Evening star., 1945-01-21
Baseball Jabbed
Again, Sees Aid
In At Reviews
Ruling Needed, Griff
Soys;; Football Safe,
Marshall Believes
By LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

professional sports got another jab
Yesterday when Army officials an
nounced that Al athletes no longer
will be rejected on the ground of
physical disability until their cases
have been reviewed by the War De-
partment, but the order was we'll re-
ceived by sports leaders.
That's just what we want" COM
mented Clark Griffith, president of
the Washington baseball club. 1T
suits us to T-and it suits the
players, too. A player wants to know
If he's got 9 right to be out there
on the field; He wants the approval
of tie Army as well as the public.
III they'll leave only a few of
them for us we'll be able to 60
ahead. 1t doesn't take very many
men to run two leagues. But it
would be just as distasteful to the
players to play ball under a shadow
of suspicion as it would be for the
Army and public to watch them
We want to know exactly where we
stand. I'm glad the Army has
adopted that policy"
Unlikely to Affect Football.
The action, which is in line with
recently adopted policy of review
ing cases of well-known athletes up
for honorable discharge before they
are returned to civilian life, appar-
emily will not affect football, either.
I'VE still expect to field a team"
said George Marshall, Redskin chief
tain. professional football is in a
peculiar position in that it is a nom
working day sport and we can use
anybody available for Sunday
games"
Football, with next season more
than six months away, is in the most
favorable position of all sports, both
In respect to the time element and
economic situation.
Army Not to Lower Standard.
The Army does not intend to
lower its physical standard,
spokesman said, but merely ex-
anime athletes more closely. Byrnes,
in his original blow at sports. re-
sulting in a shutdown of all race
tracks January 3, said he found it
difficult to understand how an
athlete could be unfit for military
service and still be able to carry
on IN strenuous competitive sports.
The Army admitted a tightening
OF draft regulations wouldn't add
as many as 5000 men from sports
ranks to military rolls, but it was
apparent the order is indirectly
aimed at war plant absenteeism.
The War Manpower Commission
yesterday said no figures on alb
senteeism are yet available for the
short period that has elapsed since
the racing ban went into effect.
Racing to Aid War Work.
Meanwhile, racehorse owners and
breeders and officials of the sport,
responding to War Manpower
Chairman McNutt's suggestion that
employees of the industry under 46
years of age be replaced by older
men, promised their wholehearted
cooperation. The action. adopted
by five national racing associations,
said about 5000 men in this cate
CORY would be freed for work in
more essential industry.
Officials to whom McNutt's re-
quest was addressed were William
Woodward, Jockey Club president,
New York; Tom Underwood, secre-
tary of the National Association of
State Racing Commissioners, Lex
ington, KY; Maj Endifield Will
liams, president of the National
Racing Commissioners Association,
Chicago; Alex Robb, secretary of
the Thoroughbred Association, New
York, and ]. A. Estes, secretary of
the merican Thoroughbred
Breeders Association, Lexington.