, 1892-03-20
READY TO PLAY BALL.
Final Arrangements Made for
a Red Hot Season.
MANY CHANGES IN THE RULES

TIL moguls lave assembled and ar
ranged all the preliminaries for the early
opening Of another campaign on the dia
mond. There were no i~nsurmountable OBJ
stacles to overcome, and the difficulties
faced all faded away in the light of debate
and reason like nature's dewy jewels be-
fore the coming of the sun 1t Is well. The
first reunion Of the magnates after the
declaration of peace and the amalgama-
tion Of the League and Association gave
promise of developing an unseemly quar-
rel that would have left an ugly scar had
not the gates been found ajar for a grace
full escape from the threatened collision of
factions.
When Walter S~palding placed the name
of Oar Richardson upon the list of New
York's reserved players at the Hoosier con-
ference, he elevated the Giants claim to an
option on his services a few cubits higher
than the tree upon which Hannah was
hanged. John b. Day made a brave fight
against overwhelming odds, but while
New Workers mourn the result is far bet
ter for the cause of harmony in the fold.
A partisan victory for the Giants would
have opened the door to a series OF scraps
as interesting and warm as a tableau of a
day at D~onnybrook fair. Pittsburg was
waiting with sandbaRs to enforce its
claim to Denny Lyons, and other cases
WOulu nave InIlIlpueu rs IdSD Us klLCeDS IN
a well regulated feline family.
The magnates have reason to be proud
of their weeks work. In the first place
they granted to the minor leagues the pro-
lection they deserve, and they did not make
the cost prohfbitive. The days of the draft
were limited. No stars can be taken out
of the little firmaments during the playing
season. They will nave to continue to
twinkle in minor milky ways until the
T-.
from that month until February the League
is privileged to make acquisitions upon the
minor bodies for players within their ranks
acquisitions that will be honored in class
A, with the presentation of 81, 900 in legal
tender of the realm. Each club in that
class pays $50 for the right to reserve it's
players. In class B seventy-fve dollars is
the sum given, and $500 will be paid for a
player so drafted.
There can be no reasonable objections to
the draft operated in that manner The
injustice of the original proposition lay in
the fact that a minor league club was
open to midseason raids waged by any one
of the twelve big clubs that might taxi a
fancy to talent in a state OF development.
That would nave rendered a club liable to
be crippled just when enthusiasm was
warmest. The amendment in force is a
good one and virtually guards against any
such calamity. The Western vas also led
to see the error of it's way in taxing players
half a dollar a day for expenses while
away on trips. That rule will be vetoed as
well as another compelling the player to
provide for his own uniforms.
The board of control is a new one
throughout. Not one of the short lived
original organization remains. Colonel
Rogers was named, but he declined, and
there are those cruel enough to rejoice in
the wisdom of his determination, for they
cannot forget that the needless war of 1891
was caused by too close application to the
law when common sense was struggling
for a chance to be heard. N. E. Young,
Charles H. Byrne and Zach Phelps COM
pose the board.
For the first time in three years the rules
of the game came in for an overhauling.
The defeat of two proposed radical depar-
lures from the old code wi. find almost
universal Endorsement. Walter Spalding
wanted the pitcher relieved from duty at
the bat-in other words to take him out of
the department of run getting altogether.
A great many twirlers possess the i'd
that because they are pitchers they ough
not to be expected to do anything else save
push the ball over the plate. That's a BAD
idea, because a worn out pitcher, unless he
can hit the ball and field, has to walk
Spanish into obscurity.
Pitchers ought to be coaxed to pay more
attention to their work at bat. Tip O'Neil,
Bug Holiday and John NJ. Ward are all
played out pitchers who have proved as
aluab out Of the box as they ever did in
it. The proposition to furnish passes to
first on three bad balls met with over
whelming opposition. Two of the rules
committee-A. j. Reach and John T.
Brush-alone favored it, and Harry Won
derhorst landed a minority kick. There
were ten votes against the amendment
when noses were counted. The change
would have simply multiplied gifts from
the box. AS the sole object Of the advo-
Gated change was to impress upon pitchers
the folly of wasting balls, the same result
could have been brought about by charg-
ing them with errors for all their presen-
~tations.
The Leagues staff OF umpires is now
complete. John w. Gaffney is the last to
receive his papers. On the list there are
Messrs. Lynch, Sheridan, M. j. Mahoney,
Fred McCrum, Tim Hurst and Robert
Emslie. The League invested these auto
Gratis of the game with additional power.
No player will be allowed to question the
correctness of a decision. Even the cap
tain is deprived of his assumed right to
make life miserable for the umpire. The
fleet of foot will rejoice in an addition to
the stolen base rule, which will give a
player the credit for a steal If he advances
a bag after a fly ball is caught, or makes
two bases on a single or while another
player is being put out at first.
Such a rule is only just to the daring
lads who rush home from second on a sim
gle or get from first to third on an infleld
bunt. Like Othello, the players who
search the clouds for rain in a tight game
will find their occupation gone. The team
that is ahead at the end of the fourth in
ming will be credited with victory il their
opponents fail to tie the score in their half
Of the fifth inning. That is another sensi-
BILE idea
The coaching rule was wisely amended,
and in this new era, il Captains Ewing,
Arson, Comiskey, Nash or other of the
field generals should be prevented by in
jury from active play, their voices can still
be heard upon the lines. The schedule was
the last matter considered, and perhaps
really the least important, for a schedule
at best is merely a lottery. One nno
tell today who the leaders will be on tho
4th of July. The usual scramble and dis
appointments occurred. In less than three
weeks the cry "Play BALI" will be heard
In the north. Rem MULFoRD, JR-
BuckIon's mica SaIve.
The best yalye In the world tor outs