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Show MAJOR LEAGUE MEN - FACE A KNOTTY PROBLEM 1 Deciding Status of Players Held in Reserve Will Require Diplomacy. NEW TORK, Oct Major league he achat I magnates face a knotty problem at the coming annual meeting when they will be called upon to decide the statua of the player at present under . rontract or reserve-Very reserve-Very few of the club owners hAid the opinion, apparently, that It will be poa-I poa-I si bis to - resume league operation a neat ,eprlng. If such proves to be the ceee and there are few Indications to the contrary. con-trary. It would appear that the majority of payers who figured In the lslt pennant pen-nant racea will not receive con tract during the early months of neat year. Aooordlng to tha present aystam It la mandatory upon the clubs to renew their options or reserve clause upon players not later than January 1 of each year and 1 to follow thia action bv mailing contracts to ths play era not later than February 1. It Is extremely doubtful If thia procedure pro-cedure will be followed In 111. Vnder the ordinary ruling a player who did not reoelre his contract by March 1 would become a free agwnt and upon tha re. sumption of big le&gua baseball would be In a position to sell his services to the hi sheet bidder. It Is underatood, however, that the mas-nates will hold that the bualneaa of baseball was suspended under Instructions Instruc-tions from the government and that since the right to operate was bevond their control all contracts and other legal fhases are suspended automatically. Jnder this construction the contract of the player carries over until such time as ths government gives consent for a renewal of the business of baseball. Thus If the professional leagues do not reaums until 1920 ths year of lilt would be considered con-sidered aa nonexistent In ao far as It might affect a player's contract. There Is still another angle to the proposition which Involvea the magnates and ths two major leagues as Individuals and cooperating business organisations. It might be held Jo be within their rights to refuse to negotiate with or for ths services of a player -who, previously to ths suspenalon of the game, was the property of another club. If such action 1 were generally adopted ths player would be obliged to report back to his original ; club for a renewal of his contract or a release. If he desired to reenter play In either of ths big leagues. |