The Washington times., 1936-12-11
TELLER CASE DECISION HELPS BIG LEAGUE OWNERS
Lands Fines
Cleveland
$500
By GARRY SCHUMACHER


NEW YORK, Dec. 11.-Expedi-
ency dictated the Bob Feler de.
cision, of course-the extent Of
the Cleveland clubs guilt is pointed
out by the 2,500-word ruling-but
any study of the circumstances
involved recommends the docu-
ment as the masterpiece Of Judge
Lands legal career.
He found a plausible "out"
where none existed and where It
was absolutely essential that one
be found.
A verdict declaring the 1S-year-
old pitching phenom a free agent
would have thrown more than q
million dollars worth Of baseball
ivory onto the open market. There
isn't a club in either major league
that isn't guilty of the same
crime" charged against Cleveland.
Wouldn't Take Rap"
And the major league club own.
ers simply wouldn't have taken
that rap" A million dollars is
money, in any currency.
There isn't a rule in the book
that magnates value that highly
and certainly not a technicality.
Had the judge insisted upon en-.
forcing a free agent ruling the
club owners would have over.
thrown his authority. And, in
all fairness, wouldn't they have
had a reason?
Thus 1t was the judges task
to reach a verdict that would
validity Cleveland'S contract, and
at the same time by inflicting
some penalty, hold the respect
and confidence of the baseball
public, which looks to him as the
guardian and protector Of the
rights Of the players and fans.
The ruling does make one point
which should still most Of the
objections voiced against it. The
judge inferS that the fault was
with the rule rather than with
the m gnate sand that does
make lot Of sense.
Basis for Decision
The legal basis for the decision
is the so-called Baltimore amend.
ment adopted by the minor
leagues at Montreal last week ana
affirmed by the big leaguers in
session here. The amendment
voids the sandlot rule which Cleve.
land violated in Feller'S case, and
so, to a degree, outlaws the charge
against the Cleveland manage.
ment.
What was a "crime" isn't a
crime any moe, rand so In effect
the Judge decided that it was
neither necessary nor fair to hold
the Cleveland club to the strict
letter Of the old law.
This contention he supported
with the very practical argument
that to declare Feller a free
agent would be to recreate the
exact condition which existed
prior to the time he accepted the
Fargo contract submitted to him
by General Manager Slapnicka,
of Cleveland. If Cleveland couldn't
sign him, then no other major
league club could do so, and thus
we'd again have the spectacle Of
another minor league club sign.
ing Feller at the instance Of an.
other major league club-the very
thing charged against Cleveland.
Called LandiS' Attention
Lee Keyser, the owner Of the Des
Moines club, who is to be the
recipient of the $500 damage
judgment imposed upon the In.
dians, figured in the proceedings
as the gent who called the matter
to Judge Lands attention. He
claims that he discovered" Feller,
who lives near Des Moines, and
would have signed him but for the
Intervention and better financial
offer of the Cleveland club.
Feller denies this. He says:
81 never signed with Des
MoineS, never played there and
never wanted to sign with Dies
MOineS."
So far as Keyser is concerned it
is personal impression that the
Feller case was a very. very lucky
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