The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-15
 No Change In
 Player Limit

Chicago, Dec. 15-There will be no curtailment of the playing season, no slashing of the player limit, nor lim- itatton of the training season in the major leagues next year. The club owners of the National and American Leagues decided at their joint meet ing here yesterday that there was no cause for alarm, about baseball at present. They agreed that if the war forces them to. retrench it will be time enough to adopt war policy when they actually face conditions.
 The two leagues decided. to open the 1918 season on Tuesday, April 16, week later than last year, and to play a 154-game schedule which has been the program for years.
 The National League agreed to the American League plan for the collec- ton of the Federal war tax. It was decided to collect only what the gev- ernment' imposes-three cents on bleacher seats, five cents on pavilion seats, eight cents on grand stand, and 10 cents on box seats. The leagues also decided to collect a 10-cent tax on every free admission.
 IH0T6 IS every Iuu1CdLlO1l IAlcL l14O plan for new division of the world 8 series receipts which previously had been opposed by President Johnson of the American League, will be adopt ed. President Johnson and August Hermann, president of the Cincin- nati Nationals, and chairman of the ] National Baseball Commission, were empowered to act on the advisability 1 of adopting the plan, which provides that the four first division clubs in the | two leagues shall share in the purse. "I was much impressed with the thought" President Johnson said last night. "It came from MT. Hermann, and I believe I shall vote for it. We purpose pooling the worlds series money, and also the receipts of city series, which will make a rich prize.
 Chairman Hermann believes the plan will produce a more spirited race in both leagues.
 There will be something for the second, third, and fourth clubs to fight for if they are to share in the prize, Hermann said. ''Pennant races often i are decided a month or so before the 1 close of the season and interest in the clubs out of the fight usually lags If the plan Is adopted there will be no tagging.
 Easing my figures on the worlds series receipts last season, the players l on the club finishing second will gel Approximately $500 each. The, mem bers of the fourth club will receive something like $500 each. It is pro- I posed that the prize shall be divided on 60 and 40 per centage. basis Sixty per cent. of the winning share will, of course, go to the champion ship club The balance Will7be di- vided among the other teams.''
 The fight for 14o-game schedule nexe season came principally from the American Leaguers. as it's adop' ton had been advocated by President Johnson. The junior organization however, was strongly opposed to any reduction in the player limit. It wal contended that the National Army draft might cut deeply into the. clubi before next season, and under these circumstances it would be unwise tt make any changes. Some of the Ma tional League club owners sought tt have the two leagues agree on 1fnni
 of 20 or 21 players. The present lini
 of 25 players in the American League and 22l in the National will be main | tained.
 President Johnson said the subjec
 of paying the $110,o0o debt to back CTS of the Pittsburgh, Newark, and Brooklyn clubs of the Federal League was not brought up at yesterday'' meeting. He said the issue probably will be settled by the fndividua
 leagues The American League i' | ready to pay it's share-s55, ,OoO-an!
 
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