Cross Border Pain

SEATTLE, Jan. 17 — John P. Boyd, district immigration officer here, said Saturday the new McCarran immigration law will have little or no effect on the Western International Baseball League, which includes four Canadian clubs.
Boyd said each Canadian club, subject to approval by the district office in Seattle, would be allowed to play as many games in the U.S. as its season's schedule called for upon payment of fee totaling about $25 a team.
The Canadian teams would each submit a petition through the WIL to the district office here containing the names of all players on the squad.
Boyd said the same procedure applied to the six Canadian members of the Western Hockey league.

McCarran Act Hurts Ball League
EL PASO, Tex. Jan. 17 — The McCarran Immigration Law is sounding the death knell of the Arizona-Texas Baseball League, Chuck Whitlock, sports editor of the El Paso Times, said in a column written for Sunday publication.
Under the McCarran Act, each Mexican citizen seeking to enter the United States for new employment or for athletic competition must have a sponsored visa for each entry, Whitlock said, citing consular and immigration officials here as his source.
A petition must be filed by the employer or some responsible person connected with the event for each Mexican national, Whitlock pointed out. The petition, with a
$10 fee, is filed with the immigration offices.
The petition then goes to Washington, D. C., for approval, after which American consular offices are notified that a visa may be issued. The visa will cost each person $41.50, and will be good for only one entry into this country.
Under those circumstances the law is a financial barrier to both Juarez and Mexicali, Mexico, each operating a team in the Arizona-Texas League.
"Neither club can afford the outlay of nearly $800 each time they cross the border to play a series or go on a road trip," Whitlock pointed out.
Whitlock also pointed out that the league, already balky at subsidizing the Juarez team, could not be expected to shoulder the burden of a $10 petition for each player
on each of the two teams each time they crossed the border for a game or trip.

McCarran Law OK On Ball Clubs
TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 19.—The Arizona-Texas Baseball league received assurances Sunday the McCarran immigration law will not wreck the league and then went on to turn down entry bids by Tijuana and Chihuahua.
Paul Kelley, immigration officer, told league officials the McCarran act will have no real financial effect on the 6-team Class C circuit.
Kolley said Mexican players on Mexican teams could enter this country free for limited trips. He said each Mexican player on an American team can play all season for a $10 visa after the club pays $10 for a visa request listing all such players.
Tom Lillico, former graduate manager of Arizona State college at Tempe, was hired as executive secretary. Tijuana's application was turned down because an eighth team—except Chihuahua—was not seeking membership.
Chihuahua's bid was turned down again because of the long travel distances involved.
A tentative playing schedule calls for the league to open play April 14 and close Sept. 7.