The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-16
Brooklyn Club Must Pay Fine For
Violating the National Agree
meni
REDUCTION
OF CIRCUIT
Magnates Deny That They Dis
CuSSed it at aII--NeW Board
of Directors

New York, Dec 15.-The meeting of
the National league of professional
baseball clubs was continued at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel today. The Wrig-
ley matter, in which Brooklyn, New
York and Syracuse are involved, was
finally settled. The Brooklyn base ball
club will not have to pay pecuniary
damages to the New York cub for hav-
ing taken short stop Wrigley last sea-
son, but the Brooklyn club will have
to pay fine of $500 for having violated
the national agreement. This fine
goes into the league treasury.
The claim made by the New York
management against the Brooklyn club
has been under consideration for the
past three or four days, and the board
of directors this afternoon reported
that there was deadlock, and that
they We're unable to decide the matter.
This ends the question SO far as the
league is concerned.
At the first days meeting of the
board of directors, the New York club
demanded that Brooklyn be compelled
to pay $250C damages for taking Wrig-
ley after having been notified by Pres
ident Young that the player was under
temporary contract to New York. John
T. Brush of Cincinnati and A. H. Soden
of Boston champoned the New York
cause, While James Hart of Chicago
and Frank DeHaas Robson of St Lo-
uis led the opposition.
Mr.. Brush insisted that the full dam
ages claimed be awarded, but this lost
on a tie vote Eventually a melton
that the assessment be $500, proposed
by Mr. Brush, was carried. but upon
motion of Mr.. Reach of Philadelphia,
the decision was RECONSTRUCTED From
that time to the end there was dead
lock, the whole matter being eventually
tabled
1t was ON motion of Mr.. Brush that
the Brooklyn club was fined $500 for
violating the national agreement. Mr..
Robson made a motion that a repri-
mand, instead of a fine, be inflicted,
but his motion was lost. 1t was decid-
ed also that all of the games played
by the Brooklyns in which Wrigley
took part should be thrown out in the
computation Of the standing Of the
clubs.
The board also cancelled the game
between Louisville and Brooklyn which
had been transferred from Louisville
This action, however, will not affect
the standing Of the Brooklyns, so far as
first place is concerned, and the cham
pionship was formally awarded to that
club.
The league RENTED the fine of $500
imposed on the New York club, because
Of the forfeited game of June Is at the
Polo grounds. President Young was
ordered to repay Mr.. Freedman the re-
ceipts Of the game, something over $500,
and the Brooklyn management will get
one share of it. The protest of the
New Works over the New York alti-
more game of Sept. 9, was not sus-
tanned.
AS result of the Wrigley contro-
versy, several changes in the national
agreement and the constitution were
made. The membership fees to be
paid by minor league clubs in class A
were increased from SIS to $780, The
league decided that a player may be
placed on the reserve list of a minor
league club twice instead of once, as
heretofore. The drafting price to be
creased from $500 to $1,000 All the
changes were made at the request of
| the minor league clubs
| Article 81 was amended, making it
compulsory for all minor league clubs
| to send to the secretary of the National
| league the names of all players re-
served prior to the expiration Of the
| players contract.
| Besides these mentioned, it was de-
cided to increase the powers of the
supervisor of umpires, and in the future
| that official will have supervision of
the players as well as the umpires. The
appointment of a supervisor was pro-
| posed until a future meeting The
| league then proceeded to elect a new
| board of directors and a board of ar
bitration. After two ballots, Andrew
| Freedman was chosen to succeed j. E,
Wagner of Washington.
| The board of directors. In adj
dition to Mr.. Freedman, will be com
posed of Reach of Philadelphia, Hart
of Chicago, Brush of Cincinnati, Robi-
son of St. Louis and Soden of Boston.
The national board Of arbitrators was
reelected and is composed of Hart of
| Chicago, Rogers of Philadelphia. Brush
of Cincinnati, Soden of Boston. Robson
of St. Louis and President Young. The
new committee on constitution is COM
posed of Rogers, Hart and Brush. the
committee on rules, of Hanlon, Hart
and Reach.
Mr.. Hart moved that next years
schedule consist of 1872 games for each
team, instead of 154, the number played
during the season just closed. The mo-
ton was tabled. Mr. Eart's motion call
ing for g regular seasons assignment
for umDires met the same fate
Resolution offered by Col. Rogers of
| Philadelphia, was adopted. 1t endorses
| the scheme of having all armories
equipped with base ball appliances for
the use of soldiers. The resolution will
be forwarded to the secretaries Of war
and navy
President Ben Johnson Of the Western
league is busy trying to reorganize the
| old American association. His new or
| ganization, If effected will include in
the east, Providence. Philadelphia, Bal
timore and Washington. At the conclus-
ion of todays meeting the members de-
MED that the proposed reduction Of the
| circuit had been discussed at all.