Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-18

MOVE TO MERGE NJ
CAGE LEAGUES
Eastern Moguls Will En-.
deavor to Form National Z
Basketball Commission
PRES. SCHEFFER'S IDEA

The Eastern Basketball League heId =
| meeting last evening at the Bingham a.
which constructive plans were launched a.
| a consolidation Of all the professional bsu-
| ketball leagues in the East It is one OF ths
| best moves ever made by the cage mor,,ls
| and the object sought Is to form workins
basis of all the cage organizations
motion was made which President Schete,,
will get into communication with the heaS.
| of the Intercounty. Interstate and Pennsyj.
vania State Leagues for general gather.
| ing, at which the question will be thoroughly
aired. President Scheffer. himself, is spon.
| sor for the movement which is really TIA
| formation of a national basketball commits.
son He says it is the only way in which
| the integrity of the sport can be preserved
and prevent the disbandment OF leagues
The general tone of the discussion was
| that the salaries of the players at pressnt
are too high and they must be reduced.
| Several managers reported they had a,
| ready talked the matter over with tina
| players and they are willing to work TO-
| reduced salaries. All the Eastern League
| clubs lost considerable money last season
| and the magnates are after some schema
| whereby the game can be placed on fnoro
| equitable basis. 81
Motion for Rule
The subject of adopting the three pro.
fessional and two amateur rule was ad.
| vanced by Reading, and Charles Schwartz
, Of that club, presented the following motion;
THAT each club of this league cannot
| play more than three professional playsrs
| in an Eastern League game or sign more
than four professional players. By profess
| sional players is meant one who has par.
| ticipated in six or more full games in tia
Eastern. Pennsylvania, New York State Or
| Connecticut State League or any othef
| league playing professional ball. All other
/ .Nla., r,tr
| lowed by this league to receive not morse
| than S5 per game, no expenses to be al
| lowed amateur players except the trans.
| portation and hotel expenses when playing
| on a foreign floor. After an amateur has
| participated in forty Eastern League games
| he becomes a professional
| The prevailing sentiment is to retain the
| five professionals, as 1t is argued you get
better basketball from five out-and-out
professionals, If five such men can be secured
| at reasonable figures, because the public
| in this section have been educated to .
five-man professional club. Mr.. Bailey, Of
| the Greys, says, you can't get good ball out
of amateurs and it is not in the wood"
Commissions Good Move
The merging of all basketball leagues 10
| the best scheme ever attempted. Under the
movement, if adopted, the players would be
restricted to one league only. The ques-
ton of men performing in two and three
organizations is the greatest evil in the
sport, and when the leagues enter into an
agreement, there will be no jumping around
and team will receive a players best
services. When club in any league wants
to dispose of a player, the president will
send a waiver notice out TO all the clubs In
the other organizations and IL they wish
his services, he can be purchased at the
waiver price, otherwise he is a free agent.
The subject of changing the method of
tossing fouls was discussed informally, and
many argued that the rule of the player
committing the foul try for the throw, .
fine thing.