The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-21
Base BALL As A SCHOOL
Caylor Explains How Players Grad.
uate from League to League.
THERE ARE SIX CLASSES
system Gives Patroas the Rest AND
Freshest Talsut-'RooteTs' . Power
in the Isnd-Ab0ss the
southern Trips.

cellany was recently was recently writ
ten by the versatile Caylor. Of the New
York Herald. He says: The present
great organized system OF professional
base ball Is a graded school. In which
player with abilities cannot fail to be-
come a star and land in the major
league. The minor leagues under the
new national agreement. Just adopted.
are arranged In six classes. from A
down to F. according to the total popu-
lation Of the cities In each circuit.
Clubs of q certain class may draft
players from any lower class at the end
of each season and the National league,
which stands alone at the head. can
draft from any minor league. Thus q
young player who shows ability Will
surely be called higher year by year.
and II he continues to develop will In
few seasons ENTER college, or be draft
ed into the National league. This sys-
tenn il bound to give patrons OF the
game the very best and freshest talent
for the diamond. and old players Will
no longer continue to play upon their
departed regulations. .-,
ONE SUPREME BOARD.
"In this one great national base ball
system seven leagues and eighty-two
cities are united and governed by one
supreme body OF five persons, called the
national board of arbitration. directed
by the same playing rules and contend
ing for ten separate championships.
Outside of the great circle are hundreds
Of emi-prOfessiohal clubs and thou
sands of amateur organizations, all get
ting ready for the fast approaching sea-
son. One who does not try to compass
the extent of organized base ball can
h i1ao nf tho immense mold
which the natioal game has taken upon
the American people.
"Ra2orback hogs are not the only
things which begin to root in the
spring. The base ball enthusiasts di-
vide that work with their four-legged
co-laborers. Nobody has been able to
trace the origin of the word root as
popularity applied to base ball excite
ment, but 1t has become national IN its
application. An instance OF the power
which base ball 'rooters' exercise in the
United States was had recently when
proposition came up In the New York
park board to cut an avenue through
the Polo ground for public driving pur-
poses. The Polo ground Is the home of
the New York Base I,all club, where
over 5000 persons saw games played
last year. 1t is the only site on Manhat-
tan island where base ball can be play
ed Therefore the park board plan
raised such u storm of Indignation.
made manifest by the expression OF the
New York public through the columns
OF the newspapers. that the proposed
dissertation was killed before 1t reached
u vote.
CHANGE IN RULES.
VERY few changes were made in the
pla ying rules this year. ii being agreed
that the rules OF today are as near per-
fection as they well can be- About the
only new Legislation was against abu-
sive and kicking players. Last years
excessive rate of fines is reduced from
ma ximum of 500 to $25. and expulsion
from the game Is substituted to fit q
| third offense. or u use OF profane, inde-
cent or abusive language on the field.
This year. too. when player Is ordered
out of the game. he cannot take seat
on the bench. but must leave the field.
ami the game cannot proceed TIL he has
gone. The umpires have had ironclad
rules for their protection before. but
failed to enforce them. 1t remains to
be seen whether they will this year en-
force the penalties prescribed by the
lawmakers for the subJugation OF pug
nacious players.
'"rhe most promising new league cr-
ganiZation for many years Is the At
lantic. which starts out most auspici-
ously under the presidency Of that vet
eran player and base ball reporter.
Samuel Crane. A remarkable fact Is
that five of the minor league presi-
dents were chosen from newspaper
ranks--namely. Hough OF the Pennsyl-
vania State. johnson of the Western,
Crane of the Atlantic. Power of the
Interstate and Murnane of the New
England. This fact, coupled with the
recent presentation to President Nick
Young of a 400 silver service. should
afford right smart encouragement to
hopeful journalists.
TRAINING DOWN SOUTH.
This training in the southern climate
has become u fad with National league
clubs. The benefits Of team training
| in warm climate last year and in the
spring of 1894 have been fully recognize
ed. These trips are expensive, but no
| club can afford to put It's team at a
disadvantage In the opening of the sea-
son by staying at home till the cham
pionship games begin. Before south
ern training was extensively practiced
patrons of the game payed to see very
imperfect playing for the first two or
three weeks of the season. while the
stars We're wearing Of their stiffness.
Now the opening games are played with
all the dash and brilliancy OF midsea-
son, I"