The Critics Respond to ABC's Thomas W. Moore

Two years ago I posted about ABC's suggestion to cut the MLB season to 60 games for the 1965 season.  This week that story got picked up by Chuck Hildebrandt from SABR Media.  Then Rob Neyer, from FOXSports, picked up Chuck's posting.

There had to be more to the original story, though.  What was the reaction?  A bit of research shows that not everyone was in favor of it.

Noted Washington D.C. area sports writer Francis Stann got a bit pointed in his April 22, 1964 column, referring to Arthur Allyn's quote about Charles Finley's proposal to move the KC Athletics to Louisville.  "Mr. Finley is an idiot."

The Evening Star (Washington DC) - April 22, 1964

It wasn't just sports writers.  Joseph A.W. Iglehart, chairman of the board of the Baltimore Orioles, had some pointed words about being in the cellar.

Greensboro Record (Greensboro, NC) - April 23, 1964

By the end of October that year Francis Stann seems to be softening up his stance a bit, mostly in light of possible expansion teams joining the league.

The Evening Star (Washington DC) - October 29, 1964

His earlier statements of G-R-E-E-D by the TV executives seems to be on point as we see that in December a new television contract has been awarded.

Illinois State Journal (Springfield, Ill.) - December 16, 1964

I'm guessing all involved were much happier then.

images from GenealogyBank.com