The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-05
BASEBALL MEETING
MAGNATEs TO GET TOGETHER
 DECEMBER 15TH.
They will Meet at Nashville and Then It Will Be Decided If Montgomery Will Be
 in the League.

The fate of Montgomery as regards the question of becoming a member of the Southern League for the season. Of lsO2 will be decided one week from next Sun- day. a meeting in the Duncan Hotel in Nash vile and at this meeting the cities to compose the league will be finally agreed on.
 Some days ago 1t seemed that the cir cult would be New Orleans, Montgomery, Birmingham and Atlanta as the western end of the string with Memphis, Nash ville, Knoxville and Chattanooga the eastern end. Rumors having all the ear marks of truth have been going the rounds that on account of the long jumps Shreveport, La, and Little Rock, Ark. would be dropped. It was on account Of these towns-Shrsveport, especially-that Montgomery refused to go in the South ern League last year. When Shreveport was included in the 1901 circuit 1t was pro- dicted that it would not take long for the magnates to see their mistake-and 1t seems that they have done so.
 Shreveport, 1t is said, will become a member of the Texas League, but as for Little Rock there is considerable doubt.
 Aaron Frank and Mickey Finn. it seems, object very strenuously to being pushed out of the league and they de- clare that as long as there is league down here Little Rock will be a member of it. If this is true, then Knoxville will have to be cut out. AS far as Montgom- ery's interests are concerned, 1t looks like a certainty that this town will be in the league.
 Several. letters have been received here making preliminary arrangements, sign ing players. etc., and if for no other req son, the geographical situation of Mont gomery makes 1t almost a necessity for long railroad jump from Birmingham to New Orleans or Atlanta to New Orleans would be broken-and then again. 1t IS pretty safe to assert that baseball will be a paying investment here next sum- mer.
 Birmingham is making preparations for even a bigzs- season than was last years and Frank Hailer has already signed most of his team-a fast aggregation at that. The Birmingham News says of the arrangements being made: .,o
 The Birmingham Baseball Association proposes to make some substantial tn- provements at West End Park. The dia- mond will be raised so that there will be good drainage. Additional grandstand will probably be elongated so as to &C., commodate the large crowds which turn out on special days.
 will be required for the work of raising the diamond. Grass will be planted and other work will be done on the field.
 ''The fen:e south of the smoker grand SIanu VIII DO cOnSIFuCLeQ so tndL more seats can be built. The grandstand and smoker grandstand will be connected. So that people will enter at the main gates instead of passing back of the catcher. The bleachers will be extended probably
 it is expected that with the improve ments that the drainage will be so that even with rain in the mornings game could be played in the afternoon.
 'lSecretary c. E. Jackson stated th,s morning that contracts were being signed up right along with players and the in dications are for a strong team next sea- son."
 It is being advocated that the pitching distance be again changed. The pitcher is again referred to as the autocrat of the diamond. and 1t is declared that his power should be decreased, says The Cincinnati Commercial Tribune. Those who advocate this change believe that if the pitcher was forced to work from a position three feet nearer second base than he Is compelled under existing rules, creased and better games be the result Experience should have taught these gen. tlemen that such Is not the case. For awhile, perhaps, three feet would handi- cap the pitchers effectiveness, but how long would 1t be until he had mastered the distance and be as effective as be- fore? Just about four weeks is all it would require. if that long. The pitcher
 
 batsmen, no matter what the distance. It may sound unreasonable, but If the pitcher were placed on second base he would be every bit as effective as he Is today. Of course, it would take him time to get accustomed to the long distance, but he would master 1t and again have the batsmen at his mercy. When you take into consideration the shape of the bat and the very small point to be met squarely in order to send the ball fast enough to make 1t impossible for the fielders to get 1t, you can realize how much the better of the argument the pitcher has. How often has some pitcher without speed or curve held a team down to few hits and no runs by simply lobbing the ball to the plate?
 Leave the pitching distance alone. Don't touch the rules any more; they are all right If they are enforced It would be pretty good idea to let the pitching position remain where 1t is, as there are some slabmen In the minor leagues who can hardly get the sphere to the plate now. to say nothing of placing 1t at second base. Take, for instance, those larks that depend on the slow bali for their biscuits; they would have prett 7 hard going, and there is no use to throw man over for such a mere trife as plac- in fba Faffrhar