The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-15
PAID FOOTBALL OWNERS HOLD
 UP 1s4s PLANS
No Draft Until April; Washington Expected to
 Ease Situation
By LEO H. PETERSEN IrnltnA Press Shorts Editor

 washington, Dec. 1B.--(Up)--pro- fessional sports are marking tima until the nanpower situation be- comes more definite.
 Right now the men behind major league baseball, professional foot- ball and other sports haven't the slightest idea of what l943 holds in store for them. They are hoping for the best, but looking for the worst
 Perhaps the best indication oi what sports is up against came yes- terday when the National Football League voted to postpone until ne:;t April a definite decision on whether to try to operate next season.
 The announcement which came out of the meeting of club owners did not say that, but that is what the action amounted to. The owners voted unanimously to try to con- t!nue. in iol3 but that was merely for the record. What they actually did was to decide not to make fu- ture plans until the April meeting, when, if the manpower situation warrants, they will try to keep soing.
 Pro Football Through?
 But the owners, Commissioner Elmer Layden's optimism to the con. trary, seemed to feel that pro foot ball probably is out for the duration, They pointed out that some $50 of their players already have been drafted, that they had to call on i5S first-year men to operate this sea- son. And with the bulk of the col- lege players due for the armed ser- vices they wonder where the reces- sary playing talent is coming from.
 They definitely are against play Ing men too old or too young for that would mean a decline in the caliber of play which has brought the game to the popularity 1t now enjoys,
 Layden said he thought the game was q morale builder and should be continued If possible. But, as many observers pointed out, If the owners hoped to play next year, they would be laying their plans now, as is ma jor league baseball. rather than to go on record as favoring continua- ton of the sport and then neglecting to take steps which might provide the necessary players.
 For they voted, nine to one, with Cleveland casting the negative ball. lot, to postpone the draft until Lay-i den calls them together again tho first week in April in some city in the western division. The decision on whether to continue operations will be made then.
 Professional sport followers had one bright hope They figured that the record turnout for the playoH game between the Washington Red- skins and Chicago Bears Sunday s pretty good proof, on the home grounds of the men who will decide the future of professional athletics, that people still want their Sprot. For this war.buSy capital went over- board for the Redskins even before they came up with their i4 to 6 up- set victory which toppled another old-time sports dynasty.
 Upsets Galore
 As the New York Yankees in base- ball and Notre Dame and Minnesota in college football the supposedly | lnVinciple CnlcuKo behrS were tno latest victim of the dizzy round of upsets which have featured sports activities within the last six months. They. like the Yankees. were re- garded 10 far ahead of the field that they were unbeatable. But as the St. Louis Cardinals showed tho Yankees that the law of averages still operates, the Redskins also con- vinced the Bears.
 One of the problems in the man. power picture is the question Of whether athletes who have gone into defense industry will be able to drop their war work and return to sports.
 At present indications are that they won't be permitted to leave their defense posts. Tn that case, major league baseball might be wrecked for . lot of players who still would be safe from the draft next season are now working in plants classified as essential to the war effort.