The San Francisco call., 1896-11-12
Many Noted Players and Man.
ayers Participate in the
Annual Session.
THE SEASONS TIME CHANGED
Constitution Read Section by Section
and More or Less Important
Changes Made.

CHICAGO, ILL, Nov 11.-Baseball wa.
the theme of the crowd of men in the
Auditorium Hotel rotunda to-day. They
were interested in the annual meeting o
the National League and American Asso
| citation of baseball clubs which began thi:
afternoon. 1t was preceded in the morn.
ing by meeting of the board of directors
The directors audited the accounts ot
the league and awarded the cham pionshil
pennant to Baltimore. The annual busi.
ness to be presented to the league for it:
consideration was arranged. The Cincin-
natl club asked the board to straighten
out the old baseball park trouble in thai
city. Won der Abe of st. Louis claims an
$4,000 interest in the field and has attached
the gate receipts from time to time. The
board decided that it did not care to re.
open the case, and as the dispute is in the
court the Cincinnati club was advised TO
fight out its battles there. The NEE ting
was a brief one.
The baseball magnates who attended
were: President N. E. Young of Wash
ington. A. II. Soden of Boston, Harry
Won der Horst of Baltimore, j. Earl Wag-
ner of Washington, James Hart of Chi
cago, I. III. Stucky of Louisville and p. L.
Anten of Pittsburg. At the leagues an.
nual meeting, which began at O'Clock,
there were present. in addition to those
mentioned, Andrew Freedman and Walter
Spaldlng of New York, John T. Brush OF
Cincinnati, Chris Won der Abe of ST. Louis,
W. ii. Conant of Boston, a. J. Reach and
John |. Rogers of Philadelphia, Charles
Byrne, f. A. Abells and William Barnie oi
Brooklyn, and f. de II. Robinson of Cieve-
land.
Others. prominent in baseball circles
and on the diamond, were at the hotel to
keep in touch with the meeting. The
league adjourned after three hours de-
liberation to meet tomorrow morning at
IL o'clock, the memb bers tonight attend
ing the theater.
1t was decided to change the opening
and closing time of the season so that all
games will commence April i5 and end
October 10. Formerly the season closed
about October l. The president OF the
league and the acting chairman were
authorized to appoint a committee on
playing rules, not to exceed three in num-
Der, which comm ittee is to be instructed
| to make report of its work and any sug-
gestion or alteration it deems proper in
the playing rules to the secretary of the
league at least thirty days prior to the
spring or schedules meeting. Copies OF
| this report are to be forwarded by the sec
retary TO the respective club members at
his earliest convenience. so as to enable
all to be prepared to discuss the amend
me1ts made at the schedules meeting.
The constitution was read section by
section in order that any changes deemed
advisable by mem bers might be offered.
The section providing for the meeting of
the board of directors was changed so that
future meetings will be held on the first
Tuesday after the second Monday in
Noven. Der instead of the first Wednesday
after the second Tuesday. Section was
stricken out. 1t provided for the fining
OF an umpire $25 for the first offense aud
$50 for the second offense for not report
ing trouble with player.
Among other matters talked of to come
before the league are a proposition to
abolish coaching, an effort to abolish the
Temple cup games, which have followed
The regular cham pionship series and may
De an attempt to put through a deal
whereby st. Louis will have club with
an even winning chance instead of con-
testing for tall-end place as for the last
two seasons.