The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-10
DRAFTING OF PLAYERS
CHANGES RECOMMENDED IN THE Ma
TIONAL LEAGUE AGREEMENT.
Action Taken by the Board of Arbi-
tratiOn That VIII Beneht Clubs
OF the Western League.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 9-The annual
meeting of the National Baseball League
was opened at the Hotel Walton to-day.
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 Washington.
Rumors of deals were again prevalent this
morning, one of them being to the effect
that the Boston triumvirate desired to
cure Catcher Clements, OF Philadelphia 1t
was limited about that Bobby Lowe would
be offered in exchange for Clements, but
Messrs. Soden and Conant stated positively
that there was no intention whatever of
permitting Lowe to be dropped from the
champion team. There was also talk of
probable deal of some sort between Wash
ington and Philadelphia.
The official programme of the League
gathering moved rather slowly. but the
rumors of deals grew thicker and thicker
as the day and night progressed. The board
of directors of the League convened shortly
after II o'clock and disposed of few rather
unimportant appeals from players who had
| grievances, the points of the appeals in each
instance being summarily disailowed and
dismissed. President Young was authorized
to establish an Office in the business section
of Washington for the transaction of
League business, and the Boston club was
officially awarded the championship of 1897
The national board of arbitration then got
together to dispose of matters unfinished al
last nights session. The most important
subject before the board was the petition
of the Glass A leagues for modification of
the drafting clauses of the national agree
ment. The petition as presented met with
no opposition in the board, and 1t was de-
cided that its provisions should be recon-
mended to the National League for adop-
ton. The suggested change in the rules for
drafting which will without doubt be in
dorsed by the League, provides that no
player can be drafted by the National
League unless he shall have served at least
two years in the Glass A league from which
the draft is desired to be made. Glass
consists of the Eastern, the Western and
the Atlantic leagues. 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 pre-
vent the purchase of any minor league play
err by a National League club through
mutual agreement of the clubs interested,
and transfers from the minor to the major
league through purchase trades can at
any time be made as heretofore.
On the suggestion of John i. Brush an
| amendment to the drafting clause was also
| recommended to the League for approval,
| which grants permission to the National
| League clubs to loan player to a minor
| league club, with the understanding that
| the player can be recalled on thirty days
\ notice.
Among the affairs of less general interest
! disposed of by the board were the follow
| ing: The claim of the Philadelphia club to
| players McVey and Fox, through agreement
| with the Athletic Atlantic League club for
| their purchase, was confirmed, but the petit
ton of the two players for unpaid salary
was referred to the Atlantic League, for
| which payment, under the national agree
ment that league was responsible
| The appeal of w. III. Gallagher for unpaid
salary from the Reading club was dis
| missed and Gallagher was granted release
from reservation by the Richmond 1lo,, club.
was fined by the Reading club the amount
| of salary due him. He then refused to play
with the Reading club and was released to
| Richmond. Gallagher did not play with
| Richmond, but was placed or the latters
/ players fine was justifiable. but gave him
his freedom to contract hereafter with
whom he may.
| salary from the Burlington Ia, club was
dismissed for want of jurisdiction.
The Springfield, o., club, of the Interstate
League was ordered to pay to the Zanes-
| Vile club $110 which the board decided was
| due to the latter club on account of the
! transfer of Pool and Cavanagh to Spring
| field.
The reported purchase of Clements by
| Boston and Grady by New York was pos
| itively denied this evening by the club own
| ers of those cities.
The Philadelphia club is endeavoring to
effect deal with st. Louis by which Monte
! Cross, Catcher Douglass and Pitcher Dono-
| hue can be brought to Philadelphia 1t is
! said Won der Abe has been offered Taylor
! Clements, Nash and Lave Cross for the
| three players named, or any three of them
for Monte Cross and Douglass.
The business of the auxiliary bodies. the
! board of arbitration and the board of di-
| rectors, having finally been disposed of, the
/ National Baseball League proper was called
! to order for its first session at O'Clock
| tonight with the representatives present
| from all the twelve clubs The meeting
4 lasted less than an hour and no business
| whatever was transacted. The only matter
| discussed was the question of telegraph
| privileges on the several league grounds.
! whether these privileges should be granted
! to the Postal or the Western Union Com
pany, or to both. The whole subject was
| finally referred to a committee for consid-
| Grafton and the meeting then adjourned un-
til tomorrow noon
The various deals had tonight settled
down to very few: none had been con-
summated Those which are known to be
| under consideration are the exchange of
| Taylor, Clements, Lave Cross and DOVE,
| of Philadelphia, for Monte Cross. Douglass
| and Donohue of ST Louis: Egan and Haw-
| ley, of Pittsburg, for Taylor and Clements,
Of Philadelphia, McJames, Of Washington.
| for Taylor. of Philadelphia. The New York
| club wanted Grady, of st. Louis but Won
| Der Abe would not consider the cash offer
| ager Hanlon was feeling around for one or
| was willing to make a trade with Jack
| Boyle as basis. Louisville and New York
| also want Monte Cross and have made Of
4 IAAw Gov h I'M