Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
HUGE CASH TOTAL !
AT STAKE IN row
Big Leagues Balk at Paying
$3.50, 900 Draft Toll to IA ).
Teams Each Year.
BY GEORGE CHADWICK.


n TEw YORK, October Ia
M Base balls immediate con-
N Germ, as the diplomats
would phrase 1t, Is the
composing Of differences" be-
tween the major and minor
leagues.
Scarcely had the world series tumult
died away when the master minds Ct
base ball applied themselves to the
task Of drawing up . peace pact be-
tween the big and little fellows. They
stil are master rninding. The discuss
sion that now Is agitating the base BALI
world VIII continue to agttate 1t until
the December meeting Of the minors 90
Montreal
Differences that exist between tho
major leagueA and the minor leagues
concern money and players. That re.
solves itself into one difference money
only-because players are the most
valuable assets Of organized base baI.
Huge concrete stands are worthless uHl-
less they attract big crowds.
The major leagues desire - retain
more players under their control. The
minor leagues say they have too many
as 1t Is.
Seek $4,000 Per Player.
IN transferring players from minor
leagues to major leagues by the process
Of draft, the minor leagues desire %
have prices increased In line with those
paid for minor league stars when the
major clubs purchase outright the re-
leases Of such players. They would like
q maximum Of $4,000 for . player In
class AA-that Is, In the international
League, American Association and Pa
cific Coast League. If each club Of
class IA surrendered Q player to the
majors at the maximum draft price Of
S2OO 900, that would mean . turning over
Of $4,000 To- these three minor leagues
The major leagues are willing TO raise
the present draft prices, but they fail
to see why they should be asked to con-
tribute $3.50 900 70 one minor class. II
they had to pay that stun, or any sum
approximately as large, they would In
sist on having the choice of any player
In the class "A clubs involved. They
do not have that now. There are cer-
tain players whom they cannot draft
The majors want the universal draft
The principle Of the universal draft IS
violated in practice.
Minor leagues now contend that the
majors have 50 restricted the general
supply Of players that the minors are
unable to, place strong teams In the
field. They have other complaints, but
this Is q principal one.
Some Pertinent Figures.
To play eight games daily in the two
major leagues requires IA players. TO
meet the demands Of the 300 games
that they play IN o season, the major
$40 players. Part of the season--After
June 15-they must restrict the mum.
berl Of players actually eligible for
games to 400, hence they must make
provision Of some kind for the other
240 who belong to them. So they send
the players out on option" to the
minor leagues. The reserves also are
trading assets. representing . practice
which has grown since 1919 and which
Is not sound financially even II e hAp-
pens ct times to be convenient.
The major leagues insist they ara
not overbearing In their control Of
players and point to the fact that they
ask possession Of contractua1 rights
over $40 Of them, against the 1000
900 or more who play base ball In the
United States. The argument against
that Is that they employ i've men 20
do one mans work and restrict the
supply Of the best. The argument
against the minor leagues IL that they
take too many players from the majors
and do too little recruiting Of their
own among tbs youngsters of the eoun-
try.