Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 109, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1918 — MAY CALL DIAMOND PLAYERS IN DRAFT [ARTICLE]

MAY CALL DIAMOND PLAYERS IN DRAFT

Summons for More Men Likely to Wreck Many Big Teams. Magnates Not Sure of Holding Stars Till Close of 1918 Season —Gaping Holes May Be Seen in LineUp of Stars. Major league club owners are ntft at all sure of holding players within the draft age until the close of the 1918 season. With the next draft call, men of draft age will be rushed to army cantonments just as fast as it is possible for the government to get them there, and as the boys in Class 1A are Called there may be gaping holes in many a big league line-up by July 1. “ Such players as Benny Kauff, Al Mamaux, Ray Chapman, Red Faber, Grover Cleveland Alexander and George Burns may be wearing khaki instead of big league uniforms by midsummer. And there is no use underestimating the extent that the loss of their services would amount to. Should the Giants lose Kauff, McGraw’s outfield would be practically wrecked. Davey- Robertson’s determination to quit the game was a hard enough blow, but the dashing little centerfielder of Federal league fame would be missed even more than Robertson were he to go. • In the case of Ray Chapman, who may be taken from the Indians, his going would wreck Lee Fohl’s infield. One of the best shortstoppers in the business. Chapman’s presence on the Cleveland inner circle is imperative to give it balance. Without him the Indian infield would be like a boat without a rudder. The White Sox could ill afford to lose the services of Red Faber, who is bfdng depended on to win many games for’ them this season, and should the Cubs lose Alexander his. shoes could not possibly be filled. While Al Mamaux is somewhat of an experiment for the Dodgers, Uncle Robby is counting heavily on him to come back and star as the headliner of the Brooklyn staff, so If he goes Brooklyn will suffer. There are a good many other players whose status Is not definite. Some of them could be spared well enough, but others pre badly needed. c So the magnate is getting ready to open the season without assurance that he can put a ball club in the field and keep it there. The magnates, however, are not yelping. They will stand any loss with a smile and consider that it adds to “their bit” ,