Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-08
Baseball viii Not Die
During War, Lands
Assures Writers
Judges Opinion Backed
By Davis, Rickenbocker
At New York Porty
Ey the Associated Press.

Oy 0uViSs NsSNSi'OuSNSs
At New York Porty
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Feb. 8.-There were
a hundred laughs for a hundred
gags in the baseball writer's show
this year, but the only real smile
that remained today was the one
Kenesaw M. Lands left the boys
when he told them baseball won't
die during the war. because we've
got into the habit of living"
Old Kenesaw Mountain often has
been labeled mfr. Baseball, him.
SELF" during his years of running
the diamond show, but the tag
never came closer to hitting the
bull's-eye than last night at the
20th-and biggest-annual eating
and oratorical contest Of the
writers New York chapter.
The gags were over and the
laughs were finished, and the seri-
Gus speechmaking got under way
as the judge stepped up, his white
hair waving in all directions. as
usual, and his voice as heavy as the
heart of every baseball man over
the wartime threat to the national
pastime.
Then 1t came.
Game to Survive, Lands Says.
"Unless," he said. and he said
1t with all the authority he has
piled up in quarter century of
making magnates sit up and shiver
unless some set rule Is passed
that makes it impossible to put
some sort of nine men out on field
for each side, baseball is not dead.
We haven't gone to Washington
to plead our case, because we didn't
want any inference placed before
the 100 million people In the coun-
try that We are seeking any favor
able treatment in time of war.
But no matter how feeble are the
nine men we'll put on the field, I
think they'll be strong enough,
without the help Of any lobby in
Washington, to survive"
That was just about all the l,400
baseball men-players, magnates,
writer's, managers and plain guys
named Joe who pay their way into
the ball parks-wanted to. hear,
after days Of listening to nothing
but talk Of dark clouds about what
might-or might not-happen dur
ing this coming season.
Davis Gives Baseball Hope.
And while there was nothing Of
fetal about what might still pop
up. the boys who took heart from
the judges wagging finger and wild
hair and sincere remarks on the
subject. didn't lose any hope when
Elmer Davis, head Of the Once Of
War Information, came along with
another fast ball" right behind
baseball's high commissioner.
Wen see some baseball this sum-
mer," he said, land II It isn't as
good Is it used to be, 1t still will be
good enough to 60 to.
my broadcasts include q great
deal Of sports news, particularly to
my customers overseas--a million
and half men In service. And they
are always asking for more. II
there's no baseball news next sum-
mer, my customers overseas are GO
ing to put up helluva squawk." y
Davis was extra careful to point
out that what he had TO say was
strictly an opinion, not onicial-be-
cause II haven't cleared my remarks
through the Once of Defense Trans
portation and the War Manpower
Commission, and since they clear
their remarks through me, figure
I ought to do the same for them"
But, that didn't matter to the big
gest crowd that had ever turned out
to jam the Hotel Commodore grand
ballroom to the rafters.
Writers Rib Hickey.
The keynote of the speechmaking
program was on the better-than- bad
chance for a baseball season next
summer. beginning with Quentin
Reynolds. the magazine writer, and
going down the list with Lands,
Davis and even Eddie Rickenbacker,
who pointed out that when there
is no more reason for self-reliance
in this country, then and then alone
will there be no more reason for
baseball"
That was the icing on the cake
for the boys who had watched and
listened and foared at the usual
harpoons being tossed into the usual
baseball characters during the
course Of the usual show.
Particular emphasis was placed
this year on Branch Hickey, new
head man Of the Brooklyn Dodgers,
who was variously described In
songs, patter and skits as the mort
bund moralist," and the "Horsehide
Messiah" among other things.
But the No. / man, by all odds
was Mr.. observation-disclosures
cially when he said, If there is any
question about whether we're going
to die or going to live, I want to say
we've got into the habit Of living"