New-York tribune., 1912-02-15
PLAYER TO HAVE APPEAL
President of National League
Clipped of Some Power.
MURPHY MAKES AN AP0L0 L0GY
Baseball Solons Discuss Many
Questions and Decide to
Stay a Day Longer


The suspension of Sherwood Magee, the
Philadelphia outfeldert and the resultant
collapse of Fogers pennant hopes last
summer bore fruit I'm the establishment
Of court of appeals for punished play
ers at the second session yesterday OF
the National League, which is meeting
at the Waldorf Astoria. 1t was consu-
tutionaI amendment day, and the sun par
lor of the hotel was surcharged with the
mighty thoughts Of the solons. VINO spent
four hours or more in weighty considera-
tion Of many changes.
Echoes of other difficulties experienced
last summer were heard at the meeting
aside from the Magee question, and all
were satisfactorily settled. Even the
more recent conflict between Chubby
Charlie Murphy and Roger Bresnahan was
smoothed over during the day, the Chi
csgo owner making an apology In private
10 the former catcher of the Giants Tor
. certain caustic remark made by Murphy
last December. The apology was made
according TO the ST. Louis manager, at
the instigation Of the other owners,
The board Of directors of the league
viii hereafter act as a court of appeals
Tor player upon hiiOu Ah' i''e'FN'''N'''-
6ne Of 5000 or suspension of more than
ter days has been inflicted by President
Lynch. The sensational assault by MaGee
upon Finneran, the umpire, in PhllaoeI-
phia last summer was followed by an at
tempt 10 have the board of directors re-
nit the penalty of a 5000 fine and an IN
definite suspension which Mr.. Lynch
meted ont 1t was then discovered oY
delving into the constitution, that the
resident Of the league had full powers
In enforcing discipline on the diamond
and that no appeal could be taken
Lynch'S sentence stood
The change was made yesterday only az
ter long discussion and due deliberaton'
That IL was a good policy to let the presl-
dent be supreme without having cluo
held over his head was admitted. 1t was
felt that justice could be better admins
tered by an impartial Judge rather than
bv owners of the clubs who might be preJu-
diced in case the offending player was a
member of one of their own teams. Oh
the other hand, there was the prospect OF
the owners being without authority over
the president, who Is their own servant III
g. certain sense. The matter was hnaliy
cornnromised by establishing a court OF
anpeals in cases where the maximum PEN
eItv only is inflicted All other punish
inents meted out by the president cannot
lie remitted without the consent OF the
head of the organization.
The imposition of the maximum sentence
Is rare and Is inflicted only in the cases
where severe discipline is needed. 1t is ex-
ceptional to have the sentence given more
than once during a season, and often the
president has no use for it at all Conse-
ouently the appeals TO the board of direc-
tors will be few President Lynch will still
be able 10 give those little three-day vaca-
,ions when the occasion and the spirit
move, without interference
The amendment in regard 10 postponed
games also was changed. 1t was decided
20 allow the home club TO choose an open
date on which a postponed game should De
PLAYED off. and as soon as this choice was
made il should become part OF the sehed-
ule. and all games arranged on that date
involving the visiting team should be can
celled In other words. if when the sched-
ule is rearranged in the middle of the sea-
son. and Philadelphia and Boston are 10
play of a postponed game on an open
date in the fall Immediately following a
club would receive precedence over Boston
in getting the open date in question II the
weather should interfere with any game
in that last series with Philadelphia. The
discussion on this proposition was long
and heated, but It finally was passed. This
Was the crop of some Of the disputes in
voving Cincinnati, Chicago and Pittsburgh
last fall.
II was decided as we'll that the manager
Of team, whether he plays or not, shall
not be included under the player limit
rule. Heretofore. a club has been allowed
10 carry twenty-five men in season and
thirty-fve out of season. the manager
being included in this number. Now a
team can have twenty-sx men on its roster
during the season.
The National Commission reported to the
league that il had accepted the proposition
advanced by the parent organization last
December TO the effect that 2j per cent
of the receipts accruing TO each club in
the worlds series be turned over to the
treasures Of the two leagues This in
effect win allow the seven other clubs. as
well as the pennant winner, to participate
in the fruits Of the series, as il will tend to
decrease the assessments made on each
team for administration expenses.
No action whatever or any discussion
took place on the handling Of the worlds
series. it being the consensus of opinion
that this was matter for the National
Commission alone TO decide. There was a
rumor current around the corridors of the
hotel that the agitation for games 70 begin