The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-17

by Harry
'Grayson
Baseball PrOmOtiOnal
Stunts on Display;
It's About Time!

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It's About Time!
New York, Nov. 17.--American
league finally got around to giving
new owners an opportunity TO bail
out the st. Louis Browns with o
limited number Of night games.
Cardinals will be the second Ma
tional league club to resort to the
arc lights next season. Washington
and Philadelphia outfits Of the
junior loop can't make up their
minds, although both are In dire
need Of help In the way Of attend
ance. They want to see how the
nocturnal variety Of play works out
at Sportsnan's Park.
Their reluctance TO play ct night
Is characteristic OF the major
leagues-always slow TO see needs
for changes and slower to adopt
new ideas. Night baseball must
come In the big show, outside Of
the larger centers at least, and two
seasons OF It In Cincinnati furnished
positive proof Of It's practicability
and lucrative qualities.
At the National Association con-
vention in Montreal, Dec. 2, 3, and
4, Bill Grifflth, publicity man Of the
Columbus club Of the American
Association, will carry on with his
display Of promotional ideas, an in
novation at the 1886 meeting ct
Dayton.
Grifath collects promotional
wrinkles that have been used to
advantage In various parts Of the
country, mounts them attractively
on display panels and offers them
for the perusal Of all who care to
peek. The exhibit made q tremen-
dous hit the first time out, and, like
the circus, should be bigger and
better this trip.
The thirty NTH annual conclusive
Of the minor leagues this winter
will carry the inagnates across tho
Canadian border into country
where baseball Is just about as i'm
portant o part Of the summer rec
reational program as 1t Is on Uncle
Samuel's greensward.
Western Canada Loop
Could he Revived
Montreal houses @ franchise In
the international league. 80 does
Toronto. This circuit offers the
brand Of ball just below the top
grade, which Is ample evidence OF
the fact that our Canadian broth
ers have gone In for the pastime In
generous way.
Winnipeg operates in the North
ern league and draws real crowds.
There are clubs at Perth, Ottawa,
and Brockville In the Canadian
American league, all under the reg
ulations and protection Of organized
baseball.
And II strikes me that II Is about
time for old Joe Carr, Of baseball's
new business department, to do,
something about reorganiging the
Western Canada loop Of pre.war
memory. With Vancouver, Victoria
and Tacoma OF the old Northwest
ern league open, there Is splendid
field for q circuit from the prairie
10 the coast.
Originally scheduled TO ope nthe
third Wednesday In November, the
minors changed to the December
dates 10 their magnates from dis.
tant points, such as the Pacific coast
sector, could attend both the major
and minor meetings on one cross
continent ticket. The majors get to-
gether the week after the Montreal
invasion.
Interesting Developments
ut Annual Conclaves
Business and pleasure are mixed
at these annual conclaves and O
very palatable potion results. The
club owner can corner his fellow
magnate, arrange o trade or o pur-
chase, set up the nucleus Of his
playing machine for next season,
and have o good time while he's ut
II.
The host city always sees TO that.
There'll be plenty OF entertainment
on the program, including the an
nual association banquet.
The association proper schedules
q business session for each day.
Proposed amendments to the code
OF minor league baseball are dis.
cussed and adopted or rejected.
Unless some Of the members sally
forth with unexpected proposals,
there Is nothing In the way Of dras"
tic changes In the ofilng. Since the
advent OF President w. q. Gram.
ham In December, 1882, the consti-
tuition Of the minors has been
brushed to At the modern demands
ON the game and 1t needs little, II
any. tinkering.
These annual meetings, winter
high spots OF baseball, furnish many
interesting developments. They
bring together men from oil walks
OF the game. Free agents attend
them to get Jobs, and club owners
pick UP free agents who TT into
their plans.
There is fellowship about the
hotel lobby that can be generated
only by men who see each other but
once q year. There are many OF
these In the vast expanse covered
by minor league baseball, and their
annual shoulder-rubbing rs soine-
thing that Is difiicult TO measure IN
dollars and cents--or do they figure
In pounds and shillings over In the
Dominion?
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