Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-19

Meeting of the League - All the
 Other Teams Were Represented
 New London Is Still Shaky-No Base
 Ball for New Britain-Notes on the
 Game
 The directors of the Connecticut State league of baseball clubs held q meeting yesterday afternoon at the Hotel Garde in New Haven ana transacted a large amount of busl- ness. The meeting was a most har- monious one and was presided over by Thomas L. Reilly of Meriden, in the absence of President Whitlock. Man ager James H. O'Rourke of Bridgeport who is secretary of the league, Kept the records. The various places com prising the league circuit were repre- sented as follows: Bridgeport O'Rourke; Norwich, Davenport; Wa terbury, Roger Connor; New London, Hernon: New Haven. Canavan; Merl- den, Reilly and Miller; Bristol, Clay and Kennedy. Applications were re ceived from Springfield and Hartford for admission to the league, which were laid over to await future develop mentS.
 A resolution was adopted which is in effect that all players drafted from the State league by the National league if not used by the clubs drafting them. shall be returned to the clubs from which they were drafted. This will give the clubs from which the draft was made the first choice after the National league.
 It was voted to open the season May and close it September !. This will make the season about a week longer than usual and the schedule will be so arranged that each club will play sixteen games with the others. play ing every week day during the season. The New London situation was fully and freely discussed. Manager Her non told of the difficulties to be ell countered there in the way of financial support and was given one week to look over the ground and ascertain what the prospects are.
 Davenport of Norwich and Canavan of New Haven. were appointed a com mittee to arrange schedule for pres entation at the next meeting of the leagu
 Should Hartford come into the league it will be well to remember that all her players should be ad- dressed as MT So and So. or Monsieur ho N'N-N them by their first names. for that would show too much familiarity and would not be dignified.
 Springfield would be a valuable addi- ton to this league if Hartford was with us. Without Hartford. Spring field would not be valuable. With those two in that would mean from the present looks of things a tencluD league. This would leave the way open for the dropping of one or two teams during the season, should those teams not make good.
 It is very probable that Pete Kier- nan and Frank Fitzpatrick will not be seen on the local team this season. Each has made a demand for a big raise in salary, but the circumstances will not warrant the increase. says Manager Connor. kiernan was to have been given some increase. but he failed 10 approach the manager ana negotiations were at once started for anew infield.
 George Prentiss. should he get into condition. will hardly play base ball this season unless he should find berth in the American league. which is not likely just now. He returned his contract. and the note that was sent with it. without a word of com ment or without signing the contract. It was an insult that Manager Connor is not likely to forget. for Prentiss re- ceiveu pretty good treatment last sea son by the local management. when he was unable to play because of illness.
 Several clubs made strong bid for Hans Wagner. the champion batter of the league and the American league came in with q bid that topped the others by a big sum. Wagner came to President Dreyfuss, and Drevfuss said: Hans. you are q good player; you worked hard for me last year. How much do you want?' Wagner replied: ''Td take thousand dollars less than the American league offered me to be with the National league and Pitts burg" He named his price. and Drey- fuss Eaid it. It only took one week to sign the Pittsburg men, and there are, seventeen of them.
 Charles BuelOw. the star third base man of the Western league, who played with Cleveland last year. has been signed by the New York club 1 The Pittsburg club transferred it's con- tract. with Buelow to the New York club, and Secretary Knowles now has l the document in his possession. Bue- | low is looked upon as one of the great- | SSt pldN tiS III ally Ol lIe leaSueS to- | day. Last year he led the Western league third basemen and was among | the first three in the batting averages, with a percentage of 35O Buelow certainly Is q find for the Giants. and he more than compensates for the loss of Pitcher Sparks.
 Sparks actually has signed with Milwaukee. He sent telegram to President Freedman to that effect yes terday The facts of the case are these. Pittsburg had the option on Sparks, who was loaned to Milwaukee 1 last year. Sparks having made an en- viable record in the box. decided that | his services would be of more value to Pittsburg this year than last. and i accordingly demanded more money than he had been receiving. Presi- dent Dreyfuss would not pay the amount which Sparks named, but not wishing the American league to get so good pitcher, he, notified President Freedman that Sparks was on the market. a
 With Buelow, Hickman, Selbach. Van Haltren and Davis, the New York