Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-12
NEW LEASE OF
LIFE GRANTED
NATIONAL CLUBS TO ENDURE
UNTIL SEPTEMBER, 1921
CHICAGO TO BE NEXT PLACE OF
MEETING
Application of the Southern California
League Acted Upon FaVorably.
O'NeilI Now President of
Western League
fBy Associated Press.l ]

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Nov. 1.-THE ex-
tension of the life of the National As
sociation of Professional Baseball clubs
until September 6. 1921, and the selec-
tion of Chicago as the next place for
meeting was the principal features of
the closing session of the annual meet
ing of the association here today.
The national association made one
or two changes in its constitution con-
cerning the signing of contracts, the
promotion of the welfare of players
and the punishment to be meted out
to those who fail to live up to their
contracts or violate their reserve
clauses. 1t was decided that the ma.
tional board will meet several days be-
fore the national association and clear
up all minor cases before the big meet
ing starts.
The committee on revision of the con-
stitution recommended that the ma
tional association renew it's agreement
for ten years or until September 8,
1912. The present agreement was en-
tered into at Chicago, September b,
1901, and was to run for ten years, or
until 1911. Some members thought that
the agreement expired in 1910 and 1t
was desired to renew 1t this year.
President Norris L. O'Neill of the
Western league and w II. Lucas of
the Northwestern league voted against
the renewal OF the agreement on the
ground that next year would be bet
ter time to do it. O'Neill and Lucas
said they were not against the renewal
of the agreement.
Chicago Chosen
Chicago was awarded the next an
nual meeting of the association. inc
campaigning for Chicago was led by
President O'Neill of the Western
league. He voted the proxies of J. c.
Ewing, president Of the Pacific Coast
league, and Frank Hermann, presl-
dent of the California state league. A
resolution that the national association
do all in its power to advance the well
fare of players was adopted, as was
a rule providing that players must be
under contract before they can play
game with a club.
Formerly the time allowed 10 player
to sign a contract varied from seven
to fifteen days or games. II was ue-
cided also to follow in the wake OF the
major leagues in the punishment Oh
contract and reserve Jumpers. The new
rule provides a suspension of hVe years
for breaking a contract ana three years
for violating reserve.
Furman Smith of the Carolina asso-
citation advocated the adoption OF fiat
drafting price, and the matter was re-
ferred to the national board for action.
A. d. Helms of the Roanoke league
club asked that the classification of a
league be based upon averages of pop
ulation. The question was referred 10
the national board. Helms said that the
present rule is unfair to the leagues
having only four or six clubs In their
circuit. Following is the present basis
of classification and that proposed
Glass. Present total. Proposed aVge'
A ...........1 100000 1Z5,ooo -.
b ..,..... 400 900 to 900 $4,000 to 125.o00
G .......... 100. 600 TO 200 900 $4,000 to $4,000
D ........... 100, 900 or less 25,oOo or less
The national board decided the fol-
lowing cases today:
Application of the Southern Califor-
MIA league, with headquarters at Santa
Ana, for territory and membership
acted upon favorably.
Application for territory and men,
bership of the Southwestern Texas
league, composed of Austin, Laredo,
Bay City, Brownsville, Corpus Christi,
Beeville and Victoria-granted.
The national board appointed Norris
L. O'Neill, president of the Western
league, a member to fill a vacancy
caused by the resignation of Jos. d.
O'Brien, president of the American as
sociation, early this year.