T" MWICHIGAN DAILY Tnuz~rnx UwMv Herrnstein Signs Bonus Pact with Ph illies ,. '. 'M' Football Captain, Baseball Standout, Accepts Reputed $55,000 from NL Club ACCEPT COMPROMISE: Minor Leagues Revise Player Draft Procedure don't think I can be without play- ing all the time." continued Herrnstein. An outfielder-pitcher with the Wolverines his sophomore and' junior years, Herrnstein hopes to concentrate on his centerfield po- sition. However, the big lefthand- er said he would be more than happy to try first base since the Phils have expressed the' desire to use him there. Throws No-Hitter Herrnstein was used by retired Wolverine coach Ray Fisher as a pitcher because of lack of depth at that position. But he showed genuine talent onoccasion while on the mound, even hurling a no- hit no-run game last year. The powerful portside swinger experienced some difficulty hit- ting Western Conference pitch- ing last season but apparently overcame his troubles in the semi- pro Basin League last summer. Herrnstein, playing centerfield exclusively, hit .367 in 50 games in the league composed of college players and ex-professionals. The signing of Herrnstein to the spectacular contract is remi- niscent of other former Michigan baseball greats who also received large bonuses. Last year the Detroit Tigers signed captain-elect Steve Boros at the end of his junior year. And of course there was Michigan's most celebrated "bonus baby," Dick Wakefield, who joined the Tigers in 1943 for $75,000. By The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Baseball's!: minor leagues yesterday adopted a watered-down version of the un- restricted player draft, offered by , the farm system of the Los An-; geles Dodgers. The compromise was adopted after the minors had rebuffed the New York Yankees by rejecting1 a proposal made through their' Binghamton, N.Y., farm of the Eastern League, to restore the bonus rule. But the minors also. voted down a proposal by a power- ful major-minor; committee that I might have jeopardized the whole farm system.. Majors Must OK It The new plan will not go into operation unless it is okayed by the majors at their joint meetingj later in the week. This may turn1 on a tie-breaking vote by Com- missioner Ford Frick if the majors are divided. Frick has favored the unrestricted draft all the way. The new legislation, known as, the St. Paul proposition, was adopted by a 20-4 vote at the closed session of the National As- sociation (minors). Its sponsor was Fresco Thompson, Dodger vice- president and farm director.. St. Paul Plan In simple terms, the St. Paul plan permits the draft of any first-year player at the end of his first season unless he has been advanced to a major league roster. If the player is not drafted in the DON LUND ... needs centerfielder time or another in the past few years. No contracts were ever of- fered; they just let me know they might be interested in me," said Herrnstein. Turns Down Offer, Herrnstein turned down only one offer prior to signing. That one was by the Cincinnati Red- legs, located not very far from the athlete's Chilicothe, 0., home. Herrnstein, catching his breath for the first time after the whirl- wind courting, said his decision was made in a hurry in order to get in under present major league rules governing bonus players. Baseball higher-ups are cur-_ rently assembled in Washington, D.C. .and are expected to enact one or more new laws that would discourage such large bonuses. Under a law that was adopted just one year ago, bonus players aren't bound to the parent club but can be sent direcly to the minors. Formerly, the players were required to spend their first two years in the majors. Against It Herrnstein is definitely against such a rule. "I'd much rather start in the minors and be playing continu- ously than sit on a bench," he said. "Baseball's a game of little things and you pick them up through experience - nothing else. I really don't believe I'm major league material yet and I first year, he then is ineligible for selection until he has completed the normal draft period. This period varies from two to four years depending on the classifica- tion of the league in which he is playing. Under the current system, no- body can touch a promising play- er for four years if he has been moved up the minor league system ladder to Triple A. By that time, the man usually is on a major league roster and no longer con- sidered a prime prospect. Other Too Severe Thompson argued the more radical unrestricted draft was too severe. Under that plan the first- year man would be eligible for the draft after his first year and from then on indefinitely. This would have made it most difficult to run a farm system. "That rule would have a severe effect on free agent scouting at the grass roots," Thompson said. "It would penalize industry, adventure and an organization's player de- velopment program. The rule I advocate would curtail the pay- ment of unreasonable bonuses to free agents without curtailing to a great extent free agent scouting." Frank Lane, Cleveland general manager who helped draw up the more drastic amendment, had dif- ferent ideas. "Our unrestricted draft plan would have been a boon to base- ball," the said. "If St. Paul hadn't put up a substitute, ours would have won. The St. Paul plan is a step-but not far enough-in the right direction. It will curb the bonus to some degree but it won't hurt the farm systems." Lane's Falls SLort The Lane proposal drew a fa- vorable 1,3-11( vote but fell short of the required 18-three-fourths of the 24 leagues. The Yankees' plan for another try at a bonus rule drew only 10 votes, In adopting the St. Paul amend- ment, the minors voted to have the new rule expire automatically on March 1, 1960 unless extended by a mail vote between Jan. 1 and March 1, 1960. 4 -Daily-Robert Kanner BASEBALL IS HIS SPORT NOW-John Herrnstein, seen here at Michiganrs football finale ,against Ohio State, yesterday passed up his last semester of collegiate athletic competition by signing a professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. l c c E t r CRONIN IS LIKELY SUCCESSOR: Ha rridge Resigns as AL Prexy By The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Stately, 72- year-old Will Harridge resigned yesterday as president of the American League. He said baseball in its troubled times needs younger men. Speculation arose immediately as to who would take over th post the white-haired Harridge vacated without advance public notice. It was reliably learned the American League owners already were favoring Joe Cronin, general rove Winter 'een Loops Majors App Trae t WASHINGTON-The American and National Leagues approved required. The vote was 7-1 with yesterday a winter inter-league the New York Yankees the only trading period during which waiv- club to cast a negative ballot. ers will not be required. One of the most enthusiastic The rule become effective in supporters of the free-trading rule 1959 o is Frank Lane, the general man- Submitted b Bob Carpenterager of the Cleveland Indians. lie Submitted by Bob Cadenter, said it would not only add interest, president of the Philadelphia to the annual major league winter Phillies, the new rule sets aside a meetings but might "move toward three-week period for this freeine-agepy.Lnelghs trading betweenthe two leagues. inter-league play."guen long has The period is from Nov. 21 through advocated inter-league games dur- Dec.ing the regular season Dec. 13. manager of the Boston Red Sox, but a screening committee of six was appointed. Other candidates mentioned in- clud, Bill DeWitt, administrator of the major leagues' $500,000 fund; Frank Lane, general man- ager of the Cleveland Indians, and Earl Hilligan, Assistant to Har- ridge. Harridge Still Presides The next AL president, who will be the fourth in the 55-year-old history of the circuit, is not ex- pected to be named for at least three to four weeks, In the mean- time, Harridge continues to pre- side over the league meetings here. The National League, at its meeting, reelected Warren Giles president. They gave the 62-year- old Cincinnatian a five-year con- tract. Too Old Harridge said advanced age was the only reason he is retiring after 47 years with the American, League, the last 28 as president. He emphasized that nobody used any pressure whatsoever to force him out of office. Although he got a new 10-year contract two years ago ,he said he has been consider- ing retirement about two years. "I felt the American League should have the opportunity of bringing in a younger and more energetic man to handle the prob- lems confronting it," Harridge said. " Asked what he regarded as base- ball's most serious problems, Har- ridge deliberated a while before replying. "The player situation is a very NHL STANDINGS W L T Pts. GF GA Montreal 13 7 3 29 86 57 Boston 11 10 426 70 66 New York 9 9 7 25 72 70 Detroit 12 11 1 25 60 60 Chicago 9 10 4 22 62 77 Toronto 6 13 3 1S 48 8 YESTERDAY'S RESULTS New York 4, Chicago 2 * * * NBA RESULTS Cincinnati 110, New York 108 St. Louis 119, Boston 110 Montreal Eyes One More Hockey Crown; Hits Stride in Double Rout of Red Wings serious one and needs careful at- tention," he said, referring to the recent player demands to be cut in. on the owners' revenue. "Then there's the problem of expansion, of organizing a third league," he went on. "I've always felt the American League should not expand to ten teams. There's nothing to be gained by it. The American Teague is much better During that time a player may be swapped from one league to the other without first having to be waived out of his league, as is now Howard Johnson Restaurant Open Daily Sunday thru Thursday: 8A.M.-12 P.M. Friday and Saturday: 8 A.M.-1 A.M. 2452 EAST STADIUM Giants, Phils Complete Trade WASHINGTON () - The San Francisco Giants today traded Ruben Gomez and catcher Valmy ''Thomas to the Philadelpjhia Phil- lies for pitcher Jack Sanford. It was a- straight player deal with no money involved. Gomez, Puerto Rican right- hander, had a 10-12 record with the Giants last season as com- pared with righthander Sanford's 10-13. Thomas, a batterymate of Gomez' with the Santurce Club of the Puerto Rico Winter League, batted .259 in 63 games. Sanford broke in brilliantly with the Phillies in 1957, winning 19 while losing only eight to gain Rookie of the Year honors. off with eight teams. I've always said it was bad enough to finish seventh and eighth. Finishing ninth and tenth would be disas- trous.5 "As for a third league, I was through that back in 1914-15, when the Federal League was formed, and I know how awful that was. It almost wrecked base- ball." By TOM WITECKI Montreal's powerful Canadiens seem to be moving into high gear in an effort to break up the tight race in the National Hockey League and to move on to their second consecutive title. The Habitants, who hockey ex- perts say have one of the greatest teams ever assembled in history, were favored to make a shambles of this year's race, but so far have not been able to open up a real lead in the red hot NHL competi- tion which has only seven points separating the league's five leading teams. Montreal Belts Detroit An indication that the Canadiens are ready to break things wide open was given last weekend when they twice blasted a Detroit team which had been sharing first place with them. Playing at home Saturday night before the customary capacityc crowd of rabid fans, the Capadiens were held to a 2-2 tie after the. first period of play against thec Detroiters. But led by Jean Beli- veau, who achieved hockey's hat3 trick by scoring three goals, the colorful Canadiens exploded with four goals to roll up a 6-2 win. It was the same story in Detroit# the following night as Montreal exploited its famed power play] a 3-1 win over New York in a Saturday afternoon nationally televised game. Bathgate Scores Twice New York came back Sunday to maintain its slim one-point lead over Chicago in their battle for fourth place by tying the Black- hawks, 2-2. Scoring both goals for the Broadway icers was Andy Bathgate who brought his league leading total to 17 goals and 32 points. Trailing Bathgate in the scoring race are five Canadiens: Bernie Boom-Boom Goeffrion, Dickie Moore, the Richard brothers, Henri, and Maurice, and Believau, all of whom give evidence as to why the Canadiens have one of the highest scoring teams in NHL his- tory. Cellar-dwelling Toronto, the only team completely out of the title picture, lost to Chicago, 2-1, Sat- urday, but bounced back the next da yto edge Boston, giving newly- named coach Bert Olmstead his first win, CHRISTMAS CARDS A fine assortment to choose from Overbeck's Bookstore 1216 S. Univ. "TH E MATCHMAKER" IS COMING! JEAN BELIVEAU ... scores hat trick combination to score its first three goals and went on to a 7-0 romp over the hapless Detroiters who couldn't seem to get moving against the high flying French- men. Chief victim of the Canadien attack was Red Wing goalie Terry Sawchuck who up until the week- end had allowed less goals per game than any other goalie in the- league, After the Canadiens' onslaught Sawchuck, who had a comfortable seven-goal lead over Montreal goalie Jacque Plante, found him- self trailing by four goals in the race for the Vezina Trophy. Boston moved into second place ahead of the Wings by virtue of 01 7I BUY IN ANN ARBOR AND SAVE ! Games PRICE 'IS RIGHT 2.98 I U Stuffed Animals AUTOGRAPH DOG 2.50-3.00 Hobbies Paint by Number 1.98 /Make his a JANTZEN Christmas He'll love this fitted Jantzen classic made of= lambswool and orlon in popular Westminster Cardigan style.Colors re in grey or brown striping. $]395 i Guns HOLSTER SET 5.98 I I MUSKET '58 PRESENTS Rodgers & Hammerstein's "OKLAHOMA!" PREMIERE -TONIGHT i s I - t.p". - .- - . Elm-- I