Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-02
National Leagues Plan to Illustrate
Its New Rival.
WILL HOLD PLAYERS TO CONTRACTS
Interview With Manager Hanlon
Of the Brooklyn Team.
DIS Gus SEES NEW RULES


Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE, Md. March 2.-The Ma
tional League is preparing to spring coup
which it expects will scotch it's lusty young
rival, the American League. Manager Han
Ion of Brooklyn announced the plan of ac-
ton this morning at his home in this city.
He said:
I'VE expect to enjoin every player who
has been working under a national agree
ment contract who jumps to the American
League, and we need not wait until April
10 to do it, either.
II have consulted an eminent judge of
Brooklyn, and he assured me that such an
injunction would be granted. after carefully
studying the contract National League
players signed last year. This will be at
tempted in other states included in the Ma
tional League circuit, and the result will be
that not man of the jumpers can play
with the American until the decision issues
from the courts
mo matter who wins. the legal fight is
bound to drag along until the entire coming
season has elapsed.
The Case of McGinnity.
Mr.. Hanlon's desire to know whether Nc
Ginnity, Brooklyns star pitcher, has really
signed to play with the Baltimore Ameri-
can League team led up to his divulging
the Nationals latest war measure
DO you really believe McGinnty has
jumped?' queried Mr.. Hanlon, "or is this
all newspaper talk? 1 have got McGin
nity's contract of last year all right, and
would have paid him this year as much, il
not more, than any rival organization,
though L know it to be fact that the
American is offering big money"
Let me see. McGinpty has business
somewhere out in the west, hasn't he? 1t
would be shame to take 1t away from him,
but business IS business.
There is just as much legal talent at the
service of the National League as is to be
had by the American, and We know that
our contracts will hold, options and all, re-
ported inequality of conditions to the con-
trary Notwithstanding
Mr.. Hanlon is enthusiastic over the new
rules.
The demand for several years past has
been for quicker games and we desire to
please the public The changes will shorten
the longest games to an hour and three
quarters The pitcher will not have to go
into the box cold, for he Is nearest to his
work and can throw enough balk ball to
Timber up before the quickest batter can
not intended to be enforced literally, but in
spirit.
Each Umpire to Have a Watch.
Each umpire will be provided with
watch by the league, and it will cut out
the annoyance caused to spectators by the
Cuppy and Nops type. The ball must leave
the pitchers hands either for delivery or
TO catch base runner, within the time
limit. and it compels action continually.
The balk rule was never intended to give
the batsman his base, and no one will find
fault with this or with the rule compelling
the catcher to play up.
when the new foul rule Is understood
1t will be acceptable also. Batters of the
Wagner Hamilton and McGraw type have
wearied spectators eternally by the delay
caused by fouling off balls. Now their first
two fouls will be strikes. If they have
nerve enough to continue trying to foul
off after two strikes have been called on
them all right. They can go on indefinitely
as long as they can foul without penalty,
but few have either the requisite nerve or
skill. This restriction will shorten every
game fifteen minutes or more.
Il am well enough pleased with the pros
poets at Brooklyn, and expect a better
season this summer than last"
Mr.. Hanlon also said that the National
League was In no way responsible for the
birth of the American Association or for
its death.
1t had been started as any other new
base ball body, and by application for pro-
lection under the national agreement had
received its entitled promise of moral sup
port. Financial support generally or in
any particular case had never been prom
ised. and all statements to that effect were
absolutely false.