The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-03-11
League Owners Reject Linton And Slap Detroit Fans
MARTIN BOOKS.
DETROIT GAMES
FOR HIS TEAMS
BY RUSS J. CowANs

CHICAGO. - The application OF
Ben Linton, owner OF the Detroit
Motor City Giants, for utilization
with the Negro American league as
an associate member, was turned
down Sunday by league owners.
who had gathered here for meet
ing to arrange the schedule for the
coming season.
But Unions application was not
rejected on its merits. Instead, 1t
was rejected because OF some skull
duggery by the league, some be-
meath the surface tactics that have
left a smell in their wake that Is
very offensive to the good baseball
fans Of Detroit.
Martin Business
During the Christmas holidays,
DR.. p. B. Martin. president Of the
Negro American league, visited De-
troit. and while in the Motor City
conferred with Jack Zeller, gen.
eral manager Of the Tigers. and
signed an agreement whereby
teams in his league will play twice
in Briggs Stadium this season, the
first game slated for July 2.
DR.. Martin, who is not averse to
looking out for his own interest,
scheduled the game between his
Chicago American Giants without
a doubt the worst team In Negro
basebalD, and the Memphis Red
Sox, owned by his brother. DR.. B
B. Martin. Strictly Martin shin
dig.
And the teams have upped the
percentage over what it was a few
years back Zeller is extracting 40
per cent, giving the teams the re-
naming go per cent.
Two Poor Teams
But on giving the matter serious
consideration. go per cent is too
much for two ham teams like Chi
cago and Memphis. Those who saw
the Chicago American Giants op-
pose the Kansas City Monarchs in
Briggs stadium in l94i, are agreed
that il the Giants never played in |
Detroit again. that will be too soon. |
The Chicago players in that game
were attired in three different types
Of dirty uniforms, giving the team
rainbow description. And the play
was so putrid that Walter o. Briggs,
owner OF the Tigers and an occu-
pant OF box seat with his family,
left before the dcbacle had stopped
The usual procedure for league
officials. when staging a contest in
The territory OF a team, is TO give
that team some consideration. Lin
ton, who has been trying 10 develop
a good team for the Detroit fans
over the past years, was not taken
into the conference Of the president
Of the league. In fact, Linton was
given the door and a boot in the
pants as the Martin brothers make
ready to split the anticipated big
gate and lug good Detroit money
off TO Chicago and Memphis. So
they think.
Slap Detroit Fans
The Martins not only slapped the
Detroit team in the face, but they
insulted the champions of their
league-the Birmingham Black Ba-
rons. Birmingham mopped up with
Chicago in the play-off last season,
and then gave the Homestead Grays
a stiff argument in the world series,
yielding in the final OF seven games.
They will not play at Briggs sta
dunn.
But the July 2 doublehe adler will
not be the first at Briggs stadium.
The two leading teams Of the Me-
gro National league during the
month OF May will play there June
IL. And the fans are hoping il will
not be the Homestead Grays. Cum
berland Posey, one of the Gray
owners, has the same opinion Of
Detroit fans that DR.. Martin harbors
they're all fools.
Yes, the owners think they can
go to Detroit and give the fans
anything, cram their pockets with
some Of the good cash made in the
defense plants, and take it back
home to feather their own nests.
They don't believe there are some
nests in Detroit to be feathered, too.
Detroit fans want TO patronize
Negro baseball, but they're not
willing to be sacrificed for q few
selfish owners.