The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-05
Ban Johnson Comes Forward
With Suggestion for Sched-
uIe Merger.
lNTERLEAGUE GAMES COME
American Association and In
ternational League Hope
to Boom Sport.
BY JOE villa.

NEW YORK, Dec. b.--Therc will be
no third major league, next, year. The
opposition to the plan displayed by
the National League, together with
the protests from clubs In the Inter
national League and tho American
Association that would have TO be
discarded in merging OF those circuits
has put a stop to negotiations which
were originally suggested by Presi.
dent Johnson, OF the American
League, but johnson has offered
another plan which probably will be
adopted without serious opposition.
Next year the International League
and the Amer Association, tho
most important minors In baseball,
viii merge their playing schedules.
They will open tho season earlier
than usual, and will play separately
until August 3. when they will In.
dolge In a series OF interleaguo
games.
Beginning on that date the eight
American Association cities-ToIcdo,
Louisville, indianapolis, Kansas city,
Columbus. 81. Paul. Minneapolis, and
Milwaukee--wiii visit tho interna.
tional League circuit each playing
three games in Newark and a similar
number In Buffalo. Baltimore. Provi.
dence, Rochester, Toronto, Montreal,
and Richmond. unless Montreal IL
succeeded by some other town.
Final winner Champion.
subsequently the international
League teams will visit the American
Association cities to wind up their
campaign. The team winning tho
greatest number OF games between
April is, and october I. will be en-
titled 20 the championship.
This scheme was suggested TO tho
major leagues by Arthur A. Irwin
nearly ten years ago, Tho big
but have been afraid TO experiment
fhe International League and the
American Association, however, have
OF last seasons financial troubles,
radical changes must be made to re.
viye popular interest In their games
~ IL pointed out that the appear
ance or the American Association
cities after August . will attract tho
The old conditions. The trip Of tho
clubs in President Barrows' circuit To 4
osity OF the public. New faces al.
ways provo attractive, so that the
success OF the new arrangement IL
regarded as certain.
Furthermore, the fans In Baltimore, |
once represented In the defunct class
FEDERAL League, viii have a chance |
Co sec games of so-callod major |
league quality.
Would ne More Popular.
IL the National Commission should |
decide 10 raise the draft from the |
Class "A circuits. meanwhile, the In. |
ternationai Leagues schedule merger
with American Association would BIO |
even more popular. Perhaps a little
Worlds Series" with the Pacific |
Coast League In October would be an.
other move to strengthen the pubiic's
The, American Association viii meet /
committee will be appointed To confer
with representatives OF the Interna.
tional League, which convenes here
next Monday. As both circuits
Il IL believed that they viii get 10.
gether In the near future To nN up
dates for the. interleague contests.
Then baseball In the minors, IL IL pre-.
dicted. will receive a much needed
boom,
Retain Reserve Rule.
In adopting "a new form OF players
contract which will prevail In the big
leagues next year, the National Com,
mission has made "a radical move in
wiping out stipulations az To the mi,
nor leagues. The new contract does
not contain a clause fixing the salary
of player who comes up from the
minors on trial. Each player must
sign n regular contract, with the as.
sumption that he Will be retained all
season.
But the. contract stipulates that In
he event OF . players release on ten
days notice, he must receive a fixed
AZ h.,n.A ~ ~" n nieJ'' hptoy
The minors can be obtained.
The new option clause will bind the
player for a period of ten years, which
. ono OF the most important reforms,
10 make II clear that In all baseball
contracts the reserve rule and the
ten days release notice must be &C,
,epted by the men OF the diamond