The evening times., 1896-02-24
Baseball Magaates AIe in Ses-
son TO-DAY
THEY WANT PROTECTION
Minor League Managers Object to the
Present Mode OF Drafting Young
Players-It Is Believed But Few
Changes VIII He Made In the Pres
ent Rules-Prlze Ring Gossip.


in New York today, where the spring
meeting OF the league is TO held this after
noon.
Among the first TO arrive yesterday was
Manager Hanlon, who can,c In on an early
morning train. By plight President soden
and Mr. Conant OF Boston. John T. Brush
OF Cincinnati, Frank Dell. Robson
and Manager O. Tebeau ofcleveland, j. o.
Hart OF Chicago, DR.. stqckey and Secretary
PulIiam OF Louisville ind c. H. Byrnc OF
Brooklyn had dropped in and registered,
and late last night President Nicholas E.
Young and his little schedule arrived, the
latter securely locked within strong box.
The rules committee held a meeting yes
tertiay and decided what recommendations
they will make as 10 changes in the rules.
Only Messrs Hanion and Byme were pres
ent, Mr.. Won der ALc Ecing the other
member.
They will make but one recommendation
of Importance, which relates to fines for
Kicking" Instead of making the mini
mum fine $25, as 1t waslast season, the rules
SDmmittee will recommend that for the
first offense the fine shall not be less than
So or more than $40. for the second Of
fense the fine shall be $25, and for the third
offense the player shall be put out of the
game. This recommendation will prob
ably be carried.
The national board, consisting of Presi-
dent Young and Messrs. soden, Byrne, and
Brush, met this morning at 8 O'Clock
and the league convened at noon.
One OF the most important matters that
will come up before the board win be the
ne T1b I'D vh<, ,iat,a tn bx,
released from New York's reserve list.
talking to old friends.
President Ben johnson of the Western
League is also in New York, and will ad-
dress the league, urging that rule be
made permitting the NatiOnal Leagu clubs
to draft players from his league only in
alternate seasons, instead of every season,
as at present. He complains that his clubs
are disorganized by the present arrange
mcnt. His recommendation will hardly
stand much show of passing
There is not much talk about President
Powers grievance abOutthe ..fest and try
before buying method. He wants the Ma
tional League To pass a rule preventing such
a system. and IL such a r,zie isinOt adopted,
war IL threatened. AT best, the minor
leagues case is weak onea If Mr.. Powers
and his friends In the small leagues want to
control their players after. the seasons
work is done, they should pay 4heir pla yers.
When player has fulfilied the conditions of
his contract for the season and his work is
done. isn't 1t something dcspotic to prevent
that player from doing this or that work to
earn an honest livelihood. II Mr.. Powers
and his minor league friends would provide
or pay for their players until
the National League season is ended. it
would be different.
The question is really one that concerns
the right of players. rather than the inter-
ests of the magnates. II the National
League comedies the demands Of Powers,
then the players will have strong cause for
1t the scope of employment of
the player is limited as desired by President
Powers, then there will be no reason why
the minor leagues should not control the
actions of their players from years end to
years end.
As far as the threat of "war'' is con-
1t is nonsense. The minor leagues
could not gain anything at all by fighting
the National League. At present they en-
los q NCIs SoOu ss stNbl vi piottCtiOu. uiih
were that to be abolished, they would not
keep really good player day, and they
would notreceivea centin exchange for him.
1t is to be hoped that in this instance the
National League will show a desire to pro-
tect the rightsof balfplayersa as well a S those
Of the magnates. 1t is matter OF great
interest to every player in the land, for the
players are more concerned by it than any
body else.
The Harvard baseball men, unlike the
oarsnien, who work every day, practice
only ON alternate days. They have been
1ivided up into two squads of about forty
men each, and each squad practices three
lines a week. Two or three times the men
nave been taken out into the field, but
he weather has been unfavOrahie for much
,f this kind of work. Thomas II. Bond, the
Boston player, and in his play
ng days favorite on the diamond. has
to coach. Although a younger
nan might be able to enthuse more life into
he fnen, yet such a one would probably
,e called away as soon as the playing
'eason opened. By securing Mr.. Bond it
t hoped to have a permanent system of
James A. Lindsey of Bradford, Pa,
s trying to interest baseball fans" in
he proposed baseball league to comprise
he towns of Franklin, Oil City, Titusyillc,
Warren and Bradford, with jamestown or
,lean, N. T., to make the sixth club.
There is little doubt of the scheme, being
uccess. as the towns named are close to-