The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-04-24
BY RICHARD ROBINSON

WASHINGTON - amp - The
luil in the fight 10 set Negro ball
players into the big leagues indi-
Gates the lukewsrm attitude taken
70 this move by club owners both
white and colored A. time when
there is every opportunity at hand
10 push the entry Of Negroes into
the big leagues, there is inactivity
bespeaking the actual feelings OF
those controlling baseball toward
the proposition.
Negro owners are not anxious to
lose the stars who proved drawing
cards in an unprecedented success
ful season last year. Because OF
this. the white club owners are no;
being urged 70 take on the Negro
players. although the leagues are
losing men RICH; and left.
Daily papers decry the dearth OF
requirements 10 substitute for the
DIMaggios, Ted Williams, Red Ruff
hngs ard the many other lesser
lights. but brilliant big leaguers
now N the armed services.
Also Hard Hit
Negro baseball has been equally
hard hit. but there are still some
fine colored players TO whom tins
would be godSend-an oppor,un-
iiy 10 play in the big leagues Ne
gro owners are net urging the IN
filtration OF Negro stars IN white or
gained baseball. The reason is
plain.
Here in Washington las; year the
Grays played 10 crowds which sur
passed those drawn by the Wash
ing;on American league team; es-
pecially VAS this true when the
GrayS played the Kansas City Mon
archs. So successful were these
games, repea; performances became
habit with the Kansas City Mon
archs spending much OF their time
in the east 10 reap the golden har-
yes; which suddenly bloomed in
the capital
Clark Griffith. owner OF the
Washington American League team.
watched every one OF these games
and paid more attention 10 the
bulgng stands tsll0 to 81 20) than
he did TO the ball games There were
great empty stretches in the bleach
ers. Negroes did not want 20 be
cheap when il came 10 patronizing
games played by Negroes. therefore.
the box office fairly burs, with the
days receifts,
Ignored Colored Fans
II is asking a great deal 10 ;pect
the Negro tSic) owners of the Negro
clubs 70 give up such an opportun-
i;y in order 10 enrich white club
owners. who IN the past. have ig-
nored Negroes in every way
There are exceptions 10 the latter.
10 wit. the New York Yankees. who
annually made cash contributions
to worthy Negro charities On the
other hand. the Few York Giants
made no such concession although
they enjoyed heavy colored pat
! ronage.
But the sponsors OF the movemen,
for Negroes in big leagues have
fallen down al the crucial moment;
They will wait until the season. such
as it is. gets under full sway and
then set up a howl which viii be
! heard around the world They
should have quietly insisted that
some Negro players be taken 20 the
now closed training camps where
they could have been under the
wsichful eye Of the club manager.
received high class coaching and
instruction and had an opportunity
10 mingle with other players in an
atmosphere not OF the southern
training camps
Owners Holding on
The owners OF the big league
clubs are not going TO make the FIRST
gesture They're holding of as Ions
as they can and will not yield even
TO the most terrific pressure unless
their attendance is affected and the
calber OF players fail 10 meet the
approval Of the fans in the stands
who pay the freight.
! Prize fighting here in Washing