Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-21
THE DIAMOND
THE MAGNATES IN SESSION
Season is Shortened One Week.
 Gossip Heard as Managers Confer.

New Haven, Dec 21.-The annual
 reunion of the Connecticut Base Ball league magnates held yesterday af-
 ternoon at the Garde hotel, resulted
 mainly after a hot fight between the eight managers in the shortening of 1 the playing season by one week. The
 managers were evenly divided in
 their opinion as to the length of the schedule of playing weeks. New Ha- ! ven, Waterbury, Norwich and Bridge | port favored the proposed shortening l of the schedule, but New London, HOlyoke, Springfield and Hartford desired the former length of season. ! To settle the hot discussion over this l question and to dissolve the tie of four to four, President w. J. Tracy cast his vote for the shortening of the season by one week. The sea- son is to be from May 1 to Septem- Der. 12 Manager Humphreys was al- lowed to transfer his team from New London to New britain. Owing to the long period of time necessitated in deciding the length off the season, it was impossible for the magnates to decide the question of an $I,8Ou salary limit for team.
 President Tracy called the meeting to order about 2:30 o'clock. The fol. lowing managers represented the eight clubs; Connie Danaher for New Haven, James H. O'Rourke for Bridgeport, Dan O'Neil for Spring field, Fred Winkler for Holyoke, Charles Humphrey for New London, James Clarkin for Hartford, H. R. Durant for Waterbury and Dr Thompson for Norwich.
 The first business of importance was the length of season question:
 The split in the voting caused a great fight. Danaher, Durant, Dr Thompson and O'Rourke favored the change of opening from April 26 to May 1, while Humphreys, Winkler, O'Neil and Clarkin were opposed to the change. President Tracy, al- though interested in the Hartford club which through Manager Clarkin voted against the change, dissolved the tie by voting for the shorter season.
 Manager Humphreys asked for permission to transfer his team to New Britain from New London and this was granted. This will saw, New Haven and Waterbury many miles of travel. Last year they had to travel all the way to New London which is far out of the way of all the other cities but Norwich.
 
 games, that is, seven home to home matches with each team. When the teams play in Norwich they will stop two days, thus playing a game each day. If it should rain on the first day double-header will be played on the next, and should it rain both days the games will be made up on the next trip to that city, two double headers being played.
 Dr Thompson of Norwich an- nounced that his team was to stay in the league, although reports to the contrary had been circulated. Fred Winkler of Holyoke and Clark son of Hartford got into scrap over Frank Burke, who is in the Eastern league. Winkler thought that Clark son was going to try to get a steal on the Holyoke manager by getting this crack batsman back from Provi- dence. Burke had been drafted to Providence, but Winkler thought that Clarkin was playing the Provi- dence manager in order to get Burke. Clarkin, however, stated that he had no intention of securing Burke.
 In regard to the outlaw league it was stated as has been stated before in these columns, that New Haven and Bridgeport were not considered in this league. The managers want ed to decide the $l.SO0 limit salary for teams, but as some of the mag mates had to catch a train the matter was left over to the next meeting which will be held January 31. At this meeting the schedule will be looked over and the salary question settled.