Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-02
Ban Johnson Confers With
Secretary Minor.
PURELY BUSINESS MEETING
Nothing to Do With Local Club or
the Outlaws.
THE NEW RULES DISCUSSED
Matters Frightening Up Out at Ben
ning-Georgetown Boating
News.
PURELY BUSINESS MEETING
THE NEW RULES DISCUSSED

President B. B. johnson of the Ameri-
can League arrived in Washington last
evening and will leave for his home in
Chicago tonight. Mr.. Johnson was called
here by Secretary Minor of the local club.
as the two had not met for several
months. The president of the American
League had been in New York attending
the annual spring meeting of his organ
ization. and Mr.. Minor invited him to
stop here on his way home.
There is no special significance in the
meeting. Mr.. Minor represents the
American League in this city as well as
being the secretary of the Washington
club. and he wants to talk over several
affairs in business line with Mr.. john
son.
In speaking about the affairs OF his
league and the results of the recent meet
ing. Mr. Johnson was more communities
tive. He said:
The schedule for the coming season is
satisfactory to everybody concerned. and
r look for very prosperous year for
base ball. The Washington club has
splendid holiday dates. and should make
more money than ever
When asked about the expansion of the
American Association next year, Mr..
johnson said:
..They would have gone into Chicago
this year. but were not ready. and l look
for trouble with that organization next
year to certainty. One thing can be
depended upon. 1t will be battle to the
finish and result in several men promi-
nent in base ball today being put out of
the business. The people l refer to have
been disturbers for the past FIVE years.
and il will probably be better for base ball
To clarity the atmosphere. placing them
where they rightfully belong-outside the
breastworks.
Base ball men who have had time to
ponder upon the legislation which was.
adopted by the American League at its
recent meeting are unanimous in approx
ing the resolution making 1t compulsory
for every club In the organization to play
its full number of scheduled games.
Under the new method a tie or
drawn game or any games which are pre-
played off on the ground for which they
were originally scheduled in the same Sc
ries or in subsequent series. at the OPP
ton of the home club. On the first series
of games double-headers will not be per-
mifted as heretofore.
This renders it impossible for club to
dodge game toward the close of the
championship season. If it happens to be
hard pressed with the excuse that it is
unwilling to take up a 'double-header.'
In other words. in future champion
ship contests in the American League
each team must play it's full quota of
games with each other team, except that
the season cannot be extended to provide
for any contests which might be prevent
ed on the last day of the playing year
because of a downpour of rain a railroad
accident or some other cause equally un-
avoida BILE.
While the enforcement of this rule
might not amount to much in a one-sided
championship race. it might mean every
thing where the ownership of the pen
nant rested between two or three teams
which were only game or two apart
The surprising thing to me is that
nobody has seemed to have noticed here
tofore that there existed a loophole to
avoid meeting another nine in a close
race. There always should have been
rule making it compulsory to play twenty
two games. whenever postponed games
had resulted.
Another feature of the new resolution
Is that it will end all fault finding on
the part of a visiting club as to when
postponed games shall be played. The
new resolution says the home club has
the right to name the dates of the post
poned games.
Mr. johnson was asked about the "out-
law league. which has recently secured
grounds in this city but he had nothing
to say on the subject.