Evening star., 1945-10-24

Griff Backs Monarchs
In Squawk Against
81
Grabbing Player
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, Oct. Ex-senator A.
B. (Happy) Chandler, who hasn't
been getting along too happily, any,
way, since he undertook to fill the
late Judge Lands shoes as base
ball commissioner, can thank Branch
Hickey, ST., for his latest prospec-
tive headache.
Threatening to camp on the Sem
ator's doorstep today were the own
ers Of the Kansas City Monarchs,
Negro professional baseball team,
whose star shortstop, Jackie Robin
son, was signed by hickey last night
to a contract with the Brooklyn
Farm Club at Montreal.
1--WE won't take it lying down"
declared co-owner T. Y. Baird of
the Monarchs. Robinson signed a
contract with us last year and I
feel that he is our property. If
Chandler lets Montreal and Brook
lyn get by with this he's really start
ing mess"
This probably was the first inkling
Chandler had that his new 0000-
a-year job would call for him to act
as adjudicator between the Negro
leagues, now threatened with whole
sale raiding by Hickey, and the
teams of organized white baseball
which hired him.
Chandler to Await Protest.
1t was a moot question, of course,
whether the commissioner actually
would be available to the aggrieved
Negro owners as a court to which
they could carry their complaints
or whether his duties merely called
for him to police his own organiza-
ton.
Chandler. who refused to make
any comment on the signing of
Robinson, said that he would decide
whether protest from Baird would
BE entertained when he received
such a protest.
He can protest If he wants to-
the commissioner said here today
land I will decide whether it merits
consideration when it comes in.
don't want to comment unless the
matter comes to my Office in some
form that requires me to say some
thing"
The reaction Of the Monarchs
co-owner was, perhaps. the most in
teresting obtained to the signing of
the first Negro player to a con-
tract in organized ball Generally
it had been felt-and, no doubt, by
hickey himself-that the revolutiont
ary move would be hailed universal
ly by Negro baseball as the long
sought opening wedge into the big
leagues. Owner Baird's beef was,
therefore, a considerable surprise.
Griff Agrees With Baird.
President Clark Grifith of the
Washington Senators was quick to
see the point of Baird's complaint,
declaring:
That is well-established league
and organized baseball shouldn't
take their players. The Negro
league is entitled to full recogni-
tion as full-fledged baseball Or
ganization."
1t gave every appearance of being
a question that would have to be
settled soon If Hickey. as was re-
ported, had lined up some Is other
Negro players besides Robinson fol
his Brooklyn farm teams. The
Dodgers president was reported te
have said that in three years
search he had not found a single
Negro player with a contract.
1t seemed doubtful that the own.
ers of clubs in the two Negro leagues
the National and the American
would find sufficient pride in the
fact that their players at last were
in organized baseball to compensate
them for the wreckage of their owr
teams.
4 If there had been any expecta.
ton that the announcement of Rob.
inson's signing would rouse a storm
Of controversy in organized base.
!. ball circles, it failed to develop i'm.
mediately. For the most part own.
ers and league officials preferred
not to comment last night, but those
who did almost unanimously sale
the graceful thing.
Shaughnessy Is Liberal.
President Frank Shaughnessy oi
the International League, of which
Montreal is a member, said that "a.
, long as any fellows the right type
, and can make good and can gel
along with other players, he car
play ball. I don't think that much
prejudice exists any longer"
Said Owner Alva Bradley of tht
Cleveland Indians: That's the only
way colored boys ever will get inte
the major leagues-by breaking II
with minor league teams and prov.
ing they have the ability to play
major league ball. Colored player.
never have been Disseminated
against in the major leagues. The,
: simply never have been able to ge
,, !, into minor leagues to get the propel
!. training for major league competi
!, tion."
Collins Wishes Him Well.
D Eddie Collins, general manager O.
e the Boston Red Sox: Robinson
!, worked out for us last spring. Yer,
: few players can step into the ma
;. jors from college or sandlot base
a ball. OF course they always hav,
f chance to prove themselves in tn
K minors. More power to Robinson /
/, he can make the grade"
n President Horace Stoneham O
: the New York Giants termed Ric
keys action "f1ne way to start tn
program" and said his own clul
e would begin scouting the Negr,
= leagues next year. Bill Benswangel
president of the Pittsburgh Pirates
said "it is an affair of the Brook
lyn and Montreal clubs whom the
may sign, whether white or colored.
Joseph A. Brown, secretary of tn
Buffalo club of the Internatione
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