MR. E. GREEN’S F.A., NOMINATION
June 8, 1943. Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
Mr. Ernest Green, director of Everton Football club, has been nominated for a seat on the Football Association Council –a nomination which completes 30 years service as a director in Everton’s cause. The board at their recent meeting, decided to put forward Mr. Green’s name for the Council, and at the same time it was announced that on Friday, July 9, the day of the club annual meeting, Mr. Green will be re-elected unopposed to the directorate with Dr. Cecil S. Baxter, and Captain Tom Percy. No other nominations have been received, and so all three will remain Everton directors for a further period of three years. Consequently Mr. Green will complete 30 years of notable service with the Blues, having been vice-chairman to Mr. Will Cuff for 17 years before being elected to the chairmanship in June 1938. Mr. Green held that office until April 1940. He was successes by the late Mr. Andrew Coffey. Mr. Coffey later resigned in favour of Mr. Will Gibbins, who still retains the office. Mr. Green is now Everton’s senior director for while Mr. Cuff has served with the club more than 50 years –he was chairman 16 years –Mr. Cuff was for years secretary of the club. Mr. Green has devoted a life-time to sport, and is a member of the Lancashire County F.A. and holds office with several competitions in this area. Dr. Baxter was co-opted to the Everton Board in February 1928, and has been on ever since. He is the son of a former Everton director, the late Dr. J.C. Baxter. Capt Percy was co-opted to the Board in June 1936, taking the place of the late Mr. A. Wade and being chosen out of five names submitted to the directorate. At the start of the war Capt Percy joined the Royal Army Ordinance Corps. Mr. Green’s F.A. nomination is for No 3 Division, which has been represented by Mr. Harry Hughes of Crewe, for some years. The division embraces Everton, Liverpool, Southport, Harrow by, Tranmere Rovers, Chester, Crewe Alexandra, Natwich, Winsfords, Stalybridge Celtic, Northwich, Witton Albion, and Macclesfield.
Baseball Thrills
All the thrills of real American baseball will be captured at Goodison Park on Saturday when the big game in aid of the British Red Cross and St. John Fund will be staged between the Yanks and the Giants. It is expected that the match –the first of the big matches to be staged on Merseyside under National Baseball Association auspices since before the war –will raise £1,000. Originally it was intended to hold a series of six “tests” concluding in London, but that tour has been cancelled and everything is being pushed into this one Goodison attraction. This will be a match exactly as seen at the leading American ball parks and played by American experts.
• American Baseball –The Charity match between the American Yanks and American Giants in aid of the British Red cross and St. John Fund will take place at Goodison Park, Liverpool, next Saturday, and June 12, 1943. Pitch-off at 3-15 p.m. The game as played in the United States under National Baseball Association auspices. Featuring Dick Long, “Smoky” Martin, Bill Coker, the “ace” pitcher and Irving Smith among the Yanks, and Jim Nelson “Pop” Lockwood, “Doc” Pandlyshok, and Scottie Hamilton among the Giants. Prices; Reserved but un-numbered behind the “Home Plate” 3s 6d; Other Stands 2s 6d; Ground 1s 6d; H.M. Forces and Boys 1s. Running Commentary throughout the game.
• Leaflets to be given out at the game.

EVERTON’S ANNUAL
June 8, 1943. The Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
Everton hold their 64th annual general meeting tomorrow evening at the Law association Rooms, Cook Street (7 p.m.) Like Liverpool’s this promises to be short and sweet. The shareholders not only have a very satisfactory balance-sheet before them, showing a profit of £1,378, but the recent improved outlook has been signified by a recommendation from the board to pay a dividend at the rate of the maximum 7 ½ per cent, for the past three years. As there are no nominations Mr. Ernest Green, Dr, Baxter, and Captain Percy will be automatically re-elected directors.

ENGLAND V. U.S. “BALL” PLAN
June 12, 1943. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
Plans are already being made for the staging of an England v. United States baseball match under the National Baseball Association at Goodison Park before the Everton home reverts back to Football. Within an hour of Saturday’s highly successful Red cross Fund match in which Dick Long’s Yanks conquered Jim Nelson’s Giants 16-2 in a perfectly staged match at Goodison Park the “heads” were discussing this second match, which will bring back to Merseyside many of our pre-war favourites in opposition to the pick of the Americans. The Americans are all for it, and the N.B.A side will feature Jack Ritchie’s, the former Liverpool Giants captain, and short stop Ross Kendrick, the Coward brothers and Giants pitcher, Haley. The team will also include many of the southern and midlands stars. That Merseyside has a spot for the ball game is proved by the fact that 8,000 people saw Saturday’s match, and while the gate was about £750, the collection and programmes brought in a further £94. Some ticket money has yet to be returned and it should be in by the week-end.
I was privileged to go along to the function at which the Americans were entertained by the Everton Football Club after the match, and our friends from “over there” through Lieut Werme, Sergeant Long and Nelson, and Mr. Fric Turner, of the N.B.A who did so much grand work in getting the teams together, gave assurance that they will be only too pleased to come along again to demonstrate their arts and help war charities at the same time. They went to co-operate so look for big things.

ANOTHER BALL GAME AT GOODISON
June 17, 1943. The Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
There is to be another American baseball match at Goodison Park next Saturday when Caledonians and Rootes play each other.

EVERTON F.C.’S NEW SEASON PLAN
June 24, 1943. The Evening Express.
Pilot’s Log
Everton Football Club are to present to the annual meeting of the Football league in London on Monday an alternative to the League plan for next season. The Everton plan has been circulated to all clubs of the League holding votes. The suggestion is not revolutionary so far as the Management Committee ideas go, but it is calculated to bring about a smoother working of the basic League plan. The Management Committee raises no objection to the new scheme being placed before the clubs, and Everton feel that their counter-suggestion will be to the benefit of all clubs. Everton have no desire to interfere with the League plans for the various regions, but it affects in the main, the dates of competitions. Here is the letter which all clubs received today. “That a Championship Competition run in areas similar to last season commence on August 28, to run for 22 Saturdays and terminates on January 22, 1944. That at the conclusion on January 22, 1944 the 32 clubs having the best record shall proceed to a knock-out Competition. Clubs failing to qualify and clubs failing to survive the respective rounds of the Cup Competition will fix League matches with other clubs similarly placed. “The cup-ties to commence on the home and away Principe on February 5th could be played fortnightly, with one week’s gap between each round, which would enable early fixtures to be made for the certain clear dates, viz, January 29th. February 19th, March 11th and April 1st and 22nd. County cup-ties cum League matches would be assured of these dates, where required. As before, all matches, Cup or League, would count towards the 2nd half season league championship. The advantage of this scheme are many, particularly the time factor in these restricted days, when communications from clubs have dealt with by the Ministry of Transport in considering applications for travel by road.
Breathing Space
Supporting their plan, Everton state in their letter:- “Your own clubs executive will realise the benefit of the extra seven days breathing space in which to arrange travel, advertising, permits for players, etc, instead of as now telephoning here, there and everywhere in desperate haste to fix a game for the following Saturday. “Further, there will be greater interest in the bad-weather weeks of January, when the qualifying 32 clubs will be settled. Clubs not qualifying will have better chances of making a good programme for the New League Competition and there is a greater chance for one of these clubs to win the Second Half Season Championship. “Two-club-City” teams as Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, etc, and clubs running Reserves X1’s will not be an handicapped in concluding their fixture arrangements. “We purposely omit in our proposal any reference to Bank Holidays, as we cannot premise the Government’s situation, and further travelling is so undesible on these dates, that clubs are far better off in every way by playing their nearest neighbours. We thrust that you give this your earnest consideration prior to and on Monday next.
This is the soundest idea which has come from a club in wartime and I have little doubts that it will not only be welcomed by clubs, but by the Management Committee itself. The Committee is never dogmatic and welcome assistance. In this “Everton plan” they get it. In the past one of the highest worries of clubs officials has been rushing through arrangements for the Cup-tie in the space of a couple of days. With a week’s break between each round it will obviate the need for President Mr. Will Cuff, and Secretary Mr. Fred Howarth having to make them by telephone. There will be plenty of time to make the draws comfortably, and still allow the clubs time to contact their players and let their supporters know their engagements. I expect the “Everton Plan” to go through unanimously, and it will only mean a slight re0arrangement of any fixtures the League has made.