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Lawyer Hiring Not Slap at Baseball Players Felt Need T i For Legal Adviser Haye No Axe to Grind With Owners, Say Kiner, Reynolds; Executives to Meet Monday By CARL LUNDQUIST United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., Aug. 22. Allie Reynolds and Ralph Kiner explained today that major league players hired a lawyer to represent them, not as a slap at, baseball officials, but simply to handle many of the affairs they cannot take care of themselves. While most baseball "brass," including commissioner Ford Frick, uttered a terse "No comment at this time," about the hiring of J. Norman Lewis of New York as a counsel for the players, Reynolds and Kiner cleared the air somewhat about last nights surprise announcement. "We didnt intend this to be a slap at commissioner Fricks office or the owners," said Reynolds, who is chief player representative for the American League. "But we the players were in dire need of legal advice. "Actually, there is no specific pressing problem," Reynolds continued. "There is no worry about pensions or salaries. Our main aim is to improve the relationship between the players and owners. We hope this move will help bring our players organization more closely together and that well be able to put out a co-ordinated . effort. "Were hampered because it isnt practical for a player to leave his club for the purpose of attending a -players meeting," the Yankee pitcher went on. "We hope there will be no animosity and we dont expect any from the owners." Players Moye Around a Lot In Milwaukee, Kiner, the National League representative, said the players hired an attorney "merely because we move around a lot and need someone who can take charge of our affairs and keep us advised as to what is going on." "As far as I am concerned, I dont know anything of a serious nature that is bothering anyone," Kiner added. "We have been considering hiring someone to help us for a long time, and now weve found someone we think will do a good job." Lewis, 49, is a law partner of the late Leo J. Bondy, counsel and treasurer for the New York Giants for many years. Lewis and an associate, James P. Durante, wrote "The Law of Baseball" and "The Law of Boxing," two legal treatises which were printed in the Law Journal a few years ago. Lewis ridiculed the idea that he had been engaged as a "players commissioner." He said he and Frick had met last week. "We had a friendly discussion and I came away with the belief, that all of the players problems can be settled on a completely amicable basis." It was deemed almost certain that Mondays meeting of baseballs executive council, summoned by Frick to New York, will deal primarily with the new players representative. Of the three top baseball officials, only Warren Giles, president of the National League, would comment on the new development. Frick and president Will Harridge of the Amercian League would say nothing. Giles said that, in hiring a representative, he thought the players were "surrendering a privilege that has been very valuable to them." T do not know in what capacity Mr. Lewis will serve," Giles said, "nor how many players subscribe to the idea. I do know, however, that if the players delegate to anyone outside their own ranks any of their rights to discuss and negotiate individually, they are surrendering a privilege that has been very valuable to them." Giles named a few of the National League player representatives and said he thought they "can accomplish more for. . .players and maintain a more beneficial and pleasant player-club relationship than any outside representative."
