The Portland daily press., 1884-11-19
The Ball Players.
Picking and Hulhs 10 be Discussed aud
the keales Amended ProbabIy-soIne Of
the Salaries of Next senson,

the kSales Amended ProbabIy-soHne of
the salaries of Next season.
The eighth annual meeting of the National
League of Professional Base Ball Clubs will
30 held in New York city today for important
legislation. The board this year consists OF
Messrs A. G. Spsuldng, of the Chicago club,
A. j. Reach OF the PHILADELPHIA ]. e. Allen,
OF the Prov idence, and w. g. ThoIspson, of
the Detroit club. The last named representa-
tive, however, having resigned from the club.
another member will take his place. The bus
mess to be &c. cd upon at this convention will
embrace several important questions, not only
bearing upon the mater Of improving the
code OF playing rules OF the league, but also
affecting the future intercourse with the other
professional associations Of the country. The
League will undoubtedly retain tS attitude of
opposition to the Union Professional Assoca-
ton, which openly recognized contract. break
era, this season "a eligible to memOership of
Union clubs, and the throwing out from future
employment ID any league club OF any player
Who has ever broken his contract with a
l. ague club or the claim to serves uuder the
leagues reserve rule. The National Agree
meat too, under which all professional assoc-
stlons IN accord with it combine together to
susiain the position OF the League in these
matters, will, it Is expected, again be supported
By the League.
Tue past seasons working of the National
Agreement has shove copciusively its arsa
value in combining the forces OF the profess
slonal ora aniZatiOns ia opposition to The evils
OF contract-5rEasiHg and revolving" in the
professional arena.
Tae most Important suhisct forllegisation
by The Lrague aad nerican ASSOCIATIONS at
their conventions, outside of their action ia
establishing honesty In the rauks as the great
0esiderstum, will be the amendments to the
playing raies, winch the experisnce of tae
bas uh,sr All Oh
ry. or tbess amendments, the most important
are those Connected with the delivery OF the
ball 10 the hat. Daring tho past season, the
rule OF the League code governing the pitch
ing, admitted Of the regular overnaud throw
Of ths bail to the bat, while that of the Ameri-
can code restricted such delivery to tbrowing
below the height Of the shoulder. The latter
rue, hovevei. was eatirely ignored by the
American staff of umpires. The question
which will come before Doth associations heai-
ing upon the delivery of the ball, will therefore
be simply whether it is better to admit OF the
regular overland throw, as the League rules
dld the past season, OF To rs-adopt the old rule
eith more strict enforcement of the letter of
the law. 1t is argued by some that by remov-
ing some OF the restrictions governing the
batsman-such as allowing him six fair balls
to strike At instead OF three, as nOw-and leav-
ing the pitching rule as IL is now in tha League,
greater iaeility for lively batting would Oe Civ
EN- the b@tsmen, and as consequences greater
opportunities lOf D8-e running aa0 neldiHg
than are now possible under league rules gov
eroipg the work OF the "bstteries," viz, the
pitchers and catchers. On the other haud, IL
is argued that bg restlietiBg the delivery OF the
ball to the underhsnd throw-below the sh0ul-
der--And placing the front line of the pitchers
position five feeE farther back, while leaving
the rues governing the l5stsman as they now
are tho same end would be accomplished, and
the character OF tho game kno~n as "a pitch
er's game, "a game in which the whole work
devolves on the "battery" Of each team
would be replaced by lively batting games in
which the ielders generally could have greater
opportunities afforded them in the work OF put
ting out opponents ihsn they have had.
Another proposed amendment in both codes
is that of changing the rule apDlicabls to bslks
to wording to prevent he pitcaer from maxi
ing any one movement OF thesseries he is aC-
customed to make ia delivering the bali to the
bas without his so delivering it.
As regards the number of clubs likely to
compose u full membership of the two associa-
tlous, experience has shown that financial
prosperits is in opposition to any number be-
yond eight, some advocating six az even bet
ter. Ii is now certain that Boston, PFovi-
dence, New York, and Philadelphia will be
the four Eastern representatives in the
League, and the Chicago and Buff 10, two of
the four Western clubs, with Cleveland and
Detroit as the other two, though some dOuhts
are exprs rsssed as regards the latter two In
the American Association 1t is certain that the
AbnteVlc ana Baltimore CiuO8 Will ro-9nter tue
arena as Eastern Representatives, aud hat ST.
Louis, Ciuetnnai, and Louisville will again
represent tho West But there sra sOme
| doubts IN regard to tho Brooklyn, Meironoli-
| tan, and Pttsburg clnts, although all three
| claim TO be In the race OF 1885. The retiring
| clubs are the Toledo and Columbus Gibbs
| both broken up-and the Indianapolis club,
| which will only rt-snteF if an eighth member
be wanted, for the association this next season
| will be limited to eight clubs. Amoug the
| new professional associations which will join
| the national agreement combination will be
| the Southern League of eight clubs now 10
| process of organization. The Eastern League,
| TOO, will rejoin the national agreement, while
| the North western League has dropped ont, ow-
! ing to y breaking up. 1t was too large, and
| too heavily handicapped with high-salaried
| teams for financial SUCCESS.
| The best paid base ball player in tho proFes-
/ sion for 1885. it is understood, will be James
| O'Reuke of tie New York club, who, after
| receiving large offers from several clubs, &C.
| cepted an offer of $1,000 from the League club
| OF that city. MuliaBe will get $4,000 Tor next
seasons work from the Cinoinnsu club, and it
| is understood that Ward OF the New Yorks
| will get $500 aud Ewing of the same club
| S3O00. Fouiz will cost the ST. Louis clD b
| 5000 next year. tRadhoarn has received sew
| eral offers of S6900 but he will probably stay
| with the Providence club. Almost every club
has some men who are paid from $1,000 to
| %30O0