The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-09

cago clubs with papers in the suit when
these clubs were named with Spalding as
defendants, was sufficient reason for ask
ing that the whole case be thrown out Of
court.
Regarding the meeting of representa-
tives of the National and American
Leagues and the Association of Minor
Leagues to revise the playing rules, which
will be held at Buffalo this week, Henry
Chadwick says:
1t is absolutely necessary in the conserv-
ing of the best interests and future well
fare of the whole professional baseball
business that one code of playing rules.
and one only, should govern the entire
baseball fraternity. otherwise a regular
chaotic condition of things would prevail.
Every magnate of sense realizes this fact:
and now that the question of our having
one code adopted. in the near future, has
been practically settled, another question
arises, and that is, what is to be the char
acter of the work done by this committee
of the whole from the three leading pro-
fessional organizations of the country? 1t
should be borne in mind that the code of
rules this truly representative committee
will adopt will not only govern the pro-
f%essionaf clubs OF the United States and
Canada, but ii will also govern the anna
teur clubs of the entire baseball world.
which now lncluQe, not only the clubs OF
Cubs Porto Rico and the Philippines, but
also those of Australia and England as
well. This fact forces upon the committee
a degree of conservative action in the franz
ing of the code well calculated to take the
work out of the rather narrow path which
has hitherto been travelled by previous
baseball rules committees. OF course this
desired conservative action includes as its
prominent feature the adoption Of the basic
principle of equalizing the powers of the
attack and defense forces in the game, a
.sAa4 % TOO 0nrnh nnU1nnfnA in rule
legislation in the past. Every one at all
versed in baseball history knows that
there were two cases in the progress of
baseball toward the goal OF a perfect code
of playing rules in which gross inequality
of the powers of their forces were strik-
ingly exhibited; the first was in the decade
of the early seventies, when the batting
was given an undue ascendency over the
pitching, through the medium of a too elias
tic ball. and this unequal position was re-
versed a year or two later when a too nom
elastic ball replaced the lively ball. The
lively BALI led To the scoring of over a
hundred runs in a fve-inning game. and
the dead ball" resulted in one instance in
~twenty-four innings being played in a game
without a single run being scored. These,
of course. were the two extremes of the
inequality between the two codes. The
happv medium is what the new committee
of rules should seek for at the coming i'm
pOrtant session, and If they reach il they
will have accomplished what no previous
rules committee has ever done. Another
feature of the needed conservative ac-
ton | refer TO is that of throwing aside
the consideration of all interests in the
adoption Of amendments TO the rules which
do not bear solely upon the point OF i'm
proving the game itself. and with the one
object in view of advancing the rules near
or TO a perfect code. Hitherto the rule has
been to study uD the bearings of each
amendment TO the code on the basis of
what the practical effect OF the amendment
will be as affecting the teams battery
work or its batting corps, or how il will
advance or retard gate receipts. the excep-
ton being the consideration of its bene-
fetal effect in improving the game itself.
What is wanted at the hands of this com
mittee of the whole is hat they should
give their undivided attention 10 the i'm
portant consideration of improving the
game itself despite ignorant public clamOr,
or of mere league or club interests. In fact,
they will best conserve both such inter-
ests by advancing the game itself.
The objection OF the Players Protective
Association 10 the Minor League Associa-
ton has eliminated in a circular
letter which has been sent TO all members
calling their attention TO the newly or
ganized National Association of Minor
Leagues. The letter briefly sets forth al
the objections To the combine. Ii bears the
signatures Of President Tom p. Daily. Sec
rotary Dale u Gear and Lave Cross. James
Mcclure and r. A. Jones, Of the grievance
committee. The letter follows:
sanr- o. q 49, -