The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-19

Most Memorable Meeting in the History
of Baseball Is Over.
New Organization with Twelve Story Name
PrOmulgates Its ConstitutiOn--Di-
yiding Up the Players.

The baseball ''magn ates" finished their
work last night and most of them left the
city.
doubt il, in six months from now, any one
will allude to the new twelve-club affair,
which cunning John Brush and the other
cunning members of the League have
launched from the Bates House this week.
"The National League and American Asso-
citation of Pro- esslonal Baseball Players"
For convenience 1t Will no doubt become
simply the IN. l.. and A. A. OF L. Is. Il. L"
Any one threatened with paresls can receive
a special dispensation. perhaps. whereby
theywiIl be permitted to callitthe"N National
League. nor, if In hurry to catch train, the
League" will be sufficiently explicit The
magnanimity displayed by the old League
members of the new league, who outnum-
Der their Association brethren two to one.
in incorporating the word association" in
the name of the consolidated offspring. goes
to show how very generous this set of al
legged cold-blooded magnates can be
when they have 1t in their
hearts. The ten years during which
the American Association fought the
League were cycles of tribulation TO the
latter body Now, since the League has
made meal off its belligrrent rival. old
scores are wiped out and all IS forgiven.
The new League promulgated its consti-
tufIon yesterday. IN which 1t appears that
the foar Association teams are assessed
something like $4,000 each toward the
fund raised to buy out the other clubs. In
addition to this. 10 per cent. or their gate
receipts will he appropriated to assist IN
nut. mil
eat q goodly hole in their profits the
first year. The new League Is formed,
ostensibly. to endure ten years. and
q cunning clause says that It can
not disband without unanimous vote
of the twelve clubs. This at first glance
would seem to indicate the old League is
satisfied with twelve-club League. How
ever, whatever virtue there may be In that
idea 10 spoiled further on by the provisions
of Section of the constitution Inc Asso-
citation clubs which were frozen out proph-
esied that the twelve-club League would
resolve itself into an eight-club league In
side of q year. and that Won der Ahe and
his Association friends who played double
IN the treacherous deal would then find
themselves once more in the cold. Section
8 verifies this apprehension. 1t says that
the memb ership OF any club may be ter
minated for any one of the following rea-
sons:
First-By resignation duly accepted by a
convened.
second-Failure to present its nine at the time
and place agreed upon to play any cham pisonship
travelling.
Third1AIlowing open betting or pool-seIling
upon its grounds, or IN any building owned or
occupied by it.
Foarth-Playing any game of ball with club
that is disqualified or ineligible under this con-
stftutfon.
F1fth-Offering, agreeing, conspiring. or ut
tempting TO lose any lgame OF ball. or railing TO
immediately expel any player who shall be
proven guilty OF Offering, agreeing, consplrlng
or attempting to lose any game OF ball. or OF be-
ing Interested in any pool or wager theron.
Observation-Disclosures or Its organization or
team during the championship season.
seventh-Failing or refusing tc fulfill its con-
tracted obligations
any lawful requirement OF the board OF directors.
.Ninth-Willfully violating any provision OF
this constitution, or the legislative or playing
rules made IN pursuance Thereon.
Without attempting to be facetious. the
feline is released from the reticule in the
first subdivision of that section. by
resignation duly accepted by three
fourths vote of all the clubs" gives the
power of dropping the four Association
clubs into the hands of the eight League
clubs. and one other whose vote could be
easily purchased and paid for out of the
S25, 600 sinking fund. John Brush must
have written that clause.
Section 4S, regulating the price OF adj
mission, IL interesting and reads as fol-
lows:
The general admission fee to all championship
games shall be 90 cents, but each club shall
designate part OF It's grounds and provide VIDE,
be 20 cents, and all division of percentages shall
be made on the basis of 90 cents, except as TO
that part OF the grounds the admission fee to
which is fixed at IS cents, and as to such part of
said grounds, all division OF percentage shall be
on the basis OF % cents.
This permits the 25-cent towns-Phil-
adelphis. Baltimore. Washington. Louis
Vile, Sc. Louis and possibly Pittsburg-tO
have 25-cent base ball If they so desire. and
they do, while the larger cities can keep
within the constitution by marking Oft q
plat no larger than q box-stali, containing
o few splint- bottom chairs, and selling a
few tickets to the poor relations of the di-
rectors for half price.
The two strikingly new features of the
National League and Amerir an Association
of Professional Basel ball Players-namely.
the double ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS scheme and
Sunday -ball-wIll not be touched on
until the spring meeting of the League. An
oral understanding, however. was had re-
gardIng the same. The matter of players
contracts. number and salaries OF umpires,
and other minor matters Will be arranged
at the same time. Although poolselliD z
and gambling will be prohibited on the
grounds under the new constitution. there
was no penalty attached TO selling beer,
which will give Won der Abe and others
-
to engage in the trade. the League mean
whI.C vO.inlS Ing at the traffic.
Little besides placing the new League on
its feet renamed TO I've done yesterday.
The representatives of the froZen-out clu BIS
remained in the city until evening to get
their clutches on the checks for the
amounts which represented the compro-
mise price paid for their clubs, after winch
they departed for their homes. The
was the election of officers. President n.
L. Young, of Washington, was reelected
president and treasurer of the new League.
Zach Phelps. of Louisville, president OF
the assimilated American Association, was
given an honorary snap rs counselor of the
new League. in conjunction with John 1.
Rogers. of Philadelphia. attorney for the old
League. The new board OF directors is
composed of John Brush. of Cincinnati:
Hart, OF Chicago; Won Der Abe. of st.
LOUIS; Won der Horst, Baltimore. George
Wagner, of Washington, ana CoDant. OF
Boston. The schedule committee Is CON-
posed of Hart of Chicago;lYon der Ahe of
ST Louis, and Byrne. of Brooklyn.
Ex-President Phelps and President Nick
Young were selected as the arbitration COM
mittee to appOrtion the players not signed
TO the clubs yet desiring players to I'LL ont
their quota of fifteen. Chicago. Bnlti-
more and Cleveland will hold their
claims for players. already having under
contract all the men they want at presen {.
President Young declined To make public
10 the different clubs. giving as his
reason that the League wanted to
give the different managers an OBJ
portunity TO obtain contracts with
the men. Al Reach and John j. Rogers of
Philadelphia. were appointed as Jolly