The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-10
A TW0-YEHR TENURE
CHANGE MADE IN THE DRAFTING
RULE BY THE BIG
LEAGUE.
RUMORS OF MANY DEALS.
NONE OF THE TRADES KNOWN
TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED
THROUGH.
OF PLAYERS DISMISSED.
Short Work Made of the Routine
Business by the Magnntes of
the Diamond.

1t1IIADEII@I lila, NV. IL 49,
nual meeting of the National Base Ball
league was opened at Hotel Walton TO-
day, but at much later hour than was
expected, it being quite late in the
afternoon before the delegates got to-
gether. The protracted session last
night of the board of arbitration, which
continued until the small hours of this
morning, and the animated evening
discussions of the outside corps or
base ball visitors in the hotel parlors
and the Hobbies had it's effect in tardy
movements this morning. Among the
notable arrivals this morning were
Manager Adrian c. Arson, of Chicago;
Chris Won Der Abe, of st. Louis, and
George and Earl Wagner, of Washing
ton.
The official programme of the Ma
tionaI league gathering moved rather
slowly today. but the rumors of deals
grew thicker and thicker as the Gay
and night progressed. The board of
directors of the league convened snort
ly after II o'clock, and disposed of few
rather important appeals from players
who had grievances, the points OF the
appeals in each instance being sum-
marily disallowed and dismissed. Pres
w
lsh an office in the business section OF
Washington for the transaction OF
league business, and the Boston club
was officially awarded the champion
ship of 1897.
The national board of arbitration
then got together to dispose of mat
ters unfinished at last nights SEES
sion. The most important subject be-
fore the board was the petition of the
class A leagues for a modification of
the drafting clauses of the national
agreement. The petition as presented
met with no opposition in the board,
and it was decided that its provisions
should be recommended to the national
league for adoption.
The suggested change in the rules for
drafting, which will, without doubt, be
Endorsed by the league, provides that
no player can be drafted by the Ma
tional league unless he shall have
served at least two years in the class
A league, from which the draft is de-
sired to be made. Glass a consists of
the Eastern, the Western and the At
lantic leauges. No change was asked
by the minor leagues in the drafting
price which will, therefore, remain
at $780, The change in the drafting
rule does not prevent the purchase of
any minor league player by a National
league club through mutual agree
ment of the clubs interested, and trans
fer from the minor to the major
league through purchase or trades can
at any time be made as heretofore.
On the suggestion of John B. Brush,
amendment to the drafting clause was
also recommended to the league for
approval, which grants permission to
the National league clubs to loan play
ers to minor league clubs, with the I'M
derstanding that the player can be
recalled on thirty days notice.
Among the affairs of less general in
terest disposed of by the board were
the following: The petition of j. II.
Lentz, on a claim for salary from the
Burlington, To-, club, was dismissed
for want of jurisdiction.
The business of the auxiliary bodies,
the board of arbitration and the board
of directors, having finally been dis
posed of, the league proper was called
to order for its first session at O'Clock
tonight with the representatives pres
ent from all the twelve clubs. The
meeting lasted less than an hour, and
no business whatever was transacted.
The only matter discussed was the
question of Geographic privileges on
the several league grounds whether
these privileges should be granted to
the Postal or the Western Union com
nany. or to both. The whole subject
consideration, and the meeting then adj
journed until tomorrow noon.
The various deals had tonight set
tied down to very few; none had been
consummated. Those which are known
to be under consideration are the eX-
change of Taylor, Clements, Lave Cross
and Dowd, of Philadelphia, for Monte
Cross, Douglass and Donohue, of st.
Louis; Eagan and Hawley, of Pitts
burg. for Taylor and Clements. of
Philadelphia; McJames, of Washing
New York club wanted Grady, of st.
Louis but Won der Abe would not con-
slider the cash offer made by Freedman
It was said that Manager Hanlon was
feeling around for one or two OF the
Philadelphia men and that he was will
ing to make a trade with Jack Doyle
as a basis. Louisville and New York
also want Monte Cross and have made
offers to Won der Abe for him.