Evening star., 1951-08-08
East 'honopo|izing'
Best Ball Players,
Coast Official Saws
BY Miriom Ottenbero

A West Coast baseball spokes-
man today charged that present
baseball practices give the East
monopoly of the best players.
Testifying before the House
Monopoly Subcommittee in its
antitrust investigation of base
ball. the witness, Damon Miller,
secretary and business manager of
the San Francisco Seals, protested
bitterly against the havoc wrought
by the annual draft of players
from the Pacific Coast League to
the majors.
"As long as they keep taking
our best players. he complained,
I'VE can't attain major league
status
Cellar Seeking Changes.
The problems of the West Coast
ball clubs have been aired fire.
quently during the hearing with
Chairman Cellar contending the
major leagues should change their
thinking geographically and Rep
resentative Killings. Republican,
of California particularly vocal
about giving the West Coast big
league status.
Today Mr.. Miller was asked
what exactly the West Coast
Wants-a third major league
composed partially or wholly of
Pacific Coast League teams, major
league status for San Francisco
and Los Angeles through the
transfer Of franchises from tWol
Eastern cities or halfway status
between the majors and the
minors for the Pacific Coast
League.
Mr.. Miller favored the latter
proposal. II the Pacific Coast
League could be freed from the
player draft and stand in an in
dependent position between the
majors and the minors, he said. it
could be built to major League
caliber within two or three years.
secs ample support.
AS for transferring franchises to
the Coasts two largest cities. Mr..
Miller said that while San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles could sup
port some major league teams
better than they are now being
supported. the cities did not want Il
TO be selfish and would prefer that
the whole Pacific Coast League
move up together.
There has been considerable
speculation that the st. Louis I
Browns franchise might be moved |.
to the West Coast along with some
National League team from a two
club city.
Mr.. Miller said the draft has
made the loss of players so dis
astrous that the San Francisco /
club has found it financially i'm 4
possible to continue in its pres 1
ent status and cannot operate
another year under these condi-
tions.
He explained that while only i
one player can be drafted from |
a club, the draft price is only ]
$4,000, and so, to prevent severe |,
financial loss the West Coast own
ers annually sell off their $4,000 /
to 100000 players.
Defends Reserve" Clause.
Mr.. Miller said he believed the .
reserve clause" which ties the |.
ball players to the first club which 4
signs them was really necessary"
but he suggested the creation of ]
an arbitration board to which ]
players could appeal when they
felt unfair advantage was being
taken of them.
A former World Series pitcher
who got a lifetime suspension for
quitting organized baseball also
testified today. He was Ray L. {
Fisher, who pitched for seven i
years with the New York Yankees Il
and pitched in the 1919 World
Series with the Cincinnati Reds /,
before his major-league career {
ended abruptly at the start of the
1921 season. .
Mr.. Fisher, now SO, has beenIl
baseball coach for the University i,
Of Michigan ever since.
The committee brought out that I
Mr.. Fisher was put on the per-
manent blacklist without a for {
NAL hearing, that he never saw a
written decision in his case which /;
contained untrue statements and
that the only notice he ever re- {
ceived that he had been suspended |
was telegram. !
? Mr.. Fisher said he had gotten
permission from the Reds to nego- i
tiate for a job as Michigan coach, t
but after he got the job they Of {
fered him more money to stand i
by his contract and he refused I
and departed for Michigan,
Suspended by Lands. {
He was suspended by the late s
Judge Kenesaw Mountain Lands, '
baSeball's first commissioner, but
he spoke reverently of the judges '
integrity and said the judge prob {
ably would have given him an
appeal if he had asked for it. Ii
The subcommittee was inter- n.