The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1941-03-29
BROWNS
DIAMOND DOPE

Editors note: Lefty lists today our
Clubs in the League with his estimate
of their relative status and popularity.
He also comments on the reasons why
players are attracted to Latin cOun-
trieS-and last but not least-but read
his first paragraph.
AS the Guardian goes to press your
man Lefty will be speeding to the
front, but it won't be the army front.
it will be baseball. 1t grieves me to
leave Beantown and all the snow and
go to New Orleans where it's so hot
and stuffy. l don't know how Pm
going to stand it. I'm going there. not
only to furnish you with first hand
information on clubs in training but.
as a participant and member of the
Baltimore Elite Giants.
ROSTER OF LEAGUE CLUBS
With the majority of the club pull
ing out for camp the 3Oth of this
month, news will be buzzing by Easter.
Space will not permit me to give a
complete roster of the Elites but I will
(for your own reference) give the
names of all the clubs in both leagues.
The N. N. L. consists of Homestead
lPa.) Grays (champs); Baltimore
Elite Giants; Newark Eagles; Phila-
delphia Stars; New York Cuban Stars
and the New York Black Yankees. in
that order.
The N. A. L. clubs are: Kansas
City Monarchs (cleanups); Memphis
Red Sox; st. Louis Stars; Toledo
Crawfords; Chicago American Giants;
Birmingham Black Barons and the
Cleveland entry. The dark horse of
the N. N. L. will be the Black Yankees
due to the major deal with Baltimore
last December.
The Grays will remain the favorites,
with the Elites who lost the pennant
by one game last season given an even
chance to cop. On paper the Mon
archs are cinch to repeat with little
or no competition to stop them.
MORE ON "SATCHEL" PAIGE
From Puerto Rico comes the report
that Satchel Paige is SUSPENDED for
minor infractionS of rules. On ton of
this Pittsburgh reports that the Gravs
will sue Josh Gibson for jumping his
contract. This all boils down to
what??? The ban was lifted primar
lily to permit such stars to re-enter the
league latter paying a 500 fne).
Josh and Satchel, being the big
gest attractions, more or less hold the
destiny of the league in their hands,
With them back the owners foresaw a
chance to rehabilitate themselves and
give the fans the thrills that have been
absent IN the past few years. Owner
Sonnyman signed Gibson as the high
est paid player in both leagues. a sum
IN the region of $500 per month for
four months and proceeded to publicize
the fact that the giant catcher was
again IN the fold. Things progressed
fine until-in the shadow of the train
ing season. Josh signed for an esti-
mated sum of $4,000 for eight months
play with Mexican team leaving the
league setup fiat.
This corner would like to know
where the point of decency of honor
ing contracts and the legality of the
same begins and stops. The owners
are due all the protection in the world
Tor their investments. Then, on the
other hand who is going to protect the
players? The owners are ready tn
suspend and fine for infractions of
rules and regulations; still. when
players are owed back salaries no pro-
visions are made to recover their
losses. On one club last year an esti-
mated sum of $4,000 in back salaries
was owed with little or no chance IN
recover. It's almost laughable to read
that a player is to be sued when it's
useless to sue the owner. If tbe
owners are trying TO improve the
league why not take steps to protect