The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-22
WORLD SERIES
 NEXT OCTOBER
 DOUBTFUL NOW
By PAUL HARRISON United Press Staff COrreSpOndentl


 Washington Feb. 9 = (U.P) - Baseball men sure of the govern ment's blessing for operations in 1915, turned today to their next most pressing problem - manpower.
 The major league presidents, Ford Prick of the National and Will Har- ridge of the American, expressed high satisfaction over the first off, cial trip that baseball ever made to Washington. Baseball made some definite concessions to the war ef- fort, reducing travel by 25 per cent, cancelling its all-star game at Bos- ton, and eliminating exhibition during the regular season. On the other hand, it got a substantial boost from J. Monroe Johnson, di- rector of the Office of Defense Transportation and apparent en- dorsement from War Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes.
 Twenty thousand fans in grand stand seats at ball game probably means several thousand less travel CTS in railroad and bus seatS," John- son said. Tn that way, compara- lively reasonable amount of travel by baseball groups is good invest ment in the general travel conserv- ation economy"
 '"The meeting with MT. Prick and MT. Harridge, will, I am sure, result in such economies and I hope base ball can continue without further restrictions so far as transportation is concerned. However, the trans portation situation is so critical to- day there may be further restric- tions."
 ManpoWer needs, however, are be- coming more critical almost daily and it is a virtual certainty that many more established players will be answering service calls before the season begins. Prick and Harridge said the majors might be forced to operate with minimum of 300 men and that many of these would be far below regular peace time ma jor league caliber.
 Senatorial good wishes were pres- ent for baseball, Senators Albert B. Chandler, D., Ky, and Edwin c. Johnson, D., Colo, said yesterday they certainly hoped and believed" baseball could keep enough 4-F, under-age and over-age men to con- tinue.
 Senator Warren R. Austin, R., Vt., was sympathetic, too, but warned that the manpower problem will be- come more critical.
 The outlok was not too bright for other major sports. Johnson said the 25 per cent reduction in travel by baseball teams would serve as a yardstick in determining the war time continuance of all other sports. Such a reduction would mean the elimination of number of inter- sectional basketball and football games and might cause cancellation of national basketball tournaments scheduled next month in New York and Kansas City, Mo.
 In New York, Promoter Ned Irish of the National Invitational Basket ball Tournament at Madison Square Garden, said that he had not re- ceived any word from O. D. T. of- ficials regarding the meet and that he assumed both the Invitational and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tourney could be held as scheduled.
 Football teams such as Notre Dame, Duke, Michigan State, and Big Ten conference squads which usually bill several intersectional games may be asked to revise their schedules. Similarly, professional football and hockey loops may be asked to cut their travel schedules 25 per cent.
 Each major league team traveled about 1,0O miles last year accord ing to estimates the reduction would limit them to 8,250 miles this sea- son.
 The annual all-star game, played continuously since 1883, was can celled voluntarily by Harridge and Prick. It was scheduled to be played on July 9 at Bostons Fen way Park.
 The other travel economies ef- fected in the conference with John- son were elimination of all but eX- hibition games with army and lavy establishments, establishment ot preseason training sites at or near the teams home city, reduction or the number of players to be taken on trips, and telescoping of the schedule to eliminate short haul trips.
 Whether the World Series will be played depends on transportation and war conditions at the time and the conferees indicated no great concern over that. Prick and liar ridge both said they believed 1t le1t the status of the series much as It was in 1944 when it was played.