New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-12
Charles Webb Murphy I'm
able to Put Any Life Into
Peaceful Gathering.
TALK ALL DAY, BUT
ACCOMPLISH LITTLE
Giants Must Give Up Receipts to
League-Ebbets Has New
Drafting System.

League meeting passed into history yes
terday at the Waldorf-Astoria without so
much as ripple to mar the serenity OF
the occasion. Gathering at 10 o'clock in
the morning. the owners talked all day,
except for brief intermission carly in
the afternoon. and at the end nothing
was accomplished for publication, but a
few alterations i'm the constitution.
Among the things not officially con-
ssidcrcd were the demands Of the Base
ball Players Fraternity. Aside from
announcing that the Fultz requests had
been the subject of informal discussion
the league did not seem to he aware OF
the existence OF the new organization. No
official expression of opinion was given
out and the entire affair probably viii be
put up to the National Commission for
action
One thing the league did do, how
ever. before adjournment was taken at 5
O'Clock. in-order that the new president.
Governor Tener. might entertain at din
ner. was 10 attach part Of the receipts
of the worlds series Of 1912 Some sSS."p
has been held by the National Commits
sion pending the report Of an arDitra-
ton committee on the protest Of the Ne"
York club against paying the sum IN ac-
cordancc with tho constitution Of the
league
The committee decided against tn"
Giants. and the league voted that the sum
he divided up into eight shares and Dc
distributed among the various clubs. II
seems that the Giants we're included "a
well in the division. There was iong
discussion as 10 whether the decision Gov
cred the receipts this year. as the Giants
have protested the payment of some so
on 10 the league. The owners decided
that this was a matter for the National
Commission 10 adjudicate.
There were several changes made in the
constitution. The old document was
found to provide that only one National
League club could he placed IN one city.
and consequently the Superbas and Giants
were operating IN violation of the rule.
Changes were made TO cover the case
rule preventing ore club from negotiating
with PLAYERS of another club without the
consent Of the owners was incorporated
into the constitution.
The waiver rule, which makes the price
of player sl.joO was amended so that
higher figure could he set at the discretion
of the president of the league. So many
high priced lemons" have been bought
from the minors and then sold over thu
waiver route that it was deemed wise to
let a club get a part Of the original pur-
chase price back il it was justitable.
Charlie Ebbets introduced new system
Of drafting. which will he sent TO ban
Johnson. president Of the American
League. and all the major league cluO
presidents. The Brooklyn owner declares
that IL will give the second division clups
the chance to strengthen their teams IN
better fashion. besides doing away WIKI
the element OF uncertainty IN securing
plavers. eliminating the filing Of lists oil
thirty or forty players, and minimizing
the possibility Of clubs being unlucky ana
getting three or four men not NJ 70
standard.
Tine plan is as follows
There shall be sixteen draft selections.
numbered from 1 to Il, which shall De-
awarded ia the sixteen major league
clubs.
The National League and the Am'r'-
can League shall determine by lot when
league shall have the odd numbered So
lections and which the even numbered.
"Thc league securing the odd numbers
shall award selection No. ! 20 their
eighth-place club. No ? to the seventh
place club and so on up TO the leading
club. which shall receive selection 10.
THE league securing the even numbers
shall award selection No. TO their
eichth-placc club No 4 TO their seventh
place club and so on up TO the leading
club OF their league. which shall receive
selection &C.
'.'rhe sixteen major league CLUBS repre-
scented by officials of their respective cIuDs
At the drafting meeting shall as thei'
numbers are announced in numerical
order, have the right 10 make free Sc
lection Of one player from any minor
league club subject 10 draft the restric-
lions relative 10 the number of players
subject TO selection from national assoc
citation club TO remain i'm force precisely
as now provided for in the national agree
mcnt."
Morgan G. Buckley. former Governor
Of Connecticut. former United States
Senator from the same state and first
president Of the National League, dropped
I'm at the meeting and made brief
speech He was introduced by Charles
Ebbets and warmly welcomed by Gov
ernor Tcner.
The new president OF the league an
nounced that he had appointed David l."
Reeve. a sporting editor Of Philadelphia.
hi, private secretary. He will also APP
noint a committee on arbitration and
committee on playing rules in the near
future.
While the owners engaged i'm thrashing
ont the puzZling questions OF the hour.
the camp followers gathered in the corri-
dors and manufactured rumors for the
.'magnates" 10 deny. The annual meet
inss OF the organization are peculiar in
that the actual trading is light when
compared 20 the talk of barter. AT the
end of each season propositions 10
strengthen the different teams are made
but all action is invariably delayed until
the annual meeting when every one
comes prepared TO do big business. But
il Is extremely rare that a deal OF any
importance is transacted.
Each morning II is the practice for the
owners TO deny all the reports that have
sprung up during the night. Yesterday
before the meeting began, both Garry
Hermann and Charlie Ebbets came forth
with the statement that the offer OF s5o'-
90 for Joe Tinker was nothing but fiction.
tst.t. ,,,t NJ tho WaV John Foster