Evening star., 1948-12-17
Ingram Sees Pro Football Peace Within 30 Days
Favors Schedule
Minus Conflicts,
Common Draft
A-AC Boss Wants Two
Leagues of 8 Teams;
Chicago Big Problem
BY the Associated Press

BY the Assoeiafed Press
CLEVELAND, Dec. 17.-Reports
of a possible armistice in the dolla,
war with the senior National Foot
ball League greeted owners of the
three-year-old All-America Confer
ence as they gathered today for
their annual meeting and title play
off game.
The younger circuit has been for
such truce from the first day OF
its being. Most owners in the Ma
tional have opposed it in the belief
that the established circuit could
outlast the newcomer.
A writer for a New York news
paper, Joe King, predicted yesterday
that the All-America Conference
would fold and that the champion
Cleveland Browns and the San
Francisco 49ers would enter the Ma
tional League.
However, Admiral Jonas Ingram
commissioner of the All-America
said the owners will go into today's
session with a better outlook than
they had at q comparable time a
year ago.
Ingram said he also anticipated
peace with the National League
within 80 days.
Hickey Will Garry On.
Our only problem will be Chicago
and we expect to make that ou1
main topic" Ingram said. "A year
ago We had three problems, Chi
cago, Brooklyn and Baltimore
Brooklyn had bad year from at
tendance and victory standpoints
but Branch Hickey has assured me
his baseball operations will carry
football and that he expects to con-
tinue.
las for this war between the
leagues, I'm confident seven of the
National League owners are in favor
of some kind of working agreement
now I'm confident some kind of
settlement will be made within the
next month.
1T really shouldn't be very diff
cult to put plan into operation.
The main thing is to work out the
makeup Of the leagues, arrange a
schedule that will have no con-
f1icts and plan common draft.
I'm in favor of two eight team
leagues, with one team from Chi
cago in EACH"
Ingram didn't say who was hold
ing out, but one man apparently is
George Preston Marshall, owner OF
the Washington Redskins. Marshall
reiterated his opposition to a truce
yesterday after Alexis Thompson
owner of the Philadelphia Eagles
came up once again with the pro-
posal that the two leagues get to-
gether.
Champions Losing Money.
Thompson says he, lost $32, ,00O
this year, even though his team
won the Eastern Division title OF
the National League.
I'D be, fool" he said, ''if l didn't
try' to resolve a situation in which
most of lis are losing money"
In the present football war, one
club in the National League and
one in the All-America draft play
er. The athlete then auctions him.
self to the high bidder. Stan Heath
of Nevada University this week re-
portedly rejected a $4,000 three
year contract with the New York
Yankees for better one offered by
the Green Bay Packers of the
National.
Under common draft Heath
would be approached by only one
club. A one-year, 5000 pact might
be the result.
Ted Collins, owner Of the Ma
tlonal Leagues Boston eleven, has
placed his losses of the past four
years at $4,000. The Chicago
Rockets Of the Conference report
edly are out 81 ,000, 600 in three years
The Rockets have had new owners
each season.
Whether there's a truce or not, ii
is known that the Conference mag
mates will discuss other economies
in their meetings.
Cut Of Rosters Considered.
One suggestion to be considered
would cut the player roster from
the present IS to either 80 or %.
Another would increase the num-
ber of games to be played. Each
club now plays IA games, a home
and home series with each of its
seven loop rivals. 1t has been sug-
gested that each club meet its
sectional rivals a third time each
season. That would make a IT.
game program.
Midweek dates would be utilized
to keep the schedule, which now
stretches from late August to early
December. at. its present length.
The Cleveland Browns recently de-
teated three of their strongest op-
ponents in eight days, Laying all
games on the road, to give some
support to the midweek dates.
The midWeek idea comes from
Hickey, finishing his first season as
holder of the Brooklyn franchise.
The moguls also will study the
televlsion problem during their
four day stay. No meetings are
slated for Sunday when the Browns,
unbeater Western Division cham
pions, play Buffalo, Eastern title
holders, for the league title. The
title has been Cleveland property