Evening star., 1948-07-12
Support Il or Drop Il,
Players 10 Be Told;
Marion PuI|s0ut
BY the Associated Press


ST. LOUIS, July 1.-THE fate OF
the major league All-Star classic
hung in the balance today.
Incensed over the refusal of Bobby
Feller and Marty Marion to play in
the 18th annual all-star game here
tomorrow and the apparent apathy
of others, big league club owners
were preparing for showdown with
the players.
From a reliable source it was
learned that the moguls, backed by
Presidents Ford Prick of the Nat
ional League and Will Harridge OF
the American, were ready to issue
the following ultimatum to the
players:
Either you live up to your moral
obligations and play when called
upon or let's drop the whole thing"
Feller bowed out because he said
it would interrupt his regular pitch
ing rotation for Cleveland. St
Louis Marion, who at times has
been rested because of an ailing
back, begged off because he claimed
he was not in the best Of shape.
Yet he has not missed a game of
late. He was auspicious in yester-
days Cards-Reds game with sew
eral diving stops of ground balls.
Cripples to Attend, at Least.
In addition to Feller and Marion
who incidentally have been re-
placed, it was doubtful whether
Ted Williams, Joe Di Maggie, Red
Schoendienst and George Kell
would be fit to play. Each has
been sidelined by an injury. All
will be in uniform, however. Schoen-
dienst was the scheduled replace
ment for Bostons Eddie Stanky
who broke his ankle in a game at
Brooklyn.
The most outspoken Of the club
heads was Warren Giles, president
Of the Cincinnati Reds.
IF the players don't show more
OF an interest in their All-Star
game" he said, then let's give it
back to the Indians"
And he didn't mean Cleveland
Indians.
Il don't mean to insinuate that
the players are taking it," he con-
tinued, "but it's funny that so many
Of the All-Star players conveniently
get sick or injured a day or two
before the All-Star game. Those
who purposely duck it not only let
down themselves and the fans who
selected them but their own team
as well. In order to make it look
legitimate they miss several of their
own teams games.
Eddie Miller Chronic Absentee.
Undoubtedly Williams, Di Mag
gio, Stanky and one or two others
have perfectly legitimate reasons for
not playing, but I do know of sew
eral cases where players preferred
to go fishing rather than appear in
the An-Star game. My own Eddie
Miller, whom we traded to the
Phillies last spring, withdrew from
three All-Star games with no valid
reason. They simply ducked the
All-Star game to spend three days
fishing or going visiting"
An American League spokesman
who asked not to be identified, said
the circuit "deplored Feller's atti-
tude," but could do nothing about it.
THE players have a bigger re-
sponsibility than ever before" he
said. They now get all the ALL
Star game receipts for their pension
fund. If that can't make them want
to play I'm afraid I don't know
what will. Perhaps if these recalci-
trant players were asked to give up
a days wages in lieu of raking in
the receipts they might see the
light"
Harridge was noncommital, but
Frick said he thought the players
owed it to the fans to play if chosen.
After all it is the fans, not the
managers, who do the selecting
now" he said. ANY player so hon.
ored should deem it a privilege to
play"