Evening star., 1945-04-04
Defeat Of Manpower
Measure Lessons
Baseball Worry
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

BY LEWIS f. ATCHISON.
Sports leaders looked ahead op-
timistically today despite mo COM
ment" on the general situation by
Fred M. Vinson as he prepared to
replace James F. Byrnes as war mo-
bilization director.
Defeat of the manpower bill in the
Senate apparently removed the last
lingering threat to baseball,s posi-
ton, although the War Manpower
Commission reminded players that
its recent decision to permit them
to leave war plants to return to the
diamond was not necessarily bind
ing on local draft boards.
Racing officials went ahead with
plans for reopening tracks as soon
as possible after We day, although
VinSon gave no hint Of his own feel
ings in the matter. Byrnes, shortly
before his resignation, said the ban
on racing would be lifted with the
end of hostilities in Europe, but some
horsemen wondered II he tossed his
successor q curve ball as he stepped
from ofilce. Others hailed the pro-
nouncement as evidence the ban
was unnecessary in the first place.
Frank Small, jr, chairman Of the
Maryland State Racing Commission,
issued a call for Pimlico, Laurel,
Bowie and Havre de Grace track
officials to report by next Monday
the earliest dates their plants can
be opened when the ban is raised
He also asked them to submit their
ideas of stakes and purse schedules
and preferences in dates.
Plan for Preakness.
Small said every effort would be
made to arrange schedule to per-
NIT Pimlico to run the Preakness
the traditional week following the
Kentucky Derby.
Chicago track operators have
launched plans for charity pro-
grams to raise more than the ST.
l70,220 contributed last year, the
Associated Press reported. While
still in the blueprint stage. a special
celebration would be arranged June
6 to commemorate the Allies ID
day" invasion of France.
Maj. E. H. Williams, chairman
of the Illinois Racing Board, said
he felt contributions would surpass
last years total If racing was re-
sumed soon enough Racing raised
a national total of $8,066,7 ITO last
year to aid war organizations.
A master plan for reducing travel
by college teams was submitted to
Office of Defense Transportation
by Asa Bushnell, spokesman for
Eastern schools. The principle ef-
feet would be the transfer of games
from neutral" to home" fields.
Hardest hit would be colleges To-
Gated in small towns which have
scheduled big gate attractions in
more conveniently located cities.
and even they can make salts
factory adjustments. The Missis-
sippi State Tulane game, originally
scheduled at Memphis, q neutral"
field, for example, probably will be
switched to New Orleans. Tulane's
home" field.
An ODT spokesman said continu-
alton of its localized" policy was
contingent upon the war with Japan
continuing through football season.
Redskin Chief Optimistic.
George Marshall, president of the
Washington Redskins, sounded an
optimistic note by calling for in
creased pro squads next season to
enable teams to sign returning war
veterans Marshall said the war
time limit of % players should be
raised to the standard 80.
Transportation will be no prob
lem if the war in Europe is over by
the start of the season, Marshall
said. Pro football, he declared
helped ease the travel situation by
playing on Sundays, non-working
days, and attracting thousands of
potential weekend travellers.
Meanwhile, at New York the As
Sociated Press reported General
Manager Tom Gallery of the Brook
lyn Tigers expressing willingness to
merge with the Boston Yankees for
1945. But here, Arthur Sampson,
general manager Of the Boston club
said he knew of no such plan. Samp-
son indicated, however, that Owner
Ted Collins could have negotiated
the matter with Gallery.
The decision whether Brooklyn
would be permitted to use Yankee
Stadium for its home games also
hinged on the outcome of the pro-
posed combine.
Chick Meehan, organizer Of the
proposed Trans-America League,
said he would abandon the idea if
the Tigers are permitted to use the
stadium and would advocate a plan
whereby the five strongest cities in
his league would become affiliated
with the National League, forming
one powerful group operating as
two eight-club leagues.