The Washington herald., 1911-04-02
By c. w. SWAN.

As stated positively in The Washington
Herald Yesterday morning, the clause
prohibiting professional players from par
ticipating in amateur contests for a pc
riod of two years after their return was
defeated.
All the leagues belonging to the ANA
teur baseball commission of the Dlsulct
of Columbia were represented at the
meeting held last night at Spalding s
store. when the decision was reached
There was more enthusiasm than usual,
and though the discussion was rather
sharp at times, action on the various
propositions under consideration was
practically unanimous.
The first agreement reached voted
down the proposition dividing the league
into two sections az the beginning OF the
season. The existing constitution pro-
vides for the division at the end OF the
season, or about the time when the post
season arrangements are being made
The committee which reported on the
matter last week recommended that the
division should occur at the commence
ment of the season. The commission.
however, showed early in the meeting
that they did not desire TO support the
committee IN this particular
1t was decided after some debate. in
case OF charges against player or team
of having paid players, should be tried
and disposed of inside OF ten days. For
1r,erIy only seventy-two hours were al
lowed.
The event "f the meeting. however,
vas, as President Page, of the Suburban
League. declared it, the professionalism
o amateurism-" To use his own words:
hay crfN N-GT
every professional player the undisputed
right to play with our amateur clubs.
and, what is more am sorry to say we
seem TO desire it
As adopted by the commission, the rule
was laid out very thouoghly in the fol-
lowing words: No player who has
played on or been a member OF any
team under the national baseball COM
mission Of America. who shall have
pIaved under the national baseball COM
mission after June !, 1911" shall be eli
giblo to play with any club or team
party to this constitution and subject to
its rules.
1t was this action that brought ont
President Pages remark voiced in no
moderate degree by others, but when
the time came to vote all objections had
Suhsided and the vote was unanimous
1t was decided TO outlaw teams and
players who jumped the supervision OF
the commission unauthorized, and the
board OF arbitration was given authority 10
arrange the penalties, and il was held
that the club should be considered a
member of the league when II attended
and voted at a business meeting or signl-
ned its intention of becoming member
thereof.
Amateur basebaIl-so called-haS -four
ished in this city With no restrictions
having previously been placed upon those
who have shown the ability to enter the
professional ranks, the result of last
nights meeting of the amateur commis-
sion will be watched with interest, when
The occasion demands the enforcement OF
the professional clause adopted.
Friends of Kelly Harriss win be sorry to
hear that while practicinS with Jack
Dunn's Baltimore Orioles. he had the
misfortune to break two of his fingers,
and will be out OF the game for some
lime
The Olympia League held an open-air
meeting yesterday afternoon on the site
"G their new playing field. located at
Mount Pleasant street. between Columbia
road and Irving street
An effort will he made 70 obtain the
owner Of the property to consent to i'm
proveuents unOn the playing field and
the erection Of stands for the accommo-
dation OF The leagues patrons, which will
he OF temporary construction and easily
removed They will in no way inture
the value Of the property. and it is to be
hoped that the permission will be OBJ
t4Ined. as the league has experienced
wuch difficulty in procuring a desirable
luration.
According to the tentative arrangement
1Jadc Yesterday. lending 4 reply to the
request, there viii be erected stands hdv-
ing a seating capacity of 800 persons.
These seats will be located along Mount
Pleasant street. and wire fence twenty
feet high will be placed behind them in
order that all chance of injury to pedeS-
lrians will be obvIaIed.
These improvements. should the wished
Jor consent be obtained. will enable the
heretofore leaGueleSs Mount Pleasant on ;
thusa$tS to enjoy an afternoons sport
without the Inconvenience of a trip down. |
town.
While there is some speculation as to |
the makeup of the team that will repre- |
sent the Department Of Agriculture in |
the Departmental League this season. |
Manager Evans asserts that the follow |
ing players. who were on last years |
I. am. will be on his clubs roster: w. e |
Taylor, Harry Bryan, c. Z. Doyle, II. |
VI. BARRIER. J. F. Oakley, W. II. Venne- |
rrann. and J. r Fields. About twenty |
rev candidates have reported to Man |
aEer Evans for practice. and from the |
showing they are making ii is fair to |
suppose that the department will not |
have much trouble in corralIing a cham
T.ronship team. Mr.. EVANS has been |
of the club Cor the last two |
seasons, and to his energy is due most |
of the Victories attained by the Agricul-
ture baSeballstS.
While the team will suffer to some cx-
tent by reason of the absence of |
Johnny" Priest, who went to the In
diana polls team. of the American Asso-
;iation. and Bob Murphy, who will play
with the Wilmington CDeL) team. of the
Tri-State League, yet the new material
hat has cropped up show fair to do Won
iers if the signs of the season are to
De- taken into account.
The boys practice each day on the
broad lawns within the Department of