The times., 1898-12-18
7HB Two CIRCUIT PLAN
The Baseball Magnates Ad.
journ Without Action.
A DEAL STILL IN PROGRESS
The League to Call Special Meet
ing shortly - Washington nnd
Louisville Want n :s.gh Figure to-
Sell Out-Work ON the Scheme to
he ON the Outside-The Holiness
Freedman Case.

New York. Dec. l7.--Although the National
League of Professional Baseball Clubs adjourned
this evening without officially discussing tie
much talked-of reduction of the circuit to eight
clubs ard the establishment Of another league
of similar number of cities your correspondent
has been authorized To say that the deal TO or
sanize the sixteen-elub arrangement il still on
1t "a also safe TO predict that the league will
call special meeting in this city Just as soon a.
certain obstacles the success o. the new eireuir
scheme have been overcome. Before the meetir.,
wound up its business F. A. Abeil, OF the Brook
Ign Club. said:
When the papers have been signed to complete
the consolidation OF the Brooklyn and Baltimore
clubs we will be in position to DO anything the
League asks We will also be ready to help any
movement to reduce the circuit"
These remarks Were taken to nean that the
magnates are still working But there was
further evidence wien Harry Pulliam of the
Louisville Club, said:
II want you TO put our position before tn.
public correctly. | have withdrawn cur offer TO
sell for $4,000. and want to stay. in the League
But We have price still. and If it is paie va
are ready to do whatever tie men who want "a
establish the doub,ecircuit scheme demand.
the League consents to pay Us a certain sum
and we can sell our franchise to another city for
another amount the side, the chances are We
VIII help TO bring the present scheme of tina
other ulsgnates TO an issue
Chris Won der Abe who believes he has a right
to the St. Louis franchise. declared that MS suit
to orst Receiver Nuckenfuss would come up for
trial reN week, but when ASKED il ne would ac-
eept a financial proposition fro Robson for the
permission 10 locate the Cleveland team in St
Louis he said that he would have to think il over
before giving reply
Sodsn, Of Boston, admitted that ne wanted to
see the circuits changed, while Kerr, Of Pitts
burg, expressed similar opinion But Brush.
Hart and Robson had 10 remarks to make
While ii announced that the League had
not officially caEYassej the situation, il was not
denied that TIE whole scIl>ne to overhaul the
present arrangements was thoroughly gone over
1t was stated excellent authority that Louis
vile had been asked to name figure for its
franchise, and that it was 50 high that the
magnates covered their eyes with their hands.
One other club presumably Washington. was also
approached with tic sane result, So that tn.
schsnsers concluded to wirG up the Official ses-
siofs ct the League and try TO bring about the
formation Of the two cire,.its on the outside
II the clubs shat are ko,ding out for big bonus
show disposition to csme down in Their
figures they will be settled with in : fair way
They viii receive notes for the amounts TO be paid
TO them, aud TIE money viii re raised by making
each club in the large eighI-club circuit set
aside 10 PEI cent Of the gross receipts for every
game played at home. The Philadelphia Club
WAS sounded, it is understood, on the proposition
to contribute 10 fund with which to get rid o,
obstacles in the way of the six;een-club scheme
and John !. Rogers refused TO consider such
thing. shortly atterward the Philadelphian
found that he had made a bad break for the
msgnates After hearing him argue in favor OF
his Philadelphia gate receipts plan for nearly
twelve hours they voted TO ezrTy The matter over
to the Spring meeting in February In 4 word, If
Rogecs does not help to get. Louisville. 81 Louis
and Others into liIe he cannot It Is said. receive
any contract from the League by which he will be
able to poy 12 1-s cents to every visiting club
for each admission ticket sold.
Robson labored with the Louisville magnates
for long time this afternoon without results
Wagner had a similar eonfab with Hart.
Tie delegates proceeded with the usual busi-
ness as if they had never thought Of any change
in the circuit, but that was policy Nobody cared
to show his hand openly. The session was called
at 1:i0 o'clock this afternoon and the Phila-
delphia gate receipts question came up for dis
cussicn again. only to be carried over.
Br,zh also succeeded in carrying his move to
IeaooPt i9s-Sahfe senedule, OF which TWO plans
are to be drawn up, one including three Western
trips and the other four. Hart forced through a
rule that no League teams can play exhibition
games during the championship season. which
means that League teams cannot play the West
New York Field Club. IN Weeaawker on SUM-
days. 1t does not prevent the New Yorks, how
ever, playing every Sunday in Championship
games there.
On motion of Mr.. Brush it was suggested tina.
the president of the League be empowered to
send annual tickets TO each newspaper in each
city of the League emitting the holder to admis-
sion TO every ground in the circuit Rogers, OF
Philadelphia, made such fight on this that the
motion was aneuded- 1t provides for tickets en-
titling holders to admission to every ground ex-
ceps that of the club located in the city where
the holder lives.
1t turns out that the former board Of directors
before adjouruing reoPened the Holncs-Freedman
case, but the New Yoork Club failed to submit
evidence for new trial. the matter was settled
by default. Holmes escapes punishment and
Freedmaa's penalty of s1,GoO was ratified.
The national board OF arbitration also held 4
session during the day and settled long list
OF minor league cases, the most important incIsid
ing ruling whereby Newark must remain in the
Atlantic League, instead Of jImpilg into the East
ern, and the Hartford Club must paw its debts
TO William Barne before il can receive perInis-
sion to Join any league.
When the magnate5 finished business tonight
all except Hart, Robson and Brush left town
These three leaders. being in close touch with
Soden, OF Boston, are expected to bring about
the big deal inYolvins the two new leagues