Morning journal and courier., 1889-11-14
sPoaTIrG MATTERS.

SPORTING MATTERS.
why ssDickey,, Pierce 10 NOT Playing
with she NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Has
Served an Injunction ON Him-New
Haven offered -Four Hundred DOl-
lars For His Release-An tho Latest
Polo News.
There is q reason why "Dickey" Pierce is
not playing on the Bridgeport team, one
that has been kept q profound secret from
the public. 1t has been stated that he was
suffering from lame leg, but this is not the
real truth of his not playing. There is a
hitch between the management of the Bridge
ports and the Hartford Amusement company.
An injunction has been served on Pierce re-
strsining him from playing with the Bridge
ports. It is claimed that he is ineligible to
play in that city, being legally held by Hart
ford
Hartford doesn't intend that Bridgeport
shall have Pierce's services any more for al
most nothing. It is thought that as Bridge
port won the championship last season, prin.
oipally by means of Pierce's efforts, that the
pay something that is reasonable for his SER
vices.
The Hartford Amusement company paid
$500 for Pierce's release, but they did not use
him, as they completed deal for the Paws
tucket aggregation of players that they now
have on the surface. At that time Bridge
port was away down, and in order to help
that city out Hartford loaned Pierce for q
small sum.
Since Bridgeport has had Pierce, but 500
has been paid Hartford for his services. At
the commencement of this season Bridgeport
made big cry that Pierce would play there
anyway, but Hartford decided to have some
thing to say about the matter.
Hartford placed price on Pieroe's full re-
Lease to Bridgeport or for loan Of TO one year.
conditional release, but it was q sum 5000 less
than Hartford asked.
And 80 the matter stands.
Pierce has already signed q Bridgeport con-
tract.
Before the season opened New Haven Offer
ed Hartford $4O0 for Pierce's release, but on
receiving no reply Withdrew the offer.
Two years ago New Haven offered $500
offer was not accepted.
LEAGUE MEETING TONIGHT.
The Playing Time Will be Shortened
other Matters.
The league will hold meeting in New
Britain tonight. The most important mat
ter of business to be done will be the short
ening of the playing time from fifty minutes
to forty minutes. It was found that the
extra ten minutes was nearly killing the play
ers, even the strongest of them being unable
to stand the strain. Tho New Ravens would
have won both games from Springfield had
the old rule been in vogue. They lost the
second game in Springfield in the tast ten
minutes.
Another thing that the league should tend
to is whether or not a player should be al
lowed to 20 off the floor on the plea of sick
ness. Connors went off the floor twice
Monday night, but 1t was not to gain time;
he was sick to his stomach. II Is also reli-
ably stated that when Smith of Hartford left
the floor that his illness was not sham.
The league should make a rule as to
whether the referees shall allow a player to
90 of the floor on the plea of Illness, unless
he is bodily injured.
1t ia likely that the referees will ask for an
increase in their salaries.
Another matter to be acted on at to-night's
meeting will be the holiday games. The fol-
lowing is the schedule that will be presented:
Bridseports; az Hartford, the New Britains; at
New HlGen, the springfelds Evening: A. Bridge
port H. Ms5id len. at New Britain the Hartfords
Observation-Disclosures: At New Britain, the
Hastf9rds at Meridsn the spriingaelas Ct Bridge
the New Britains; ct Springfield, the Meridens; at
New Year's~Afternoon: At New Britain the
Hartfords; at Meriden, the Bridgeports Evening:
Ct Hereford. the New Britains; at Bridgeport, the
Washington's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.: At Spring
field, the New Ravens. Thursday evening, FebrI.
ary 20, at New Haven, the Springfelds.
As New Haven doesn't want any home
games New Years and as that holiday is not
of much benefit to Springfield, both teams
have not been scheduled at all for that day.
They will even up by giving Springfield an
afternoon game on Washington's birthday
and Springfield will repay the game by Civ
ing New Haven one on the night of February
20th. The holidays so happen this year that
they come on the regular playing nights of
several OF the teams. In such cases no
changes have been made in the regularly
scheduled games.
New Haven Is opposed to the above pre-.
pared schedule, the objection being that some
other team besides Bridgeport Is wanted as
an attraction for Christmas.
At Tuesdays game in Bridgeport there was
a CRY for Pierce. VIII Bridgeport give that
extra $200a
It Is said that If any team is in want of Q
goal tender Lampkin will be reinstated. This
would be no moro than fair to Lampkin, in
asmuch as Dunning has been reinstated. But
then, Meriden does not want Lampkin.
The New Britains play here tomorrow
night.
If the New Ravens keep on their down.
ward career, look out for change in the
makeup of the team.
The Springfield Union says: "The New
Haven management neglected to provide
Manager Bancroft with q seat. President
Kennedy Indignantly denies this statement.
He says Bancroft declined to take seat, as
he said he desired to 20 about and see several
people.
This Ia what the Springfield Union says
about Mondays game in this city. "The
Springfield players could not get their skates
repaired, the repairer refusing his services
outright, In direct violation of the rule
which says that each rink manager shall
provide q man to repair skates" This is no
worse treatment for the Springfelds than the
New Ravens have received in every city they
have yet visited.
New Haven I'm second Place Again.
The defeat of Hartford last night places
New Haven In second place, and Meriden
ties Hartford for third place.
N