The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-03-03
ABRUPT ENDING OF
MAGNATES' MEET
Summary Of the Work Which Was
Accomplished.
THE BOARD OF DISCIPLINE
Was Changed Materially from the Orig
inal Brush Report.
TO CONSTITUTION
AS Proposed by Rogers Were Adopted
Talk of a Ten Club League
With Baltimore and Cleve-
land Left Out


meeting of the National Leagues mag
nates which has been going on at the
Fifth avenue hotel for the past three days,
came to an abrupt ending tonight. Con-
trary to expectations, the magnates fin
ished their business during a three hours
session, which began at O'Clock. Here is
what the magnates accomplished in the
three hours:
They passed the Rogers amendment to
the constitution without any change; they
passed the Brush report the board OF
discipline after making some important
changes; they adopted the report of the
rules committee after some notifications
had been made; they passed a resolution
which has direct bearing on the St. Louis
franchise; they did not adopt schedule
for the coming season; one amendment was
passed to the national agreement; they ad-
journed subject to the call of the pres-
dent which means that when the magnateS
next convene business can be transacted
under three-fourths vote, instead of a
vote of all the members, as would be neces-
sary in case of a special meeting. John Il.
Brush, of Cincinnati, and Frank De Haas
Robson, of Cleveland, did not attend the
meetings, explaining that they had 'other
business
The Constitution Amended
they took up the constitution. Colonel
John l. Rogers, of Philadelphia, read his
proposed amendments and after some dis
cussion they were unanimously adopted
without any material changes.
Substantially all of the rules submitted
to the league by the committee consisting
of Messrs Hart, Reach and Hanlon, were
adopted.
The rule relating to the position of the
catcher was passed without a dissenting
vote. This rule prevents a catcher from
playing outside the lines of his position in
order to field bunted balls.
Rule 20 provides that all players, other
than those assigned to the coaching lines
or at the bat, must remain seated.
Rule 8, defining a balk, has been mate
rally changed. There are eight sections
to the rule as follows:
Amy motion made by the pitcher to de-
liver the ball to the bat or to a base with
out delivering it. 2Throwing by the
pitcher of the ball to any base to catch the
baserunner without first stepping directly
towards the said base Immediately before
throwing the ball. S-Any delivery OF the
ball to the bat by the pitcher while MS
pivot foot is not in contact with the pitch
er's plate and he Is not facing the batsman
as defined in rule 20.
The ..Balk" Defined
4. Any motion in delivering ball to the bat
by the pitcher while not in the position
fined in rule 70.
S. The holding of the ball by the pitcher
SO long as, in the opinion of the umpire
to delay the game unnecessarily.
G. Standing in the position and making
any motion to pitch without having pos
ession of the ball.
7. The making of any motion, the pitcher
habitually makes in his method of deliv-
cry without his immediate delivery OF the
ball to the bat.
8. If the pitcher delivers the ball to the
bat when the catcher is standing outside
the lines of the Gathers position as defined
in rule 3.
1t is provided that If the pitcher violates
any of these sections the umpire must call
a ''balk" Rule So was changed to
provide that any coacher who may by word
or sign, try to incite the spectators or who
addresses remarks to any person except the
base-runner, shall be fined IS by the UNI
pire. If then the coacher does not desist,
he shall be removed from the game.
The new rule relating to the power of the
umpire in a game was passed. By 1t the
umpire is now the entire master of the
play. Following the report of the rules
committee the famous Brush report on the
question of discipline was taken up. The
wrangle which followed will long be re-
membered by the magnates.
Cut and Plastered
And before the report was adopted 1t
was cut and plastered up in such shape
that 1t is hard to judge whether Mr.. Brush
has achieved the sweeping victory on his
measures that he anticipated. In nut
shell, the measure, as 1t now stands, pro-
yides, first, the making of sworn charges
against an offender to the president of the
league; second, these sworn charges must
be sent to every league magnate; third, IL
three-fourths of the magnates deem the
case of such a nature to require severe
action the matter may then be sent to the
board of discipline upon a mailed vote,
nine of the twelve members of the league
voting for the maintaining of the charges.
Referring to the schedule question, Pres
ident Young said that the magnates had
looked over both the three and four-trip
ones presented, and while they adopted
neither, all hands had expressed themselves
in favor of the four-trip plan. 1t was an
nounced that the next meeting of the
league would be held in this city immedi-
ately after the sale of the St. Louis club.
1t was also intimated that IL the Brown
Stockings passed into proper hands the
circuit would be cut down to ten clubs,
Baltimore and Cleveland being the two
clubs dropped. In the meantime, 1t is said
a ten-club schedule would be arranged.