The Washington herald., 1911-12-24
BY c. W. SWAN.

| That there will be a great deal of diff
| fculty in getting all the leagues that
composed the amateur commission last
/ summer in the fold at the meeting that
will be called the second Saturday in
! January, is a foregone conclusion.
| 1t was learned from good authority last
night that at least two, and possibly
three leagues would not be under tr2
commission next year. The Railroad Y.
! NJ. c. A. League is almost certain 10
stay out of the fold, as one of the lead
ing lights in the organization sad one
night during the week that with a
morning and afternoon league, the en-
rOllment under the amateur commission
is out of the question.
AS the r. r. Y. NJ. c. A. League has
strict eligibility rules of its own, it is
not necessary for it to become afil-
lated with the ruling body, as every man
who plays ball in the league must be
employed by some branch OF the serN-
ice
The Capital City League will hardly
become affiliated with the commission
again, although this is but Il suppostion.
Toward the flag end of last season 1t
was plain to he seen that the Capital
City circuit did not care a rap for the
commission, and with the talk of a
semi-prO league. there is hardly a
chance for them to come under organ
ized baseball in the District next sea-
son.
New Rules in Order.
When the commission meets early in
the new year rules will be passed to
control the playing of players who are
members Of teams IN leagues not under
the commission. There is one rule al
ready a part of the constitution, which
gives the commission the power to bar
any member Of league not under them
from playing with teams in the orEa n
u" SIolIs Il IPague decides to Withdraw.
from the commission and paddle its own
canoe. the commission can bar any mem
Der of that league from playing in or
ganized baseball. and while President
! Young, of the commission, refused to
state just what penalty would be in
Elcted upon men who are playing in a
league not under the commission, 1t is
safe to say that they will not be handled
with kid gloves.
The one-team, One-man rule has caused
lot of comment. but when all is said
and done it was the only way out of
bad hole. With a crack bali tosser play
ing on two teams in as many leagues,
the club that had the best chance of
Winning the pennant always secured the
services of the star and the other team
was the loser. Take the case of MerreIl
Vaughn, the sterling third saCker of the
Cornell Tigers nd the Post-OIfice aggre-
CATION. Both these teams won the pen
nant in their respective leagues, and one
Of then had to lose Vaughn in the post
season series. Merrell decided to play
with the Mailmen, and while they did
not trim the Paperhangers, with Vaughn
in the game, the city championship stood
Il good chance Of landing in the laps of
the Paste SINGERS As il was, the
Bankers handed Manager Cornell jolt
and the Paperhangers had to be content
with being an also ran.
Different This Season.
This season all will be different. When
a man signs to play with a team, he is
the property of that club until his re-
lease IS in the hands of the secretary
OF the commission few days, the exact
number has not been decided upon as yet,
and he is notified of his release by the
club. Then he is at liberty to sign with
any team in another league. That will
dc away with the overnight signing that
was so popular last summer.
At the meeting of the commission, the
committees for the coming year will be
elected. plans made, and rules discussed.
\ meeting will be called for the first SAT-
urday in February, when the officers will
be elected When the election of these
officials comes around there is one man
who will he named for an important place
on the board: in fact. the position next
10 President Bob Young. who will again
head the amateur rulers, in all prob
ability.
S. Edward Beach, who so ably con-
trolled the District League last season,
is slated for a place on the board that
will give him power to enforce the rules
that he has worked for. 1t was Mr..
Beach who suggested and carried out the
one-man-one-team rule. and several other
important matters that the commission
will take up at the next meeting.
Harry V. Shurtleff, the hustling secre-
tary of the commission. announced at the
close OF the past season that he would
not accept lie place again, but 1t is safe
to say tn I when the commission holds
its meeting the early part of January
Mr.. Shurtleff will once more be on the
Job with his books and papers.
Harry Shurtleff has done as much 1or
amateur ball in Washington as apy- one
man. and, at that, he has been any
assisted by Mrs. Shurtie1, VINO Is one
of the most noted fans in the Disuict'
Should Mr.. Shurtleff be sincere In MS
intention to leave the game, the amateur
baIl tossers will lose a man who mas
worked for them daily for the past year
and has never complained.
There is a movement on foot TO put
out a strictly local sporting sheet, on
the order of Sporting Life. and should
this project be carried through. good
local paper will be on the market DUR
ing the summer.
= 1t is proposed to have the complete
,,,oatrlv renoft of every amateur base
ball league, the Nationals, and other
summer sports, every Sunday. with the
box scores, averages. and notes Of each
league on a page. This plan Will be
started about the first of the year, and
has the backing of several well-known
local sporting authorities.
Mick Keliher, the local lad who was
bought by the Pittsburg Pirates from
the Petersburg club of the Virginia
League during the tail-end OF the sea
-o,, le NJ In this city and working