Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-14
Formal Approval Due
Monday; Braves Run
Into Delay on Meeting
BY the Assoeloied Press

14.-MaJOr league DaSeDallS 0fSC
franchise shift in SO years-the
transfer Of the st. Louis Browns
to Baltimore-is expected to re-
ceive the formal approval of
the American League owners
when they meet at Belaire, Fla,
Monday.
The National League also had
tentatively called a meeting for
Monday at Tampa to listen to
Lou PERMITS reasons for wanting
to move his Boston Braves to
Milwaukee. However, Warren
Giles, league president, said late
this morning that it would be
impossible to hold the meeting
at that time because some of
the clubowners would be unable
to attend.
Unanimous Vote Expected.
The Browns transfer, how
ever, seems all set since a source
high in baseball said last night
that American League owners
will vote unanimously for the
shift. provided a few details are
ironed out.
The rules of the American
League call for only a three
fourths vote for approval. That
means Bill Veeck, owner of the
Browns, needs only five other
club owners to agree with him.
The National League, however,
requires unanimous approval for
shifting of a franchise.
Before the Browns can move
to Baltimore, consent will be
needed from the international
League, the matter of radio and
television rights will need be
settled to the satisfaction of the
Washington club, and Veeck
will have to show he has made
arrangements to play in the CITY,
owned stadium at Baltimore.
Veeck is scheduled to meet
with city officials in Baltimore
today and the International
League executives have been
called to a conference in Clear
water Monday by President
Frank Shaughnessy.
Sidney Solomon, jr., executive
vice president of the Browns:
Rude Schafer, general manager,
and Elliott Stein of the Browns
official family were in Baltimore
today for a conference with
Mayor D'Alesandro and city Off
Gals
Griff's Contracts Stand.
Clark Griffith, president of
the Mats, apparently holds the
key to the radio and television
angle.
Griffith said yesterday he ex-
poets all his television and radio
contracts to be honored by the
Browns if the switch is made
to Baltimore. He said the con-
tracts have three years to run.
Asked if he would block Bal
timore's chance to return to the
majors after an absence of SO
years. Griffith replied:
IF these contracts of mine
are honored, I would love to
have Baltimore in the league. +"
Calvin Griffith, vice president
Of the Mats, said it was his
understanding Veeck would hon.
or the contracts.
Trautman and Dudley Confer.
Actually, the confabs get I'M
der way today with George
Trautman, president of the
minor leagues, comforting with
Shaughnessy and Bruce Dudley,
head of the American Associa-
ton, at Deland, Fla.
Dudley is interested in the
matter because Milwaukee is a
member of the American Asso-
clation. Some reports have both
Milwaukee and Baltimore NOV
ing to Toledo, which dropped
out of the American Association
last season when the franchise
was moved to Charleston, w. Va.
Others have Milwaukee going to
Toledo and Jack Dunn taking
his Baltimore Orioles to either
Quebec, Canada; Hartford,
Conn.,, or Providence, R. I. There
also was a possibility that Dunn
would be included in the Browns
organization in Baltimore.
Transfers Not Related.
The proposed transfers of the
Browns and Braves are not re-
lated. 1t just happens that
Veeck and Perrin, at the same
time, are looking for sites where
their franchises will be more
profitable. The Braves are be-
lieved to have lost about 100000
last year when the attendance
fell off to 281, 900.
The Browns attendance scared
to 518,796 last year, the third
highest in the clubs history, but
that didn't pay the bills.
"We'd need at least 100000 to
break even in St. Louis this
year." an associate of Veeck said.
Wed have to win a pennant to
do that well. If the club fall
tered and drew only 100000 or so
again we'd all lose our shirts"
There has been talk of moving
the Browns ever since Veeck
took over in July, 1851, but the
enterprising young owner, who
once operated the Cleveland
Indians and the Milwaukee
Brewers, intensified his search
for a new home when the rival
Cardinals were sold recently to
Anheuser-Busch, Inc, a st.
Louis brewery concern.
In calling the meeting of the