New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
BUSY DAYS AHEAD
FOR THE RULING
BASEBALL POWERS
One Meeting After Another Is
Scheduled for the Next
Several Weeks
By FRANK ONEILL

Life will be one meeting after an
other for the solons Of organized base
ball for the next several weeks. The
National Commission will 90 into SEES
sion at Cincinnati on January to dis
cuss several weighty problems, and the
meetings Of the rules committee and the
schedule committee will follow. The
commission will set the date for the
meeting Of these committees. which
probably will be early in February.
French Licks will be the rendezvous, it
Is thought.
There will be few changes made in
the playing rules. Some of the club
owners are interested in the sugges-
ton made that Rule /, providing that
all fences or stands be at least 235 feet
from the home plate, be changed and
made 70 read that the nearest fence or
stand 20 the home plate be at least go
feet distant II the suggestion be car
ried through, Rule AZ. governing fairly
bstted balls knocked out of the grounds,
will have TO be changed also.
Section of Rule As provides that
the batsman shall be allowed home
run on any fairly batted ball that passes
over a fence or into stand on fair
territory, unless it passes over such
fence or into such stand at point
located less than 235 feet from the
home plate. In such cases the batter
is entitled to two bases.
Must Change Rule
The point at which the fence or
stand is located less than 235 feet from
the fence must be clearly marked for
the guidance Of the vi .pire. If Rule 1
is changed, of course, Rule IS will be,
and the markings made at the required
points.
Philadelphia will be affected by this
ruling The park OF the National
League club il the Quaker City has
been called the bandbox. The right
field wall is well within the 270-foot
range and the left field stands are not
far removed from i.
IF the suggestion noted be carried
through. some OF the long flies will be
good for only hall the distance TO be
made on them now. The night field wal.
OF the Polo Grounds at the point
where the foul line meets the stands
] y
park in Chicago may also be affected.
Barney Dreyfuss will devote his Tina
and attention to drafting the schedule
OF the National League. Barney has
almost completed his task, but the Off
cisl sanction will have 20 bs granted.
This will come in the regular order OF
business. There may be one or two
minor changes made before the docu-
meut is offered for official approval.
II is whispered around that the
Giants will open the season with the
Robins on the Polo Grounds on April
u. while the Phillies and Braves will
clash on Braves Field. The Pirates and
Reds may meet at Redland Field. while
the Cubs and Cards will pry of the lid
in Chicago.
Nap Rucker has offered a reward for
the person who stole his automobile.
The Georgian went into tonsorial par
Tor 70 get his hair trimmed the other
day. and while the barber gave him an
earful on how 20 accomplish a come
back i'm the baseball world some one
drove of in the car.
II has been limited here and there
that Chief Meyers, the Indian catcher
Of the Robins, las been released. The
report is premature, 70 say the least.
Meyers will 60 south with the National
League champions, and probably will
DO his share OF catching when the sea
son opens next spring.
Eddie Collins, who led the American
League second bssemen in the fielding
averages, accepted fewer chances per
game than did Nap Lsjoie. Collins
banded $50 chances In 1853 games. or
an average OF SOB chances per game,
while Nap took care Of 595 chances in
1906 games, an average OF 5.67 chances
per game. Darril Pratt. of the Browns
wa. most active. In 1853 games he had
962 chance an average Of coz per
game.