The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-01-15
RULING COSTS DETROIT CLUB
 HALF MILLION
Group of 92 Players Made Free Agents-Five Clubs
 Fined Nearly $5O,OOO
BY ERNEST BARCELLA

United Press Stan Correspondent
 Chicago, Jan. 16.-(UPJ -Chain store baseball was dealt another major blow today by its most power full foe-Kenesaw Mountain Lands, the czar of baseball.
 This time Lands cracked the whip over the Detroit American League club and It's farm system.
 In a sweeping decision which 6 spokesman for Landis said was aimed at eliminating misuse Of working agreements in chain store baseball as a camoutiage for cover. ing up pla CTS" Lands:
 l-Declared % players free agents including Infielder Bennyl Mccoy, Outfielder Roy Cullenbine, Pitcher Paul (Dizzy) Trout and two other players on the Detroit roster.
 2-Directed Detroit or five clubs which acted for Detroit Q pay e47,' 2b0 to i4 other players in lieu of makirg t"em free agents-a penalty tantat1nou:t to q fine.
 3-Tined the Chicago Cubs ei,00O and the St. Louis Browns $500 for "contacting" two of the players made free agents. (McCoy and Culienbine in the case of the cubs, and Me- coy in the case of the Browns).
 4-Orderca the Cleveland Indians to pay 92O00 to player Walter T Carson who, Landis said, was "cov. cred up" by the Toledo American association club for Cleveland.
 6-Warned that henceforth aiI club officials and employees found to be involved in "the evils of cofn- mon control of player readings of two clubs in the same league, and perveraion of working agreements would be placed on the ineligible list with maximum fines imposed on club involved.
 0-Warned that similar action would be taken against league presi. dents and officials who knowingly cooperate h rules violations or negligentiy fail to investigate or re- port such violations to the confniS. Sioner. NNN Covered Up" Of the O2 declared free agents, S7 were on the rosters of IS minor league clubs which, Lands charged, engaged in wholesale covering up" for Detroit.
 Hardest hit were the Toledo Am ctlcan association club which was deprived of 10 players, Beaumont of tne Texas league which lost 10, Fort Worth of the Texas league and Hens' derson Of the East Texas league which lost iiiae each and Hot Spring of the Cotton State league which lost 22.
 The decision automatically can. celed the trade by which Detroit was to have sent Mccoy and Pitcher George Coffman to the Philadelphia Athletics for Outfleider Wally Moses. The deal made in DeceFn- Der had been ordered held Up by Lands pening outcome of the in- vestigatiofi, which started last May A spokesman for LAndis said the decision Wag one of the most sweep. Ing ever made in baseball. In . Seven.page ruling handed down yesterday, Lands specifically charge that General Manager Jack Teller of the Detroit club abused the working agreement privilege by making Secret dealings' and that. contrary to baseball laws, Detroit controlled more than one club In c minor league.
 Landis held that Detroit control" cd two clubs in the Texas leakue-- Beaumont and Fort Worth--and two clubs in the f'vangeline league Alexandrio tthrough DeaumonD and Lake Charles (through Beaumont and Fort Worth).
 Tricky Btuff
 He asserted that zeller used form letters" and that he had illegal understandings with all his working agreement clubs" i Involved with zelier In the "ilieeal arrangements" according to Lands findings, were Cecil CoolibS, former Fort Worth business manager; President Milton E. Price of the West Texas.New Mexico league President ]. A. Gardner of tho Texas league, President ]. Waiter Morris of the Texas league and President Waldo Shank of tho To. ledo club.