Evening star., 1953-01-29
Saiigh Sentence
Gives Meeting
Turbulent Issue
Houston Plans Offer
AS Sale Of Club Seen: :
Most Officials Silent
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

turbulent affair with the pos
sible sale of the st. Louis Cardi-
mails high on the agenda of the
National League owners.
Fred Saigh. 48-year-old presi-
dent of the Cardinals, was
sentenced to Is months in prison
and fined $4,000 in st. Louis
yesterday after he had pleaded
no defense to charges of income
tax evasion.
There is nothing in the books
that says Saigh must sell the
club, but after sentence was i'm
posed, he told the court:
This means, of course, I will
have to dispose of the Cardinals.
There is no way ! can stay in
baseball"
The Cardinals owner later said
Il don't want to embarrass base
ball. No, and I wouldn't want
anyone to run the ball club for
me. either"
Owes Government $45O,OOO.
Ted A. Bollinger, jr.. Assistant
District Attorney, said Saigh
owes the Government about
$450,00O in back taxes. interest
and penalties for the years 1914
through 1850.
He said Saigh can voluntarily
pay the amount or file suit to
dispute the figures prepared by
Government tax agents.
Baseball officials for the most
part. including Commissioner
Ford Frick and Warren Giles,
National League president, de-
clined comment. A source high
in the sport. however, pointed out
there are two possible steps that
can be taken by baseball.
l.. The commissioner can in
woke the rule that gives him
power to bar anybody from base
ball on the grounds that he is
detrimental to baseball.
2. The National League exec
utives can use a clause in their
constitution to keep a person
from owning a club.
Houston Group Interested.
The same high baseball au-
thority said a Houston (Tex)
group had made inquiries about
buying the Cardinals. The Texas
group was understood to have
asked whether it should try to
negotiate deal directly with
Saigh or talk business with the
National League.
The source also said it would
be practically impossible to r:.ove
the franchise in 1858, If the club
was sold to an outside group.
Saigh. in St. Louis, fatty stated
he had made no plans as yet to
dispose of his stock. He also
said there are no deals pending.
But in Houston, George w.
Starke. multimillionaire Gilman.
said he might still be interested
"if it is a good business DEAL"
81 was definitely interested in
the purchase of the Cardinals
prior to their sale Tin 1947) by
Sam Breadon to Bob Hannegan
and Fred Saigh," Starke said. II
have had no reason to keep up
with the financial side of the
Cardinals since. Nor do ! know
what their present assets or liza
bilities are.
81 would be interested in them.
too, as a civic institution because
I believe baseball is of vital pub
lie interest"
81 Million Investment.
The sale of the club-includ-
ing its minor league holdings
probably would be a 81 million
deal. Saigh and Hannegan.
former Postmaster General,
bought the Cards in 1947 for
81, ,O60 800 without using a cent
of their own money. In a state
ment last July 6. Saigh said their
only cash outlay was 800
borrowed from a st. Louis bank.
While most of the available
baseball officials were reserving
comment. Phil Wrigley. owner of
the. Chicago Cubs. pointed out
the late Commissioner K. M.
Lands ran a lot Of men out Of
baseball for a lot less" He also
said he didn't see how Saigh
could do anything but get out of
baseball.
Frick said: There are too
many legal angles to this situa-
ton. If after talking with my
attorney. / decide to make a
statement, / will call a press
conference"
Giles, who'll preside at the
National League meeting tomor-
row. also declined to comment
until / discuss the matter with
the National League Council and
the commissioner"
Walter O'Malley. president of
the Brooklyn Dodgers, likewise
reserved comment as a member
Of baseball's Executive Council.
But he added: Personally. how
ever. ] am sorry as ] like the
little guy"
nv Group Begins Work.
AS the baseball clans gathered
for tomorrow's separate league
meetings and q Joint session on
Saturday, the brand-new Major
Minor League Television Com
mittee started wrestling with the
thorny problem of how to live
with TV.
The siy-nnan group, appointed
by Frick. includes two from the
minors and two from each major
league. It's supposed to concern
itself chiefly with the effect Of
TV attendance in minor league
territory. but the instructions
also cali for q survey of the en-
tire TV-baseball picture. They
win report to the midsummer
vnaAaffpNne kNafRsea the Ar GA~~