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Favor Restricted Baseball Telecasts Senate Committee Approves Measure MeasureBill Bill to Aid Minor Leagues Would Also Protect Sport From Any AntiTrust Suits SuitsBy By JOHN A GOLDSMITH GOLDSMITHUnited United Press Sports Correspondent CorrespondentWASHINGTON WASHINGTON D C June 10 The Senate Commerce Committee voted unanimously today to permit baseball to restrict radio and television broadcasts of its games without fear of antitrust prose ¬ cution cutionThe The bill sponsored by Sen Edwin C Johnson DColo would permit any league Major or Minor to ban broadcasts or telecasts by one baseball team within a 50mile radius of another clubs home grounds Witnesses said such authority was need ¬ ed to protect the financiallystrapped Minor leagues and prevent baseball from eating its young through the further de ¬ struction of the Minors MinorsJohnson Johnson said he knows of no opposition to the bill in the Senate SenateI I hope it will be approved he said saidA A subcommittee headed by Johnson re ¬ ported that Minor league attendance dwin ¬ dled from 41000000 in 1949 to 25000000 in 1952 It blamed unrestricted broadcasts and telecasts chiefly of Major league games gamesIt It also reported that 59 Minor leagues operating in 454 cities and 46 states in 1949 had crumbled to 38 leagues operating in 292 cities and 38 states in 1952 1952Rule Rule Repealed in 1951 The big leagues had a rule limiting broadcasts and telecasts until 1949 It was modified and finally repealed in 1951 after the Justice Department threatened anti ¬ trust prosecution prosecutionThe The memorandum prepared by the com ¬ mittee staff said the bill is designed to dis ¬ pel uncertainty and confusion that cur ¬ rently prevails with respect to the author ¬ ity of baseball to regulate its broadcasts and telecasts telecastsIt It said at present there is only one Minor league team in all the New England states and none in New Jersey or Michigan Ohio which had 17 Minor league teams in 1949 now has two and Pennsylvania which had 22 now has six the memo said saidThe The bill states in specific terms the terms which baseball can incorporate in its broadcasting rule ruleJohnson Johnson is president of the Class A Western League His bill was endorsed by Major and Minor league baseball brass but opposed by the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters BroadcastersThe The legislation does not deal with base ¬ balls controversial reserve clause which ties a players future to the club with which he signed his original contract The Su ¬ preme Court has agreed to review three cases involving this clause clauseA A parade of baseballs top officials testi ¬ fied in favor of Johnsons bill before his subcommittee early in May They1 aid un ¬ restricted broadcasts and telecasts were de ¬ stroying the Minor leagues source of al ¬ most all baseball talent talentSupporting Supporting witnesses included baseball commissioner Ford C Frick former com ¬ missioner A B Happy Chandler Minor league czar George M Trautman general manager Joseph E Cronin of the Boston Red Sox and executive vicepresident Branch Rickey of the Pittsburgh Pirates PiratesHarold Harold E Fellows president of the broadcasters association told the subcom ¬ mittee by letter that the bill would set a dangerous precedent
