Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-04
lMPASSE REACHED
/. in DRAFT DISPUTE
Bush Leagues Involved Look
for Ways and Means to
0bviate Bigtop Aid.
NY HERBERT w. BARKER,
Associated Press Sports writer.

M ONTREAL, December A.
I'M The five non-draft leagues
4 1 sought to tighten their
defenses today in prepara-
ton for a long drawn out strug-
gle with the majors on the draft
question.
All relations between the two
rival groups-the American and
National Leagues on one hand
and the international, Pacific
Coast, American Association,
Western and Three-Eye Leagues
on the other-were at q stand
still, at least temporarily, and
there were no indications that
their differences could be patched
up in the immediate future.
The majors insist that they be given
the right to select or draft at fixed
price players in these five leagues just
as they do In other minor circuits. They
already have the right to draft from
the AA reconsideration Pacific
Coast and American Association-any
player previously in the majors, but they
want to obtain the right to include
young stars who never have reached the
big leagues,
Majors Are Drastic.
They backed their demands with a
drastic action-complete severance, from
December !, of business relations with
the non-draft leagues until they accept
the draft.
The five leagues affected offered to
reopen the question with a view to
possible settlement, provided the majors
rescinded this action within is days,
but replies from Presidents Heydler and
Barnard Of the National and American
Leagues indicated there was no chance
Of the majors doing this, and the war
was on in earnest.
Anticipating that there win be no
move toward an arnicable settlement at
the Joint major league meeting in New
York next week, the rlori-draft minors
planned to confer on ways and means
OF carrying on without the aid Of the
majors. The most pressing problem was
where first-grade players are to be OBJ
tanned in sufficient quantities. It was
generally regarded that the minors
would make no further move toward
peace, at least at this time.
Another of base balls sore spots
crept out at the first session of the
twenty-ninth annual convention of the
National Association of Professional
Base Bali LeagllEs. Branch Hickey, vice
president and business manager of the
st. Louis Cardinals, largest operators Of
"chain-store" clubs in the country, told
the convention the majors were ready
to come to the aid Of those minor
leagues who may be running into flnan-
cial difficulties, but that no further
moves in that direction could be made
unless some further protection" was
given the najers.
Trading Is Light.
Hickey, whose club has run into
trouble at the ONCE Of Commissioner
X. M. Lands in some Of its complicated
minor league deals, explained that he
thought minor league clubs operated BY
q major league outfit should be regard
ed In exactly the same light as clubs
owned independently. The point seems
TO be that Hickey considered it unfair
that a player sent to one Of the Card
final farms and then sent to another
should still be regarded as under option
10 the Cardinals. Under the rules major
league clubs cannot keep q player under
option In the minors for more than two
years.
A resolution was offered suggesting
that "the commissioner and the nation
al board of arbitration should interpret
the rules and regulations without dis
elimination pertaining to ownership OF
clubs" but il subsequently was with
drawn and the entire subject dropped
Hickey possibly may attempt to get the
majors lined up behind his proposal at
their meeting next week.
Largely because of the draft dispute,
trading has been very light SO far.
score OF deals have been completed, put
none Of outstanding Importance. Few,
II any, were expected, since the majors
cannot do business with the "A CIR
cults, strongest organizations in the
minors.