Evening star., 1957-12-05
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ), FRANCE. .1.pu
More Weiqhty Thon Original
sy FRANCIS sTANN

1T is NOT PRECISELY an original evaluation. but
because George Trautman speaking it carries weight
and could be considered semi-oical. From Colorado
Springs where the baseball gentry gathered Trautman
has denounced big ieaguecub selfish men who
permitting their own structure 10 crumble"
Trautman Is the respected president Of the National
Association Of Baseball Leagues which means that he Is
car Of all minor leagues. His beef is that the major
leagues plan televise game the weak each Sunday
in 1858 in addition to each Saturday.
Uncle George says here hasaa legitimate protest
Ne and does bark it with attendance figures The
minors enjoyed their heahest in ls4s when there
televsion of major league games Trautman says
I'VE drewl million spectators in 40 Last year We drew
II millonf
1t is from Saturday and Sunday games that minor
league club hope TO meet their payrols The big
leagues already cut into the minors Saturdays and
now they contracted gobbe the Sundays too
ACCORDING TO TRAUTNiAN, big league club owners
have adopted this philosophy IF hurts me. don't
If it's good for the game Another Trautman
quote unfortunate that there cleavage of some
kind between the majors the minors yet we live in the
same house
Before television Saturdays and Sundays in smaller
cities days for watching baseball outdoors
and roofing for the home teams The minors If they
didn't exactly flourish managed to stay more than one
jump ahead of the sheriff And they developed ball play
ers and sent them up TO the big leagues
Now Trautman and Just about every remaining minor
league club in the land are convinced tnat tee
vision plus the greed and stupidity OF major league OWNERS
are gnawing the foundation OF baseball which Iraut
man and his dcples properly consider to be the minor
leagues.
For fee the majors are glad to have teevised cru
cia game between the Yankees and White Sox or tne
Braves and Dodgers and so sitting before Nv screens "
wichita and Memphis and Keokuk and Tucson are ians
who might otherwise be paronizing their own CLUBS
THIS is A VERY EASY WAY for major league club
owners to pick up few dollars in hurry and tney
apparently think risk to themselves Televse the
game Of the week" in the big league city? MOI "heh
might keep away customers
II seems to be entirely in order to sympathize with
rrautman and the minor leagues. They have troubles
enough these days without the new television pooem
what with transfer Of the Giants and Dodgers 10 the
West Coast
"ssver nnor leagues have been into confusion
as result of these two transfers Trautman quoted
But think we work out something But on Secono
game Of the week coming Sunday, particularly we
are prepared battle TO the bitter END II necessary we
carry II to the highest court
ASIDE FROM THE MAJORITY Of big league owners
Trautman is apt have more sentiment on ms soe tah
his opponents Certainly the veteran WINS respect Ior S
stand although Trautmans reputation over tne years
one which indicates that he fears man in baseball
There are many baseball people, including major
league magnates who won't admit 1t, publicly VINO thnk
that Trautman would have been the ideal commissioner
to succeed the late Judge Kenesaw Mountain Laliue
Trautmans name was mentioned twice. once aiter Lau
death and again after Happy Chandler was fired
Each time this vera eligible and logcai candidate
skipped over Hes an able baseball man. one ciup
owner admitted but his doesn't carry much weight
Interpreted this really meant that the club owner well
knew that Trautman would taut ship and would
not bend readily TO the will of the magnates
SO they picked Senator Chandler OF Kentucky, a
name AS far as known, nobody paid his way into
ball park to see basebolls name" commissioner but
what really cooked Happys goose was own unexpected
independence.
Chandler took his title OF commissioner literally. He
often disagreed with Del Webb of the Yankees Fred Sagh
OF the Cardinals and other owners who felt that Happy
should be working for them alone SO when they fired
ChSnder they we're in no mood fok guy like Trauman