The Minneapolis journal., 1903-02-09
SPORTS
LENNON WON I YIELD
Tie Vote at Chicago on Proposition
! to Transfer the St. Paul i
Club.
Wilmot Trades Billy Phyle to the
Saints for Pitcher Archie
Stimmel.

For six hours yesterday at Chicago the
directors of the American association
fought to take the st. Paul baseball
franchise from George Lennon, but each
vote resultedS to 8 and the franchise was
saved.
The association men met at the Audi
torium hotel yesterday afternoon, the
meeting being delayed by several of the
members who did not reach Chicago until
after noon. AT 2 o'clock President Hickey
called the directors to Room / and the
fight was on. At the conclusion of the
meeting. few minutes after 8, Hickey
+ announced that merely routine business
had been considered, but the fact that
the directors came out in parties of three
aroused suspicion
The truth is that the association men
who want the st. Paul team transferred
Bryce, Havenor and Tebeau, have really
secured this mysterious Robert E. Burke
of Chicago, and Burke Stands ready to
take the team to the North Side of Chi
cago. This was made known to Lennon
but the st. Paul man emphatically refused
to change his decision regarding the team
Hickey stood with Lennon and Rauschaupt
of Indianapolis. representing Watkins,
came instructed to, vote with Lennon re-
garding the disposition of the saints.
Seeing that it was impossible to- ac-
complish the transfer the directors against
ST. Paul voted with the others to ad-
'journ the meeting Of the directors and the
association them took up routine busi-
ness.
In the meeting of the association the
claim list was revived and the clubs voted
to increase their guarantee to $1,000.
There will be no doubleheaders on the
opening trip and no more than two games
will be played by competing teams in one
day. This is to avoid q repetition of the
1902 finish Of the season. There will be
no more substitute umpires, players to
offic;ate In the absence of the regular
men. President Lennon announced after
the meeting that Manager Kelley had
traded Stimmel to Minneapolis for Billy
Phyle, the pitcher, who once wore St..
Paul uniform.
The rules governing baseball as played
by the American. the National and the
minor leagues are soon to be overhauled.
A meeting of the joint rules committee
will be held in a few days in Chicago.
Many suggestions have been made look
ing to changes in the rules. The foul
strike rule, which was in vogue in the
National league last year, probably will
be the most important point to be consid-
cred. The American leagne and the minor
leagues are opposed to the rule. The joint
committee will consider a suggestion
which involves the removal of the pitcher
from the batting order entirely. 1t is set
forth that few pitchers try to bat because
of the great amount of eXertion they have
TO undergo III the DOX, ana INaC II "OulO
be well either to send substitute to the
plate or allow the eight members of the
team outside of the pitcher to do all of
the batting. ~. =.
Hanlon has a plan to limit fielding errors
to wild throws and muffed balls, which
will do away with the scoring of misplays
on fumbles or hard hit grounders.
Several years ago the rule-makers legis-
lated against the big mitt, restricting its
use to the catcher and the first baseman,
at the same time allowing the other field
ers, to small mitts of certain size
and weight. But as the players have
learned to use all kinds of mitts with
pockets in them, that it is almost
impossible to drop a ball, the rule-rnakers
may be called upon to legisate again.
Lefty Davis, who will play with the
New York American league team during
the coming season, has been notified tt
report at Atlanta, Ca, for the preliminary
training with the team
Christopher Mathewson, pitcher on the
New York National league baseball team
Joined the Presbyterian church yesterday
The vow was taken before large congre
CATION at Lewisburg, Pa. Mathewson il
soon to be married to Miss Jennie Slough
ton, an active worker in the Presbyterian
church.