The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-25
BALL MAGNATES MEET.
business Transacted, at the Annual
Spring Gathering of the Nat ionaI
League Changes in the Agreement.

New York. Feb. 2l.-The annual
spring meeting of the National League
of Professional Baseball Players com
menced today at the Fifth Avenue
hotel. The principal business of the
meeting will be the publication of the
schedule. which has been drawn up by
President Nick Young. A great deal of
work has to be wadcd through before
the league will pass on the schedule.
and it is doubtful If 1t will be reached
before tomorrow night.
The national board. which is composed
of President Nick Young, a. II. Soden.
c. II. Byrne and John y. Brush. con-
vened at a few minutes after 10 O'Clock.
The hearing of the application of John
NJ. Ward for the release of his name
from the reserve list of the New York
club took up the whole of the first ses-
sion. Both President Freedman and
Ward appeared before the board and
presented their statements. Ward
claimed that contract had not been
formally rendered to him by the club
| and that therefore. the organization
had no right to keep his name on the
reserve. After a lengthy discussion the
board released Mr.. Wards name from
the reserve list.
The time of the meeting was spent in
making and discussing changes i'm the
national agreement
The first material change was the ad-
dition of another delegate to the nation
| al board which now consists of five
| members instead of four as formerly
| The name was changed Ia the National
| Board of Arbitration. The fees which
each club shall pay to the National
| league for protection are fixed as fol-
lows: Glass A, $I5; Il. $50: G. $40: -,
| $50: L.. $40. and +. $40. which shall in
clude the right of reservation The
board will determine the classes ON !.
basis of the population of the cities
| comprising the league according to the
| last census.
DRAFTING LIMIT.
From Oct. to Jan. | was the time
| limit fixed for the drafting of players
| by National league clubs from the min
or clubs. This shortens the drafting
| period by one month. The sums to be
paid by league clubs for drafting play
| ers from the lesser organizations are
! TO class A. $500: h. 5000; c. 5000 ID, 800
| T., SIS: and F.. $50
National league clubs are prohibited
| from approaching minor league play
ers during the playing season and from
| making arrangements To draft them
at the end Of the season. The cond-
tons as to release and reservation re-
main unchanged.
Section y OF Article % caused long
and animated discussion. and after a
| lot of debate the section was modified
| to read in part as follows:
ANY club. member of any minor
| league party to this agreement that
shall enter into any negotiation to be-
come member or cooperate with any
| organization whose existence shall In
| any manner conflict with the letter and
spirit of this agreement. or the inter-
ests of any of the clubs operating IT,
shall forthwith forfeit all rights and
| privileges conferred by this agreement
said forfeit to include it's membership
| In any association party to this agree
| ment and all 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 three-fourths vote of the major
league. The same rule applies to man
ayers and players"
The other changes were unimDortant.
MINOR LEAGUE.
4 meeting Of the minor laagu asso-
| Citations was held in the hotel during
| the day for the purpose of organizing
| the lesser organizations ana consider
| ing grievances which the lesser mag
| mates claim exist, but which the ma
| tional league delegates appear to repu-
date. The following leagues We're rep
| resented: Interstate league. c. B. Pow =
er. Pittsburg: Western league. Ben
Johnson. Cincinnati: Western associa-
| tion. II. J. Hickey. st. Joseph, Mo: New
England leagle. Y. II. Murnane. Bos-
| ton; Eastern league. p. T. Powers. New
York. Pennsylvania state league. Frank
Hough, Philadelphia: Atlantic associa-
| ton Sam Crane. New York.