Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-30

HN OF until the minor
y leagues resort to the de-
velopment of young
players instead of filling
their ranks with major league
Cast-offS will the big circuits be
filled with brilliant youthful stars
as they were before the World
War" says Clark Griffith, presi-
dent of the Washington club.
There are very few worthwhile
youngsters in the minors now"
he declares. Griffith ought to
know, for no owner has been more
active than he in recent years in
the search for promising young
talent.) and there will not be, :"
he adds, before the minors get
over this fooliShneSS of depend
ing almost altogether upon vet
eran talent"
Since the World War minor league
base bail has all but gone on the rocks.
There is financial distress on every
hand and all the little circuits are yelp-
ing for help. Most of them, though,
know the cause of their troubles, says
Griffith, According to him it is ''old
age" Not the ages of the leagues, but
of their players.
Henry P Edwards formerly sports
editor and base ball writer of the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer for years and now
head of the publicity bureau of the
American League, in pamphlet pre-
pared by him concurS with the Wash
ington president. Edwards writes that
following the World War there was
such scarcity of young players that
the minors virtually were forced to
look to the majors for assistance and
that now young talent is available the
individual clubs in the minors have
hesitated to employ the proper per-
centage of young players for fear of
losing their competitive balance.
EDWARDS gives a graphic picture of
IL conditions in the minors. He
writes: AT the beginning of July,
1880, the average age of the active play
ers in the American League was less
than 275 years, while the average age of
the active players in the National
League was just fraction over %
years. At this same time, the average
age of the American Association play
ers was equal to that of the National
League, while the average age of all
the players in the American Associa-
ton, Pacific Coast, international,
Southern Association, Texas and New
York-Penn Leagues exceeded the aver
age age of the American League play
ers by more than three-quarters OF
year.
"More than this-the average of 500
players composing the rosters of the
IL leading minor leagues was only one
tenth of year under that of the
American League"
No wonder the big league owners find
it difficult to pick up promising young
talent nowadays.
TOUR more games here and the Ma
IL tionals will quit Griffith Stadium
to return only for contests here with
the league-leading Athletics on the
first and fourth Sundays in Septem-
Der. Today and tomorrow and the
Yankees will be through with the local
lot this year, while Monday afternoon
the Red Sox will clash with the john
son band in Labor day double-header.
Jimmy MCLEOD, young infielder who
has been with the Nationals since
the start of the season, was to leave
today for Louisville, quite likely to fin
ish the year with the American Associa-
ton club. Mcleod goes, however, sub
ject to recall upon "a hours notice, as
his departure will leave the Nationals
withonly one extra hand, Jack Hayes,
capable of playing anywhere from sec
ond to third base.
Mcleod is clever fielder either at
shortstop or third base, but as the Ma
tionals have gone along there was little
chance for him to do more than break
into a game occasionally. President
Griffith believes regular toll with the
Colonies. which Mcleod is expected to
get, as their utility infielders are nurs-
ing injuries, will help the youngster
considerably. Louisville now is lead
ing the American Association race.