Evening star., 1953-08-28

occupies now so well liked by same
fellows doubt it,"
Happy was favoraby impressed with Ford Frick
who succeeded him. He still isn't "Can anybody tell
one thing Frick has done better the lot of the ball payer
he asked Il can't He sits in his ivory tower in New York
and lets the club owners do they like. Warren Giles
does the thing"
CHANDLER IS SATISFIED to stand on his record as
the commissioner during whose office the pension plan the
$4,000 minimum salary and sundry other benefits eff
improved "If were commissioner today" Happy
added Id side with the players they higher
minimum wage. That $4,000 isn't enough any longer"
The one-time Senator from Kentucky admittedly is
prejudiced against Frick Afer got the from the
club owners and Frck selected to succeed me- Chandler
said II received phone gall from Frck Before he could
say half dozen words Interrupted.
"I have wish to discuss anything with you' told
him. You wanted my job for long time. know that
you campagned pretty hard to get it, Well you've got it,
We've nothing to say to each other"
II KNEW WHAT WAS going all the time" Happy
revealed. I had of information. Not only did
Frick want the commissioners job but did Giles"
"In Florida" he reminded, "Ges told newspaper
pretty fatty that he didn't want job He said that
some one other than baseball man should head the
game"
he wanted it badly Frick When Giles didn't
he settled for the presidency the National League"
"And Will Harrdge? Did he have similar ambions?"
NO. think not" came the reply. II think Harridge
satisfied to remain president of the American League
The fact that National League primarily
sponsible for my custer bears that out"
BE THAT AS 1T MAY, evidence now is that the ball
players indeed highly rated by the shake they
gettngor not gettingfom the club owners league pre
dents and most of ALL Frick When Reynolds got
the brusho from the high brass July meeting
in Cincinnati they decided to take action.
Another possibly significant by-product of the short
shrft given the players in Cincinnati has been the reaction
of certain members of the New York press including
who have known Frck his newspaper sports
casting days and who count Ford friend The always
farminded and objective Frank Graham sports
for the Journal American, wrote:
iS fIIIv
friend of mine that the ball players do look upon
their friend They feel that he is not walking
dion established by Judge Lands, who operated
theory that in any dispute between player and club
owner, the burden of proof the owner. Now
right or wrong they think it's the other way about"
KNOWING FORD AS I DO" Graham continued IT
doubt that he is fully of that, although his po
sition he should be- He should know of the of
the players at the treatment the guys
by the club owners. They believe that Lands this
may surprise you-Happy Chandler would have been on
their side.
"And so, whether this or not he and not
Giles nor Harridge, the club is the against
whom the players leveng they
of a lawyer"
The feeling here that all week Reynolds and Kner
have made in public uerances than the
Kner for instance defended the hiring lawyer by
ply saying after ALL just ball players need some
advice legal matters Reynolds speaking the present
$4,000 minimum salary, said:
"a player fights his way through four years
of tough going in the minors riding buses all night
some OF those seasons subSng pretty fare Then
when he makes the big league he handed
$4,000 What does he take home out of
How does he live ii he has home in Oklahoma California
and brings his family to his big league city?
"Kiner and brought all this in Cincinnati meet
ings and should have heard replies got
club owners They said that any player remained at
$4,000 level wasn't much good Well if he good
what's he doing in the majorS?"