Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-11-21

BASEBALL PRESIDENTS.
p O'Neill and A. K. Scandrett; indianapolis
club, J. T. Brush and John Martin Chicago
club, Walter Spalding; Philadelphia club,
A. J. Reach and John /. Rogers. Next in
Importance are the representatives Of the
Cleveland club, which is knocking at the
League door and win undoubtedly be admit
ted to take the place Of Detroit They are
]. ID. Rohisen, George Howe and ID. Hawley
The Association men in attendance are
Charles II. Byrne of the Brooklyn club,
William Barnie of the Baltimore club and
Gus Schmelz Of the Cincinnati club. These
gentlemen represent the Association on the
joint rules committee
The interesting event of the day. Of course,
was the meeting of the committee on rules,
consisting of Messrs Day, Spalding, Rogers,
Byrne, Schmelz and Barnie They were in
session almost ell the day and evening. The
changes they voted to recommend were not
many, and their action in ruthlessly killing
many pet projects Of managers and players
caused much disappointment.
The committee viii recommend that the
number OF bad balls necessary to give bats
man his base be reduced from five TO four
and that the number of strikes remain as at
present They voted to abolish the foul tips
as a means of putting out a batsman. The
third and last change is an innovotion that
last years committee proposed in a somewhat
different shape 1t provides that in addition
to a substitute in uniform on the bench each
club can have a tenth man, whose name shall
appear on the score card. This man shall be
in uniform, and may be put into the game at
the end Of any even inning, player being
retired, of course, to make place for him.
A similar rule providing for two men was
passed last fall by the League, but it failed,
because the American Association refused to
agree to it. These three amendments were
the only material changes agreed upon, al
though some minor changes were made in
the wording of certain rules, 10 make their
meaning clearer.
The committee refused to return to the
high and low ball rule by vote Of to2, and
by the same vote declined to put the pitcher
back to fifty-five feet The committee was
practically unanimous against the scheme to
extend the foul lines and to make the home
base round to increase its size and the prop
osition to allow base runners to overrun
second and third bases was also promptly
shelved. One Of the minor changes provides
that base hit shall be scored when batted
ball hits the person Of the umpire while he Is
standing on fair ground, and in such cases,
gets it to first base ahead Of the runner, tho
runner is not out, and all base runners shall
be advanced a base without being put out
The evening session was devoted to a confer
ence between the committee on rules and the
well known baseball writers Of New York,
Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Cincin-
natl on the changes necessary to secure a
system of uniform scoring in the United
States
There was much speculation among the
knowing ones as to deals for players and
rumors were thick Nothing definite was
done, but the day developed surprise that
put a stopper on the ambition of the Boston
triumvirs to gobble everything in sight.
This decision of the Boston people was due
| to the fact that they have discovered that
/ another and more favored bidder is in the
market. This party is no other than Walter
| Hewitt, the young, rich and energetic presi.
| dent Of the Washington club. When Mr..
/ Hewitt arrived in New York ne stated that
he was here to buy players, and he was
ready to pay as much for few good men as
anybody. And Mr.. Hewitt demonstrated
that he meant business before the day wa.
over. He had several conferences witt
Fred. Stearns in regard to the Detroit players
and Mr.. Stearns tried to persuade the young
Washington magnate that he would make a
good thing by buying the release Of Hanlor
and Getzein, but Hewitt was after bigger
game In fact, he wants J. NJ Ward anC
he says be has the cash to make good New
Yorks price 1t can be stated that the re
suit of Mr.. Hewitts negotiations was tha
Nr. Day agreed to give Washington the pre-
ference over Boston.
All talk about Washington or indianapolis
leaving the League appears to be buncombe
The only club to retire win be Detroit, and j
is practically settled that the Detroit fran
chise will go to Cleveland