Evening star., 1942-01-14
Minor Leagues
.Like|yto Feel
Blow Worst
Restrictions on Tires
Factor, Night Come
Bon Is DebotubIe
BY JJDSON BAILEY,

Associated Press sports Writer.
NEW YORK, Jan. l4-In the criti-
cal days Of 1918, when the famous
work or fient" edict came out Of
Washington, the baseball season was
smothered olt on Labor Day. Yet
a few weeks ,ater, records show, the
Government informed major league
leaders that this had not been in
tended and tlat normal plans should
be made for the sport in 1919.
Unless some confusion Of this sort
crops up du.ing this Second World
War, baseball men hope to continue
the Nations leading sport with as
little disruption as possible.
Baseball. they point out. lis enter
tainment for millions of Americans
and it is a livelihood for the many
thousands Of persons who partici-
pate-either as players or as club
owners. managers, stenographers,
grounds keepers and ticket takers.
Must MAKE SAcflnceS.
AS business it will be called upon
for the same sacrifices and hardships
as other yerprises. Its personnel
already is being heavily tapped by
the militar, service, its equipment
is subject 10 the same priorities
that affect every one else, and its
finances are in jeopardy because Of
the uncertainty Of attendance.
Major league players who have
gone into the armed forces include
Hank Greenberg. Bob Feller, Cecil
Travis, Buddy Lewis, Hugh Mulcahy
and Sam Chapman. Others will be
called before the season starts.
During the last war attendance
continued good. and the leaders of
both leagues expect the interest Of
fans to remain high in spite of the
new hostilites.
Both the National and American
Leagues will hold meetings in New
York early next month to consider
problems resulting from the war, but
in the NEAR time all club owners are
going aheac with arrangements for
their usua, spring training pro-
grams and for the season to follow.
The minor leagues, Of course. are
going to bear the brunt of wars
blow. Sincs the first draft In the
fall of 1910 approximately 800 minor
league players have joined the Army
and Navy. Most Of the players in
the majors ire married, but the boys
in the Glass B. C and D leagues
for the mot part are younger and
single
In the opinion of William G.
Bramham. president of the National
Association, restrictions on tires rep
resent serious threat to minor
league attendance. In the small
cities most of the ball parks are on
the edge O. town. trolley cars have
been abanconed and bus service is
Inadequate for large crowds.
Night Games in Balance.
There Is variance Of opinion on
the effect cf possible ban on night
games. 1t certainly would hurt the
minors, bu for the present at least
it is a poss bility only in the coastal
regions A; for power conservation
in the interior sections, some base
ball men say engineers have told
them that $500 fans staying at home
would consume as much current as is
needed to light ball park.
The game undoubtedly will make
contributions to the Nations war
effort as means become apparent. A
fund already has been established
for the purchase of baseball equip
ment to be used at Army and Navy
camps, ard the proceeds Of next
summers all-star game will be added
to this. Exhibitions will be played
at Army camps and against Army
teams. Uniformed men will be ad-
mitted to .eague games at nomi-
nal charge.
Come wnat may. baseball hopes
to fit itself into the scheme Of a
nation at var and keep on going.