Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-27
10 TRADES NOW IN SIGHT
Slight Changes Made in the Rules Of
Both Leagues.
RACING AT NEW ORLEANS
Eastern Season Opens at Benning-
Cans and Ryan to Hook Up
Bowling Battles.

NEW YORK. February 2T.-Contrary to
some rumors which prevailed Monday night
there was no tinkering yesterday by the
National League with its schedule for the
coming season, in order to get even with
the American League for its action in first
giving out its list OF dates.
There some talk of reprisal by shift
ing few of the Nationals dates In order
TO conflict with the American League, but
wiser counsel prevailed. AS a result, the
National League did not alter date from
those agreed upon in the conference with
the Americans schedule makers. AS is the
case with the American League, the Ma
tional will open the championship season
on ADril II, as follows:
Philadelphia at New York. Brooklyn at
Boston. Pittsburg at Cincinnati and ST.
Louis 1T Chicago,
The American League held only a short
session yesterday and then the club owners
packed up and departed for home among
the first to leave being President Shibe and
Manager Mack of the Athletics. All that
the American League did was to adopt the
report of the joint rules committee, which
met late Monday night. The National
League also adopted this report besides
ratifyfng the schedule.
Changes in the Rules.
While the majority OF the changes in the
rules were to simplify the wording there
were few slight alterations of interest
One was that in the future no player ex-
cept the pitcher shall be permitted to soil
new ball. The twirler may wipe all the
gloss off that he cares TO. The rule regard
ing the batsman being out was amended to
prevent him from stepping from one side of
the plate 10 the other while the pitcher is
In the act of pitching the ball. The bats
man must not shift his position from one
s,de OF the plate to the other after the
twirier has taken his position on the rub
Der prepared to deliver the ball
The American League rule that bats
man snail become base runner if the
catcher inferferes with him while he is in
the act of striking at the ball was adopted
by the National League. Two changes
were made in the rule THE base runner is
out. The first is that if one man is out or
no one out, the base runner shall be de-
ciared out if the batsman interferes with
the play at the home plate. The second
change in this rule provides that If a base
runner is caught between the bases and
another base runner passes him during the
play. the latter shall be declared out. The
latter was also an American League rule
which the National League has now seen fit
to incorporate in its code.
Heretofore the rule when two umpires
We're officiating read that the assistant UNI
pire should decide all plays at first and
second base.
Umpire at Third
Thls caused frequent disputes as to who
should decide plays at third base On one
memorable occasion the New Yorks forfeit
ed game at Pittsburg owing to a dispute
of this kind The rule was changed to read
that where two umpires officiate they shall
come to an agreement before game as to
where they shall make decisions
An amendment was also made to the
scoring rules that when a batsman Is hit
by a batted ball he shall be called out and
no DIV fn~ hos t,it
Manager Tenney of Boston last season ask
ed for the credit of a base hit on ball
batted by himself which struck him while
he was running to first base, and as the
rule was not clear on this point 1t was
decided to change it so that players would
not resort to trickery on balls batted by
themselves down the first base line. Many
player would gladly permit himself to
be called out when hit by ball batted by
himself. provided he got credit for base
hit. In the future. he will be called out
and won't get a hit either.
Manager Griffith of the New York Ameri-
cans wanted the rules altered so that the
umpires would be kept out of the diamond
at all times, but he was overruled.
Boston Wants Jake stahl.
Manager Chick stahl and Manager Joe
Cantillon touched lightly on the Jake Stahl
matter yesterday afternoon. The Washing
ton manager said he had sent Mr.. Stahl a
liberal contract for next season and felt
quite sure that Jake would get in line.
The Boston manager did not think it
the proper time to suggest a trade and
will Mr. Cantillon later.
Il didn't care to surprise the Washing
ton people, said Chick Stahl, but / have
a letter in my pocket from Jake Stahl, say
ing that under no circumstances will he
GO back to Washington. When Manager
Cantillon learns this for a fact perhaps he
will want to talk business"
Cantillon is smooth proposition and
will play for all in sight. knowing that
Jake Stahl is wanted in Boston.