The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-05
(Reg. U. s. Patent Office)
 By LEO H. PETERSEN United Press Sports Editor)


 New York, April 5-UP)-A lit tie pressure promised to solve a major problem of the National Football league today.
 The United Press learned that the league. exerting the influence it yields as the only going concern in the business, will transfer its Brooklyn Franchise to Yankee Stadium to make sure that no rival circuit obtains a major New York outlet.
 Such move may mean, at least temporarily, some money out of the pocket of the Mara clan and its New York Giants, but in the long run it will keep one of the pro- posed post war professional leagues from getting a secure foothold in the city which thus far has been the financial angel of the game.
 The Giants, owned by Tim Mara and his sons, Jack and Wellington, have been the pillar of the finan- cial structure of the National league and now are asked to share their booty with a team which operated not too successfully across the river in Brooklyn. The issue is this, shall the National league take a chance with competing postwar group Or shall 1t secure New York fandom for its own organization at the risk of moetary loss to the team which has put more dollars into professional football coffers than any other?
 The answer is that the National league does not wish to take a chance.
 Whatever pressure is required to force the Mara's to consent to the transfer of the Brooklyn franchise to Yankee Stadiuza will be exerted The Mara's never have revealed whether they would permit the in- vasion of their protected territory by the Capt. Dan Topping owned Brooklyn eleven. That became a problem when Branch Hickey, president of the Brooklyn National League Baseball club, disclosed that he planned to enter the profession al football field and refused to grant Topping's team more than a years lease on Ehbets field.
 The Brooklyn football group did not care to go along on such a temporary basis. It seemed to have soled this problem when the Yan- kees, lock stock and barrel, were sold to syndicate of three men, one of whom was Topping. But then the question arose whether the Giants would permit Brooklyn to transfer its franchise to the sta dium.
 Under league rules, the Giants presumably had the power to halt such a transfer on the grounds that 1t would be invading home territory. But 1t became major issue be- cause the Giants with their draw ing power had become the fayorite stamping grounds of the teams in the National football league. It be. came more advantageous financially flor opposing clubs to play the Giants in New York than on their home fields because of the larger seating capacity of the Polo grounds.
 The Mara's thus were faced with double competition-e either from a team in their own league across the Harlem river in Yankee Stadium or from club in . rival circuit. While the Mara's have not revealed how they feel, the National league decided for them which way the wind is blowing.
 It wants no competition of ita own making. It believes that no rival circuit could became a majo competitor withoout a home base in New York city. Therefore, the directors of the league, figuring that Ebbets field Is only a minol league football park, have decidet! that whether the Mara clan likes 1t or not, the Brooklyn football Tigers will set up house this fall in Yankee Stadium and Its gridiror seating capacity of 72,0OO. And the schedule makers will see to 1t that the Giants and the Tigers are moi at home on the same day unles. they are meeting each other.