The Washington times., 1935-09-18

""''~ er in the OIL
Frank Buck" o'Neillseasons, an
he's one of the most interesting
in the air wave game, has given
him a command of English. A
dozen years in the major leagues
qualify him to talk on baseball.
"The best thing in the world
for q ball player is to work for
two or three managers" Sewell
said. "There have been many
good managers in baseball since
1t started; these are some
mighty good ones in the game
right now. They have differ
ent methods, and some Of all
the systems is good.
"When was in Cleveland, 1
thought it would be just great
il 1 could finish out my base
ball years there. 1 never wanted
to be traded. You see, it was
my first team, and my brother
was there. 1 felt that Cleve-
land was home. Then 1 moved
to Washington and from Wash
lngton to the White SOx.
II am glad now that / made
those moves" Sewell said. II
have nothing but the friendliest
feelings for Cleveland and for
Washington. But playing with
Joe CrOnin and playing for
Jimmy Dykes, who is a real
manager, I've gotten a few
SlantS on baseball that have
helped my game.
II would say Offhand that
ono of the things that have
handicapped Walter Johnson as
a manager-granting for the
sake of argument that he la
bored under handicaps-was
the fact that he spent all OF
his life in one city.
"He played for Griffith, who
Is a man of set ideas. Not as
set now as he once was, but a
very determined man once he
makes up his mind. Johnson,
perhaps became imbued too
strongly with Griffith's ideas
on baseball.
zone of the recognized lead.
ers of baseball is Rogers
HOrnsby," SewelE said. 'He
certainly has been around here
and there. He was with the
Cards, the Giants, Boston, Chi
cagO and the Browns. He saw
a lot of baseball, and he played
q lot of baseball. There are
percentages in this game and
! 1t is interesting to see them
played. The man who guesses
! right most of the time is the
man who wins.
! Fans hate to see old favo-
rites pass, but sometimes NOV
ing along will put new ambi-
tiOn in a player who seems to
be about at the end of his rope
in a city"
In these days when share the
wealth programs are heard on al
sides, forward looking baseball
men are looking for a way to in
troduce a share-the-player plank
into baseball's platform. Perhaps
it would be better to say that
baseballs reactionaries are going
back to the first beginnings of the
National League to draw theil
plank. In 1875 the league allo
Gated players. Now there are some
who want the Commissioner Of
baseball to be empowered to dc
the same thing.
AS this highly interesting plan
was outlined to your reporter by
a man who knows baseball from
start to finish, a board of player
control would be established.
When trades were in the making
this non-partisan group could sit
establish the value of player to
a team and thus prevent exhorbi
tant demands upon a prospective
trader. The purpose of this board
naturally would be to balance the
power Of the major leagues, and
stimulate interest by making pos.
Sible the sort of race that RACES in
the National League right now.
1t was pointed out that the
st. Louis National League club,
which operates the only efficiently
conducted chain organization,
controls more than 300 ball play
ers. The Cardinals have domi-
mated baseball since 1926, win
ming five pennants since that
year, and are not to be counted
out of this race by a jugful. This
diamond hegemony Will be main
tanned by the Cardinals unless
some rule is passed by the major
leagues that really will break the
power Of Breadon. Hickey and
Company.
Nothing that remotely Smacks
OF confiscatory legislation can be
passed to bring about the pro-
posed distribution of players. But
1t is felt that some such move
must be made to balance the
league and restore baseball to
its former station. In the final
analysis, the power of the Cubs
or the Cards or the Yankees
would mean little if it could not
be demonstrated and exploited be-
tore the public.