Evening star., 1943-01-04
Semipro Baseball Chief Sees Bio Year
Fans Serious-Minded
In Wartime; Dumont,
Too, Tones Down
Predicts More SondIot
Clubs in 1943 Thun
In Last Decade
BY JOE DE GEORGE,


WICHITA, Kans., Jan. Circus
stunts and novel gadgets, once the
aces in Ray Dumont's pack of tricks
to keep the turnstiles clicking, have
no part in the 1943 plans OF the
national semipro baseball congress
president.
It's not that the war has shaken
his confidence In the lot Of the
sandlotter-far from it. It's Just
that he believes q serious attitude
Is more in keeping with the times
People during wartimes are
serious minded, ""says the man who
In years past has banked to q great
extent on such devices as q pneu-
matte home plate duster. and q
jack-in-the-box microphone for the
home plate umpire to attract the
fans.
Take the Brooklyn Dodgers, for
example. Two years ago baseball
fans were amused over their daffy
tactics. The Dodgers were heroes.
Last season. after the war broke
out, their dafnness just didn't click,
even though they did lead the Ma
tional League much Of the season. !"
Predicts Growth Of Semipro Ball.
Dumont has laid the ground
work for what he calls q we'll
rounded program for the coming
season. Confidently, he tells you
that the semipros should forge
ahead to a more prominent place
in baseball because Of the war.
'The baseball clubs, the players
and the fans may not be the same
as they were in former years, but
you can mark 1t down that there1l
be more sandlot teams than at any
time in the last decade" Dumont
asserts.
Industrial teams will increase 50
per cent. he predicts, because the
1900 to 1850 professional players
who have gone into war plants in
the last two years will be unable
to return to organized baseball next
year with fewer minor league clubs
operating"
Dumont holds to the view that
town baseball is far from through.
Gasoline rationing will keep most
Of the home folks from travelling
next summer" he reasons. They'll
want something in their home town
to interest them. A baseball team
will be the solution.
No Shortage Of Baseballs.
But what about equipment, Mr..
Dumont?
ION a recent trip I contacted
athletic goods manufacturers and
was informed that there would be
no shortage Of baseballs, although
teams will be required to Use 20
per cent more. due to the fact that
first-grade baseballs will contain
no more than 10 per cent wool yarns
instead Of 100 per cent as in former
years." @'. 80 'es
II also was told that the Govern
ment recently purchased 10000
oficial baseballs for the Army
camps"
In brief, Dumonts plans for 1s43
include:
Distribution In January Of 100,-
900 national semi pro guides. "edited
10 create q desire to organize base
ball clubs" to Army camps and in
dustrial plants.
Nation wide registration March
% Of all males IS years OF age or
older who want to play baseball, the
registration to be made at any Of
the country's 5000 sporting goods
stores.
Opening of the season on May 2
national semi pro baseball day"
District qualifying tournaments
scheduled for June 20 to July 6.
Forty-eight State tournaments
slated for July 7 to August to
qualify champions for the ninth
annual national tourney in Wichita
August II to 26.