The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-25


~ ed from it's meet
ings. The dele
gates are pledged to secrecy, and the presi
dent. who is also secretary, is instructed to
give to the reporters Mt the end of the meet
ing just such things as may be decided
wise and beneficial to the national game.
The most important business transacted
mt these meetings is thus often suppressed.
and only leaks out and reaches the col
umns OF newspapers weeks and some
times months afterward.
The late annual meeting seems to have
been no exception to the general rule. The
magnates were in session two days and
part OF one evening, and yet the amount of
their execution, rs announced through
President Young, was not enough to keep
wide awake men of average intelligence
busy two hours. 1t is admitted, however
by many Of the delegates in n tacit way
that n good deal of the meetings. work is
TO be for u time kept secret
AS soon as the meeting adjourned ru-
NOR prevailed that the magnates had fixed
salary limit for 1893 OF SIC, OCO President
Young would neither affirm nor denyn
the news, but Mr.. Young's retcence there
on means nothing. Nick is so devilish sly
that joey Bagstock was never in it with
him.
do not believe that any salary limit rule
was agreed to. Such plan was proposed
ut the special meeting in New York Mt the
close OF last season and was promptly re-
]ectcd. St. Louis wanted the limit fixed
mt $40, 600, and Robson, of Cleveland, even
advocated maximum total of $4,000 for
each club. Boston and Brooklyn would
not listen to any such suggestion Brook
Ign will not under any circumstance be
bound by n salary limit, however high or
low This / know officially, and if any
salary limit plan was proposed Mt the Chi
cago meeting the Brooklyn club refused to
discuss it or be bound thereby, Just as they
refused to he n party to the June salary re-
duction scheme. They, however, are in IA
vor of n radical reduction in salaries, but
propose to do the work themselves with
out the aid of marked lines.
salary limit rule amounts to little
practically, though it may be used theo-
retically to bring players to terms 1t was
tried once before by the League and was
evaded Mt pleasure by paying certain play
ers additional salaries in excess of the
limit for some technical service-such rs
captain, assistant captain, assistant score
tary or dressing room superintendent
The rule became such farce that it was
repealed after one short season of misuse
There Is no doubt whatever that the
League means to drag salaries down radi-
cally for next year. This year the clubs
averaged over $4,000 in their team pay-
rolls. The average next year will not he
over 5000. That means n cut of nearly
~ per cent, yet it will not force salaries
much, if any, below the sums paid to play
ers in 1883 and 1889, when the game was ut
the height of its prosperity The two re-
bellions of 1890 and 1891 ran salaries I'D TO
false proportions, and the tumble was sure
bp MI In loc
the false measure of their recent compen-
sations and are ready to descend to n bust
ness basis is shown by the willing manner
in which nearly all of the Pittsburg play
ers signed for next year at reductions aver
aging 38 per cent.
AS predicted, the pentagonal diamond
idiocy was scarcely noticed by the mag
mates. 1t was not even honored with men
ton in President Young's bulletin to the
reporters. The playing rules have been
referred to Il committee for revision, and
the committee will report at the spring
schedule meeting. This course has pre-.
vailed in the League for years. The com
mit;ee consists of Brush, Byrne and Won
der Horst. This indicates that an aboli-
ton or the fiat bat may be suggested by
the committed. Brush and Byrne both
have expert hunters with the regulation
round bat In their teams, and these play
ers look with much disgust upon the use
of the fiat bat in practice which once re-
CURED skill. Mr.. Byrne is a great tinker
OF rules, and many changes will be sug-
gcsted.
The abolition of the schedule committee
and the placing of the work in the hands
of President Young was the best piece of
work of the meeting. Mr.. Young can be
trusted TO make q schedule with perfect
fal ont ira. inv t;,I
committees have been noted for the prod
igality they practiced in dividing ND
among other clubs all the good dates
| which the mem bers of the committee could
not get away with themselves.
| OF course the double season monstrositv
was laid away for all time. That was eX
pected. Its fate was determined before the
meeting was convened. Next year there
will be but one championship, and it will
be fight to n finish without series of
| finals in October.
1t is n rather remarkable fact, which has
not often been discussed, that very seldom
does professional baseball player attempt
to play football. Second Baseman Dowd
OF this years Washington team, is playing
ON the Georgetown football team, and so
far as / know he is the only professional
of the National league teams of 1892 who
is taking any part in the now prevailing
game. Baseball players would excel Mt
football If they saw fit to take it up at the
end of the baseball season. AS a rule they
are physically fit, are swift runners, active
on their feet, endowed with great strength
and are quick to accept an advantage.
believe that some of the League teams
with very little training could defeat
either the Yale, Harvard or Princeton
elevens.
Some years ago the Boston baseball team
toGk up cricket at the end OF the season,
went to England and easily defeated the
best cricket team in Great Britain. much