team was just as much
of a major organization as any in
the ma jor leagues.
South Is Against 1t.
A year or so ago. the 1nterna uonal
League was induced to accept the
modified draft. 1t has suited the ma
tors, and the minor leagues that nave
accented it have seemed to get on
fairly well.
But row the tide of opposition Is
rising again. The Texas League
voiced it's resentment ana the South-
ern Association is with the 1eXas
men in the effort to get away from
conditions by which they declare they
ran neither get players nor keep
them.
II the opposition spreads it is pos
sible that other leagues than those or
class A will fight the draft. When
one of these matters gets started In
base ball it is hard to say Where II
will finish.
The modified draft seems acceptable
70 clubs in class AA, which work un-
der it. but they, too, might jump tile
rails If they figured that the Win
drawal of other leagues from tlle
present recognized form OF govern
ment would affect in any waNs their
.hances 10 get players or to keep
them. .-..., -
This player matter has become
6esnerate factor in base ball. The
sunnlv is all too scant. That Is, the
sunnly of players who can bllhs
recompense at the gate ana ny VIII
ming pennants.
The idea of three-man commission
10 govern base ball in the future mas
not been forgotten by American
League men or by one Natiof'aI
league man. who is very much IN
favor of it.
If is not likely that they VIII suc-
eeed In reconciling Commissioner l-ah.
dis 10 anything of that nature. ne
cannot govern base ball as. In MS ophl-
ion he thinks it should be goNerne,u:
ne will not he commissioner a tue
vninor leagues had voted nlias EsM ao'
ditiarsl salary he would Snots have ac'
cerfad If He said that he is gong
einny in his own way on the plan mat
he has pursued from the start anu -
better informed now than ne ""' !"
the early days of his office
RrooI,Iyn has been offered $lo'ooo
for cantrell. pitcher. by the l'ortiahu:
Oreg club. and also by Stalilhss oi
pnchester. and will take none OF IT,
rhis. without doubt, lS the lafSeH'
sum ever offered by a minor '"s
club in the history OF base pan ~ ~,
pitcher, and shows What the IN
league managers think OF tah,Itl'
If cantrell had been sent aiois "
Portland IT is likely that IN tinie ne
might have landed with the fni'aue III
uhia Athletics. because rom ~, uil
paver oyerlooks the Athletics when
he il making a deal for ioftitii"'