Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-25
NATIONAL BASEBALL
Annual Spring Meeting Of the League
Of Professional Players.
WARD SECURES HIS RELEASE.
Rules with Respect to Minor
Leagues--The Matter of Contribu-
tions-Other Work Preliminary to
Making Up Schedule.

NEW YORK. February 2L-The annual
spring meeting Of the National League
Of Professional Baseball Players COM
menced to-day at the Fifth-Avenue Ho-
tel The principal business OF the meet
ing viii be the publication Of the schedule,
which has been drawn up by President
Nick Young A great deal Of work VIII
nave TO be waded through before the
league Will pass on the schedule, and 1t
is doubtful If II will be reached before
tomorrow night.
The appeal OF John NJ. Ward for release
from the reserve-list OF the New York
club was decided in Wards favor.
The Elbenield case was referred to the
president for settlement. Both Mont
gomery and Dallas. Of the Southern
League, claimed the services Of Elben-
field.
The league went into executive session
at 3:i5 Il. NJ. IL was p. NJ. before the
magnates adjourned. The time OF the
meeting was spent m making and discuss
ing changes in the national agreement.
The first material change was the ad-
dltion of another delegate to the National
Board, which now consists OF five men,
bers. instead OF four, as formerly. The
name was changed to the National Board
of Arbitration. The fees which each club
shall pay to the National League for pro-
lection are fixed as follows: Glass A. S5;
b, $50; C, 80; ID. $50; f. $50; and F, SO,
which shall include the right Of reserva-
ton. The board will determine the
classes on basis of the poulation of the
cities comprising the league, according
to the last census.
From the lst OF October to the LIST of
January was the time limit fixed for the
drafting OF the players by National
League clubs from the minor clubs. This
shortens the drafting period by one
month. The sums TO be paid by league
clubs for drafting players from the
lesser organizations are: To Class A. 500;
b. 800: c. 500; ID. 500; +. SIS. and F, $50.
National-League clubs are prohibited
from approaching minor-league players
during the playing season, and from
making arrangements TO draft them at
the end OF the season. The conditions as
TO release and reservation remain I'M
changed. Section / Of Article XXIII. caused
a long and animated discussion, and after
a lot OF debate the section was modi-
fed to read in part as follows:
ANY club. member of any minor
league, party 10 THIS agreement, tnat
shall enter into any negotiation to be-
come a member corporate OF any organi-
cation whose existence shall in any man
ner conflict with the letter and spirit of
this agreement, or the interests OF any
Of the clubs operating under II, shall
forthwith forfeit all rights and privileges
conferred by this agreement, said forfeit
to include its membership In any asso-
citation party to this agreement, and all
the rights and privileges OF players. The
penalty herein imposed shall be positive
and final. and shall not be revoked unless
by unanimous consent of the board. or
upon appeal by a three-fourths vote Of
the major league. The same rule applies
TO managers and players"
The other changes were typographical
and unimportant.
The New York club released Tom
Burns. left-fielder. to the Newark club.
Of the Atlantic Association. Burns will
act as captain and manager OF the New
ark club.