Vol. 58—No. 26 Philadelphia, March 2, 1912 Price 5 Cents BOON BALL President Lynch, of the National League, Supplementary to "Sporting Life©s" Editorial Review of the New National Agreement, Points Out the Benefits of the Revision to the Minor Leagues and Players. )EW YORK, February 26. Presi 14. At no tim6 in the season will any dent Thomas J. Lynch, of the club be allow**! to carry on reserve more National League, is fairly en than 10 players in excess of the above thusiastic over tbe revised Na stipulations. With such a short leeway tional Agreement and that is paying the new document a for speculative purposes major league and great compliment, because Mr. Lynch is big minor league clubs are bound to be a cool, self-possessed, individual who more conservative in draft. No more will rarely enthuses and never becomes excited 20 or 30 minor league players be gobbled under any conditions. In speaking of the up in draft by one major league club. new National Agreement today lie ampli WILL EQUALIZE CLUBS. fied on "Sporting Life©s" editorial on the "But best of all to my mind the new revision in the issue of February 24, in regime will effect a much better balance which the advantages and improvements in every grade of base ball from the Na . in the new National Agreement were con tional and American Leagues to the most cisely set forth. President Lynch went obscure ©brush© circuit. A chain is no into the subject more fully in order to stronger than its weakest link; a base show how greatly the minor league world ball circuit is little stronger than its in general, and the young ball players in weakest clubs. In other words, a good particular, were benefitted by the revision. tight race is the salvation of most any Said Mr. Lynch to an "American" re base ball circuit. It will take time, of porter the other day: course, to equalize the strength of rivals. A NEW ERA IN BASE BALL. But the chances of the future seem much "The revised National Agreement will better, for money will not cut aa import mark a new era in organized base ball. ant a figure. Clubs will have to develop Every member of the happy big family material, not corner it with money bags." will benefit by the charter. Whether the principal parties to the pact ratify it at Adjusting the One Difference. once makes little difference. It appears New York, February 26. The revised to everyone concerned the only fair so National Agreement, which will hence* lution to a number of problems that have forth govern organized base ball, is just arisen. Fair-minded American sportsmen as good as signed. President Frank J. sympathize always witb the ©under dog.© Navin, of the Detroit Club, admitted the For this reason the public will, perhaps, fact on Saturday. Mr. Navin is the be pleased to learn that those promoters American League magnate whose objec who have had the toughest time of it will tions at the Chicago schedule meeting of benefit most by the new order of things. the American League postponed the im The two big leagues are pretty husky. mediate ratification of the new agree They can go on in their own might and ment. Before returning to Detroit from make good. But the fact that both have Providence, where he attended the decided to view the case of the little fel schedule meeting of the International lows in an impersonal light shows that League, Navin called upon President everybody is anxious to foster the truest Frank J. Farrell, of the New York spirit of fairness. American Club, and unloaded his opin MAJOR LEAGUE SACRIFICES. ions of the new set of articles. Said he: "In the new Agreement the two major JUST A MISCONCEPTION. leagues are giving up a great many of "I guess I didn©t have the thing right. the privileges that they have enjoyed dur I didn©t understand the proposed waiver ing the past 10 years. To start with they rules. I thought that the proposition to have raised the prices for players drafted effect inter-league waivers for purchased from the lower ranks. In many cases as well as drafted players embraced the they have agreed to pay almost double idea of turning over purchased players the usual figure. They have agreed to to rival clubs at draft prices. That, you limit the number of drafts to less than JOHN M. WARD, can easily see, would have been a rank half the ordinary. They have agreed to President of the Boston National League Club. injustice. Suppose I paid $10,000 for stringent roster limits; to cut down the some athlete. I wouldn©t care very much drafting season from 15 to five days, and (Biographical Sketch on Page Nine.) about handing him over to some club for to begin the draft two weeks later than $1500 not if he didn©t look better than usual, so as to afford minor league clubs J a plugged nickel to me. But better opportunities to find a market for their wares. There is something of THAT IS NOT THE PURPOSE all, but claims him for the purpose of Class B before he sinks to the Class C of the new understanding. In case of THE TRUE SPIRIT OF EQUITY turning him back to the same club the level. In other words, any club in or purchased players the dickering clubs in the new National Agreement. And following Spring. Or, maybe it is the ganized base ball will have the chance of have the privilege of settling the price. this equity is not confined to the business purpose to ©farm© him out to a club in saving useful material from the lower In the event of disagreement the Na dealings of either major or minor league some higher league. It comes Spring. levels of the profession. tional Commission forms a board of ar clubs. The base ball player has a show Waivers are asked, and all the major EACH GRADE HAS CHANCE. bitration. That seems fair enough. The the best show in his history. He will whole trouble lay in the wording of the be protected from the moment he enters league clubs refuse to take the youngster "Each grade of organized base ball will at the praft price. Result, he is farmed have the privilege of draft on all the new agreement. There is» absolutely no the profession. Every opportunity is chance of any hitch at this late hour. offered for his advancement. The new out, perhaps to his old city. Probably he lower grades. As a result of this talent merits promotion, but the big league club should be recognized and the athletes The only reason I registered an objec waiver rules will protect him and keep tion was to avoid any friction in the fu him in the highest circles to which he by which he was drafted has the say. should be affor-ded every opportunity of Such a thing will be impossible in future. advancement. The roster limits which ture. There is no objection by the may possibly aspire. Just a little illustra American League to the spirit of the re tion. The Giants draft a player from a If all major league clubs waive on an will be religiously observed in every grade athlete he must be offered to every club will guard against competent performers vised agreement, and we desire no fric Class D league, He is taken not because tion with the National League. We of his present worth, but in the hope that in the Class AA leagues. Then in turn wasting their usefulness sitting on the before he may be turned back to a Class bench. Between May 15 and August 20 have instructed President Johnson to go he may A team these Class AA clubs must one each year the major leagues clubs will over the discussed clause with Messrs. DEVELOP TO BIG LEAGUE CALIBRE. and all pass him up. So must the Class be allowed but 25 men each; Class AA, Herrmann and Lynch, and I feel sure Probably the club does not wish him at A before he recedes to Class B, and the 20; Class A, 18; Class B, 16; Class C, i Continued on the second page. MARCH 2, 1912 whale as a batter that he was used at any of the local critics will claim any first base as much as in the box, so as higher place than in 1911, and they will to take advantage of his batting ability. even admit a bare possibility of winding An indicated in this column a week or up last. However, all are hopeful, in so back, Brown is .making preparations spite.of the gap of 14 games between the to go to New Orleans and start training Senators and the team next above them with the Cubs. He is now at Fort last year. Johnson is likely to make up Wayne, Ind., his old home. Reports from five of these games, and Groom may there point to preparations for leaving turn in five more scalps than he did and for New Orleans this week. then not pitch as well as he did last Sep St, Louis Critics of Opinion That Manager Callahan©s Disposition tember. If Cashion develops rapidly he may do five games better than Dolly the Ex-Cleveland Star, Now a of His Players Subject to Devel FROM THE CAPITAL. Gray did. So there is hope, without ab solute confidence, of going up a notch or opment The Cubs to Do All of Washington Gets Catcher Williams to two, or even more.