Evening star., 1896-10-31
What is Said About the Changes in
the Rules.
GOSSIP ABOUT TIE LEAGUE CLUB
Condition of Various Teams and
the Opening Game.
TIL E JU NOR PLAYERS

of the cll rs that will compose the leapua
have organized their teams, and are now
getting In some sort of trim for the hard
paying that Is expected of them The
change In the rules of the game, IL is ex-
pected, VIII have q salutary effect II WILL
however, take some time before the teams
get accustomed to the new condition of
aHalrs, and IT is likely that the officials
OF the game will have a hard time in keen
! ing them within bounds. With the ex-
ception of the Queer wheelmen, all of the
clubs have practically their old teams in
the field, and the men are thoroughly IA
milfar with playing under the old rules
The change. which is quite radical gives
an entirely different style Of playing, SIM
liar to what is known as the block system
Capt. f. c. Edwards of the Corcoran Ca
oets. who witnessed several games in Phil
adelphia, was surprised at the PLAYING.
There was an entire absence of slugging
and science and skill counted everything
The game was played on as near a block
system as possible, but no man was per-
mitted TO hold the ball, which had to be
constantly on the move. No man was
given three seconds. was the rule in the
local league Last year, In which to hold
the ball. AS soon one of the players Sc
cured the ball he had to either keen 1t
jumping on the floor or else throw il TO
some other man. No player was allowed
to tackle the man with the ball, though
those on the opposing side could smack the
bali from the hands, IL possible.
In the game which Captain Edwards wit
messed one man in slapping at the ball
struck the player across the arm. He did
not do 1t Intentionally, but the referee put
him out of the game. The interference WAS
perfect The player could check the prog
ress of the man by blocking his way with
his body, hold his hands straight out so
as to keep other players from catching
hold of the man with the bal. and also
give the Umpire plenty of room TO see that
the play was fair.
Position of Columbia.
1t begins to look as though the Columbia
Athletic Club would not have a team in the
league this year, as was first anticipated
1t seems as though there is determina-
ton at the club to have a team, but there
| appears to be a hitch at some point. The
delegates from the C. A. c. were heartily
in favor Of securing central hall, in which
games could be played, having, it seems a
special dislike to playing in their own
gymnasium. The determination of the
league to play the games at the GYM
nasiums of the various clubs comprising
the organization is a sort of setback to
the c. A. c. men.
The delegates claim that IT was impos-
sibe for them to be certain of playing any
regular scheduled game in their gym
nasium, the regular gymnastic events hav-
ing precedence on all occasions. 1t is still
an open question to whether or not the
club will join the league.
There is also some uncertainty about
the Miles Cycle Infantry having a team
in the league. At the initial meeting of
the league this season the Cycle Infantry
was represented, unofficially, by several
delegates. Since then they have not been
represented, officially otherwise at any
other meeting, and this fact raises the
question as to their joining this season.
In the event that both of the above named
al hs lsaatr mill
be a six-cluh affair, though the schedule
has been drawn up for seven-club league,
but it can be easily changed.
The organization of the league for this
year has practically been completed in the
few meetings that have been held. No
more sessions will be held until next Sat
urday evening, when the last preliminary
gathering will be held at the Light In
fantry armory. The first schedule game of
the season will take place the following
Monday. 1t is likely that the league will
not hold another meeting for the season,
and all business that may arise will he
transacted by an executive committee
which is composed of S. Porter House, w.
l.. l.; George Mansfield, E. A. c.; Capt. f.
c. Edwards, C. C. c., and Instructor
Maurice Joyce, c. l.
-- The Opening Game.
Though the schedule has been prepared,
it will not be promulgated until week after
next, final changes being made at the
next meeting. The season will open with
a game between the Washington Athletic
Club and the Washington Light Infantry
teams, which will come off at the gym
nasium of the w. A. c. The season will
close on March Q, although the schedule
now in consideration only embraces games
for half of the playing season, and the
playing will wind up on the evening of De-
cember 23, and after a lay-off for the
Christmas holidays, the games will be
sumed on the evening of January and
continued. The schedule for the second
half of the game will be made out later in
the season.
There is one thing commendable in the
action of the league, and that is the chang
Ing around and the postponemeat OF scned-
uled games at the pleasure of the various
clubs. This season the executive board will
have a hand in the matter, and no game
be changed from the schedule without
the sanction of the board. In the event
IL at any games are played contrary 10 the
schedule il. will be of no advantage to the
winning club in summing up the cham
p:onship for the season, as these games
will not be counted in the sum total. The
deposit required from all the clubs as a
guarantee of their intention to remain in
the league until the end of the season and
help defray the expense of the same will
have to be paid by next Saturday evening,
and offers have been received to print
the schedule and score cards of the season
free of charge, the league will start out
this season OF a better financial basis than
ever before.
Some Active Work.
The baske. ball team of the Washington
Athletic Club is working hard three nights
a week being devoted to practice. The play
ers are rounding in splendid form and>gtv-
ing indications of putting up hustling
team for the championship honor. The
Eastern Athletic Club team, under Man
ager Mansfield, is also being hustled along.
The Light Infantry team, under Manager
Robinson, is getting down to hard work at
the armory and the Corcorau Cadets are
using their gymnasium in The loft Of the
National Guard Armory for practice. TIE
team of Carroll Institute Is receiving train
ing under instructor Maurice Joyce. Under
the Interpretation of the rules Joyce will
not be permitted to be one of the team, and
another player will have to be selected for
his position. The lineup will be as fol-
lows: Managan, enemy's goal; Behrend,
center; Daily. right forward; Donohue, left
forward: Mess, right back; Hughes, left
back; Roach, home goal. with Murphy,
Crutchet and Alexander substitutes.
The second game of basket ball OF the
season will be played this evening at the
Washington Light Infantry Armory be-
tween that organization and the Eastern
Athletic Club team. 1t will be an exhibition
game played under the new rules and the