Evening star., 1945-01-24
n. |. Head Will Make
Report at Meeting
|0f Club Owners
BY LEWIS F. ATCHIsON.

ny LEWIS r. AICHlSON.
Baseball today apparently know.
where it stands in relation to i'm.
pending work-or-jail legislation
having gone directly to Maj. Gen
Lewis B. Hershey, director of Sc.
lective service, for the answer. It.
reaction will not be determined un.
til next weeks major league meet
ing in New York.
In what might be interpreted ir
some quarters as a bid for the late
Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain
Lands post, National League Presi-
dent Ford Prick called on Gen
Hershey for sraight-from-t the.
shoulder Interpretation of the Gov.
ernment's attitude toward baseball
He got it. With him was CLARK
Griffith, Washington club president
who maintained tight Tipped 81.
lence after the conference.
Frick said in New York: ''I askec
Gen. Hershey just what information
we desired and he responded frank
ly and honestly. He didn't pull any
punches. He told us exactly what
we could expect under the current
rulings. That was all we wanted te
know"
Frick added he would make 8
full report to club owners at the
meeting. but refused even the slight
est hint concerning baseball's i'm
mediate future.
Want Direct Ruling.
Baseball specifically wants some
Qualification of its status to remove
any taint of suspicion from its men,
bers. Griffith few days ago said
he favored a. ruling that would give
players the satisfaction of knowing
they had a right to be on the dia-
mond, that they were playing be-
cause the Army and Navy had no
place for them.
Frick's action evidently came as
a surprise to most baseball men,
particularly Will Harridge, Amer
ican League head, and Leslie M
O'Connor, secretary to the late
commissioner and, with the league
presidents, member of the ad-
visory board currently administer
ing baseball affairs.
In Chicago OConnor was quoted
as saying that to his knowledge
Frick did not act in any official ca
pacity on behalf of baseball, that
he and Griff probably were seeking
information. O'Connor is a candi-
date for the position left vacant by
Lands death. and his long expert
ence in working under the judge
has given some solid support among
club owners.
Prick, on the other hand, has been
doomed for the job by New York
sports writer's and by some club
owners who believe him best suited
for the difficult post His action In
going to Hershey for information
was basebalps first direct move in
the manpower muddle and was q
refreshing change from its whis-
Ting -in-the-dark attitude. Even II
not politically inspired Frick's act
was seen as helping his bid for the
commissionership.
Piasecki Put in Al.
A dark horse entry in the race
although he personally is reported
not seeking the berth, is Clarence
PANTS Rowland, president of the
Pacific Coast League. Rowland,
who has spent q years in the game
as player, scout, umpire, manager
and executive, has been Endorsed by
his league for the position.
"The game today is bigger than
any individual and doesn't need to
be lifted up by its bootstraps," he
said in discussing the commissioner
ship. "All we need is good, sound
baseball executive"
Meanwhile, football is having it's
problems. Redskin officials today
heard that AL Piasecky, an end, has
been reclassified and placed in la,
while the Chicago Bears AL Gyro
similarly was tagged for another ex-
animation. Both were 4-F.
Coach Dud De Groot said he has
not heard officially of any change
in Piasecky's status, but knew it was
impending. The player was in town
last week, but left for home to at
tend he funeral of a relative and
has not returned.
De Groot said he had collected all
available material on the draft sit
uation and was forwarding it to
Redskin players to keep them
abreast Of late changes in the regu-
lations. He has not heard of any
other players being reclassified.
Gonzuuu Rinu Journey