The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-08
GRIFFITH RULE
SPURNED BY ALL
NATIONALISTS
American League lncludA
ing Yanks, Votes for New
Player Restriction
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent

UNITED Press Staff Correspondence
Cincinnati, Dec. 8.-(UP)-Har.
mony flew out the window today as
the two major baseball leagues
opened their annual joint meeting
with Commissioner K. M. Lands
presiding.
BY working late last night The two
leagues, sitting In separate sessions,
combined their usual two-day meet
ing into q one-day affair, and thus
will conclude their winter conven-
ton today.
Differences on several points
promised stormy session. Major
points, on which the two leagues dis
agree are:
Clark Griffith's rule which pro-
vides that q championship team
cannot acquire player in Its own
league except via the waiver route
until 1t no longer Is champion. The
American league adopted 1t and the
National league rejected 1t.
Recent legislation adopted by the
minors as amendments to the major.
minor agreement. One of these pro-
vides that each club shall be con-
sidered as a separate unit without
regard to its parent club and the
other provides that all rules be
construed as they are written with
out Interpretation. The National
league favors accepting these
amendments and the American
league opposes them.
In announcing the adoption OF
Griffith's proposal, the American
league expressed hope the National
league also would accept 1t but said
that regardless of what 1t did they
would retain the amendment. The
measure was a direct potshot at the
Yanks, but the Bronx Bombers APP
peared fully capable Of worrying
along without help from other
American league clubs. In fact,
the Yanks were real sports about 1t
and, In order TO make the vote
unanimous, cast their ballot for 1T
when they saw they were about TO
be defeated.
The situation was different In the
National league, where each fall sees
the champions desperately in need
of oyerhauling In order to stay IN
the race. The champion Cubs OF
1888 became a fourth-place club
In 1899. The champion Reds OF
1899 admit that they must strength
en- by trading II they are TO retain
their laurels.
The rift over the amendments TO
the major minor agreement may
involve the two leagues in bitter
battle. II the two leagues vote as
unit, as they probably will. Lands
can break the deadlock, II he 50
desires, by casting the deciding
vote.
Inasmuch as thetwo amendments
we're designed to give chain store
baseball operators more LATITUDE,
Lands. long an enemy Of such prac-
tice, Is likely TO side with the Amer
lean league. However, some critics
think Lands may cross up every
one and vote the National leagues
way II he feels that these rules are
what the majority OF baseball men
want There is some sentiment ior
this assumption inasmuch as the
minors went on record as favoring
the two proposals which were spon-
sored BY the Cincinnati and Brook
lyn clubs.
The American league rule against
champion acquiring players from
other clubs goes into effect immeoi-
ately. Even now the Yanks are
barred from making a deal except
by waivers. The rule, however, does
not prevent the Yanks selling a
player II they so wish.
President will Harridge OF the
American league ridicuied the Idea
that the rule would "break up tne
"ItIl take more than this to stop
the Yanks." he said.
The American league rescinded us
rule calling for the pennant-w VIM
ming manager to pilot the Aii-Star
team and appointed Joe Cronin OF
the Red sox for the 1910 game:
The major leagues Will open April
16 and close September %.
unable to get their hard-hitung
outfielder, the Reds made some
progress by signing Bucky Walters
who won "a and lost IL last sea.
son. to a two-year CONTRACT, ana
getting Johnny Wander Meer's sig-
nature for 1910.