Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-12

New York, Dec. 11.-BaSeban mag
notes representing the National and
International Leagues and the Amer j
lean Association assembled in this
city today for q series Of conferences
which are expected to continue most
OF the week. The International league
began list annual meeting shortly after
noon with a conference with commit !
tees appointed to represent the Amer
loan Association relative to a series
OF 1nter-league games at the end or
the regular pennant season. The Ma
tional League Is not scheduled to con-
vene In annual meeting until tomor-
row afternoon but a majority of the
club owners were on hand tonight
prepared for what is expected to be
a. conference of more than usual i'm
portance.
Many subjects of considerable base
ball interest were discussed informally
by the big league magnates. One OF
the chief topics was proposed changes
in the rules governing the worlds Sc
ries.
Several of the magnates expressed
the opinion that radical changes would
be adopted by the National League
and submitted to the American league
for ratification. Garry Hermann, the
chairman of the national commission,
and president Of the Cincinnati club,
stated that he was heartily in favor
of playing the 1917 series under an
entirely different system.
Hermann said he advocated a series
based upon the Winning of I've out of
nine games; lower prices of admission
and the distribution of a portion of
the players share of the receipts
among the members of the second,
third and fourth teams in the order of
their finish at the close of the pen
nant races. He said he believed that.
with the series heightened there would
be greater opportunity for the fans
from all parts of the country to wit
ness the play and admission charges
could be lowered without lessening the
aggregate receipts.
The National League heads also ex-
pressed considerable surprise at the
action of the International League in
| refusing to abide by the decision of
| the national commission which ordered
| the Newark International League club
| to pay So 900 to the Brooklyn National
League club for the latters franchise
| rights in Newark. The national COM
| mission was not unanimous in this
| finding, President Tener and Garry
Hermann voting for the award and
President B. b. johnson of the Amer
lean League, being opposed to the pay
ment of any moneys to the Brooklyn
| club.
| President Charles Weeghman of the
Chicago Nationals was among the ear
ly arrivals and there were many ru-
mors regarding the results of his al
| legged efforts to secure a new manager
for the coming season. He was re-
| ported to have had several conferences
| with Boston club officials and the
names of Fred Mitchell and George
! Stallings were included in the gossip
| of either a sale or a trade.
| Barney -Dreyfuss, president of the
| Pittsburgh club, announced that he
was. still determined to secure the re-
l.
national commission If the Same was
| possible. He claimed to have the
backing Of one or more fellow mag
mates, but refused to give their names,
stating that the matter would be
fought out at the meeting tomorrow.
| At their annual meeting the Interna-
| eional league club owners threw down
the gauntlet and defied the national
commission, which is recognized as
| the supreme court of organized base
ball. After considerable discussion
| the league decided not to abide by the
| ruling Of the national commission
which would compel the Newark club
to pay $4,000 to the Brooklyn base
ball club owners. Originally Charles
H. Ebbets on behalf of the Brooklyn
club owners made a claim of S74, 900
Ison the Newark club for it's Interna-
| Gonal league franchise and the nation
al commission finally ordered the New
York club to pay $4,000. s+
Wnen PRESIDENT Barrow or the IN
ternational League announced this ac-
ton after the meeting had adjourned
today, he was asked if his organiza-
ton intended to defy the ruling of the
national commission and he simply
replied:
II have Just told you what action
the league has taken in The matter
and have nothing more to say"
ALI the International league clubs
were represented at the meeting which
will re-convene tomorrow. The dele
gates endorsed tn efforts of the Ma
tional Association of Minor Leagues
to have the three class AA clubs re-
Heved from the draft rule.
In order to make the playing sched-
ule on the International and Ameri-
can Association circuits more attrac-
tive, the clubs in these two organiza-
| tons probably will play a schedule of
only 112 games next year, to be fol-
lowed by an Inter-League series of
| 48 games. Each of the sixteen clubs
| will put up $500 and the league which
wins a majority of these games will
| divide the $4,000 amongst all the
leagues players, irrespective of the
| number of games won or lost by the
clubs on the winning league. Three
| games will be played in each of the
| sixteen cities and whether the series
will begin in the east or. west will be