The San Francisco call., 1909-02-19
FRACTIONAL STRIFE.
TN THE NATIONAL
LEAGUE ENDS :
President PuIIiam Given Indef7-
mite Leave of Absence to
Recover From Strain

CHICAGO, Feb. 1S.-Factional strife
in the National lea que was removed at
the closing session of the magnates to-
day, when President Harry C. Pulliam
was granted an indefinite leave of alb
sence at his own request that he might
recover from the nervous strain to
which lie has been subjected for some
time. John A Heydler, secretary and
treasurer will act as president during
Pulliams absence.
The disagreements of President Pull
liam with certain National league mag
mates provided material for most of the
discussion during the closing hours,
and while the league president lived UP
to his proposed intention of remaining
away from the meeting because ne was
wearied of the conflict, the league rep
resentatives spoke of him as an eff
cient executive and voted unanimously
to grant him an indefinite leave of alb
Sence.
Presidents Charles w. Murphy of the
Chicago National league club apologized
in open meeting to President Johnson of
the American league, who was at the
session on invitation for the purpose of
telling what he knew of the attempted
bribing of Umpires Klein and john
stone during the closing series in New
FORK between the Chicago National and
the New York National clubs. The
entire bribery problem proved to be so
difficult of handling that it was decided
that the statements of the umpires and
all evidence in the hands Of the special
committee be turned over to the ma
tional commission for such action as it
may determine.
Chairman Hermann of the committee
may call meeting of the commanding
powers of baseball tomorrow to get to
the bottom of the scandal but he eX-
pressed himself as undecided.
The ticket complication during the
championship series in Chicago be-
tween the home team and New York
was discussed and 1t was decided that
the matter be investigated more fully
by President Murphy and the chairman
of the national committee. In handling
the problem of tickets the magnates
brought woe to the players by adopting
the latter, either to the home grounds
or while they are at other cities. Pro-
vision will be made for the issuing
of tickets to the wives of the players.
The directors also decided to do away
with the practice of giving free
ladies' days" in any of the NationaI
league ball parks.
The proposed amendment to the Ma
tional agreement was ratified by the
league.
Clubs will be limited in the major
leagues to 25 players between May. 10
the latter date mentioned. The class
AA leagues will be limited to 16 and
25 in the same arrangement as regards
dates. 1t was decided that the dates
of postponed games shall be fixed by
the home team on the day of postpone
ment. When double headers" are ar
ranged according to this plan, the UNI
pires must be notified by the home
clubs in order that they may be on
hand without delay.
In the statement issued by Pulliam
before the meeting he expressed the
hope that baseball would not meet the
fate that had overtaken horse racing
throughout the country. and announced
that some of the magnates were in
clined to kill the goose that laid the
golden egg"
1t is probable that Pulliam will go
to California next Monday.
President Comiskey announced that
Fred Parent the Chicago American
league shortstop. had signed a contract
for the season of 1909 and that plans
were almost completed for the Call
fOrnia training trip