Show PRESIDENT WILSON FAY FAVORS SPORT PT MAY AY SAVE BASEBALL FROM FV CROWDER ORDER F the Crowder order goes I IP IF through in its original form it will sound the death ileath knell to baseball in major and minor leagues There is only one reason to believe believe believe be be- lieve it will not go through as originally given out that being a statement from President Vilson Wilson made early in the war The president said that he considered con con- cop cop- the continuation of healthful healthful sports an essential fac fac- tor in wartimes and that he lie could see no reason why sports should be discontinued In his statement President Wilson did not differentiate between between between be be- tween professional and amateur sports between baseball and any other form of athletic activity His word will be final in the Crowder order and undoubtedly great pressure will be brought to bear to have him make some exceptions Inthe Inthe in inthe the case of baseball Millions of dollars worth of property property property prop prop- erty will be rendered practically valueless val val- ueless if baseball Is discontinued Hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenues will be cut off from the federal government through the war tax paid at the gate Whether the government can better better better bet bet- ter stand this loss by putting a few hundred men to work at jobs they know absolutely nothing of is a question question question ques ques- tion for the administration to solve Against the order also stands the theory that the people at large need amusements to divert their minds oc occasIonally occasionally occasionally oc- oc from the war In favor of of the order so 80 far as sports are concerned is the telling blow of in several branches of sport recently exemplified by Joe Jackson and Al Mamaux going into the shipbuilding industry presumably presumably presumably ably to escape the draft j Against these Infrequent if flagrant flagrant fla- fla I I grant examples stand the thousands of other sportsmen athletes of every kind who have responded to the call many of whom are now in France The following figures show why it will vill be impossible for baseball to continue should the order go through The latest Who's Who in Baseball Baseball Base Base- ball bail a book devoted to the records records rec rec- of major league players and andI c considered authentic lists major major major ma ma- I jor league ball players of whom six are not now actively en engaged engaged engaged en- en in the game Of the remaining 42 are already in service ice Out of the remaining but 41 do not come under Crowders Crowder's order leaving who must quit baseball if the order goes into effect These figures are not exact as this book does not publish a list of youngsters youngsters young young- I who broke in this year a few of whom are too young to come under under un un- der the order But it would be mani manifestly estly Impossible impossible impossible im Im- im- im possible to fill the shoes of the directly affected by the order The Crowder order includes in part Persons including ushers and other attendants engaged and occupied occupied occupied pied in and in connection w with th games sports and am amusements exI excepting excepting ex ex- ex- ex I actual performers In legitimate legitimate mate concerts operas and theatrical performances Professional boxing would not be hit so hard by the order as many boxers could continue their boxing at night while following some us useful useful use use- ful occupation during the da day Racing will be affected as most of the jockeys are within the draft age but harness racing will not be so seriously hit drivers as a general rule being over the age |