New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-21
FEDERAL SEASON
WILL START EARLY
Gilmore Expects to Beat
Older League Teams
to the Post.
WELL PREPARED TO
FACE COMPETITION
Thinks Pittsburgh and Brooklyn
Will Be Strong Drawing
Cards This Year.

Timing the schedule meeting with
view to making his instructions to
tean managers effective. James A. Gill
more. president of the Federal League,
will go to Buffalo on Friday and Sat
urday. Club owners, leaders and UNI
hires will have the Federal doctrine
of discipline instilled in them.
In the Eastern Office of the Federal
League recently Mr. Gilmore verified
a report that the Feds would get under
way on their championship season.
few days earlier than the older
leagues. Because of circuit changes
and the enforced delays in preparing
the Federal League schedule, 1t will
be possible for the independents TO
announce playing dates that VIII call
for few conflicting games.
As a plain business proposition, we
ere avoiding the clash Of cities where
other big leagues have representation,
explained Mr.. Gilmore. "A change Of
Pittsburgh from an Eastern to a
Western city in our circuit aids great
" in the preparation of a schedule
that will be q marvel of smoothness.
saw a rough chart of a schedule pre-
pared by r. b. Ward at Pinchurst, and
it provides for a marked saving In
mileage over that of last year.
ain Pittsburgh and Brooklyn, where
conflicts were plentiful last year |
have great faith in the drawing powers
of our clubs. With a new infeld,
strengthened outfield and bracing in
the battery positions, the Pittsburgh
Federals will have playing front that
should draw more fans than the rival
seekers for favor in that city.
Conflicts or no conflicts, the i'm
provements in playing strength and
transportation facilities in Brooklyn
will give the Brookfeds fair chance
against the other club representing
that borough. The aggressive leader
ship of Lee Magee, heretofore a miss
ing quality in a Brooklyn Federal
manager, will make the fans of that
city flock to Washington Park.
mo matter where the Kansas City
franchise is located by Pat Powers
the league will be improved, especially
in the matter of making both Eastern
and Western wings of the circuit COM
pact. More than seven thousand per-
sons have bought opening day seats in
Baltimore without knowing the date
for that game.
Buffalo is stirred by the prospect
of beginning the season under ideal
conditions regarding team leadership
and playing strength. All the club off,
Gals there are helping in the arrange
ments for the city's first major league
baseball meeting in fourteen years.
There never was a chance to dis
place Indianapolis in the circuit, and
the pennant winning team there will
be stronger than ever, condition made
necessary by the bolstering up of CHI
cago and other strong clubs last year.
Fielder Jones in St. Louis will get the
jump on the opposition there with a
team that will be full Of energy"
President Gilmore has received sew
eral rule changing suggestions from
umpires, but the league will go over
these in detail before announcing any
radical alterations in the playing code.
William Brennan, chief of the umpir-
ing staff, will muster his forces at Buff
falo, and in a ten days tour of train
the opening Of the Federal League sea-
son, the arbiters will get final instruc-
tons. The managers will also have a
session with President Gilmore during
the meeting in Buffalo. A point which
the Federal Leagues chief executive
will make plain is the necessity of
players being at all times in the best
possible playing condition, in order to
make contracts binding.
"No court will uphold a player who
isn't prepared to fulfil his part Of a
contract" declared Mr.. Gilmore, "and
no loafing will be tolerated. The fans
want to see wideawake players"
Training camp calls have been sent
out by every manager excepting George
Stoyall. The erstwhile Kansas City
player will receive marching orders
this week. After the meeting in Buff
falo, which will end on Saturday night
with a dinner, some of the managers
will go direct TO the training camps.
BY next week all the teams will be in
action.
Fielder Jones, of the St. Louis club,
will head for Havana, Cuba; Rebel"
0akes, of Pittsburgh, goes to Angus
"a, Ca; Lee Msgee, Of Brooklyn, to
Browns Wells, Miss; Otto Knabe, of
Baltimore, to Fayetteville, n. c.; Joe
Tinker. of Chicago. to Shreveport, La. /;
Bill Phillips, OF Indianapolis, to Val.
dosta, Ga; Larry Schlafy. Of Buffalo,
to Athens, Ga, and George Stovall will
direct his charges to Southern camp
which will be announced after he learns
whether his mail will go to The Bronx
or TO Newark during the playing sea-