New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-08
Head of National League
Would Have First Game
on April 10 or |
BY w. J. Macbeth

'~''~+' NNPAN9oNa NFNhiJ }NNNNAAog n
ternoon, the National League season Of
1918 will open either on Wednesday.
April 10, or on Thursday, April II.
next. The campaign may close few
days earlier than has been customary
of late, but the schedule will call for
1j4 games for each club.
President Tener, Of the Nationa
League, is not given TO Boosting and
what he has 10 say can be taken as
surety FOR the majority sentiment o.
his colleagues. Practically all Of the
club presidents of the National League
favor the l54-game schedule The cor
tracts to which major league players
are signed call for salary payments
covering a period Of six months, and
the employers see no reason why the
noble athletes should be paid unless
they labor.
Charles n. Ebbets, as customary. Is
one exception TO the rule. The presi-
dent of the Dodgers will advocate a.
the National League meeting here next
week much later start than he has
observed in many years. The Squire
Of Flatbush would vote for this later
startsay around April 25-even II it
entsiled tho l40-game schedule pro
posed by Ban Johnson some time ago.
But Charlie sees a way for the late
start and the l5i games to boot.
Counts on Sunday Baseball
The boss of the Dodgers firmly be-
lieves that Sunday baseball will be
legalized in this state and that the
opening here presented would enable
the schedule makers 70 contract By ten
days or two weeks the actual period or
playing time. In q case Of necessity he
would consent to the blocking of dou-
ble-headers for cities where Sunday
baseball is not tolerated, 30 that they
might keep pace with the daily routine
of their more fortunate fellows. Or he
would agree to extend the campaign
further into October, irrespective OF
world series weather The Squire
never has been quite cured % his Co.
lumbus Day enthusiasm.
There are those mean enough 10 sus-
pect that in the suggestion OF Mr.. Eb-
bets for later opening Of the season
the we'll known Flstbush Squire has q
personal axe 70 grind. Irrespective o.
the time Of the opening Mr.. Ebbets has
gone ahead as usual with plans for
prolific ante-season programme Of eN-
hibition games with American and mi
nor league clubs. The Yankees are 10
play the Dodgers three games at Eb-
bets Field next spring.
at may be all quite true" said a
ha ms nm gfa nu4
unity Of the ocean affects the early
season weather at Ebbets Field. But [
will wager a coed suit of clothes right
how that friend Charlie will not cur
tail his Spring exhibition games. Hen
have his team back a week or ten days
before the. start, no matter when said
start may be. If the race commenced
on April / the Dodgers would be
looked for exhibitions at home 10
March"
The proposition for a joint meeting
with their American rivals ia still az
tatiag the club owners Of the National
League. Mr.. Tener and his associates
all believe great good might result
from such conference, but are con
cerned over the date selected by Au-
gust Hermann, who practically pledged
no NliNuib 70 NOlldD IN 1AlGdED on
Thursday, December Is.
"Such an early date" said President
Tener yesterday, puts the National
League in somewhat awkward posi-.
ton. To reach Chicago by Thursday
next the National League representa-
tives would have TO set out from New
York not later than 2:45 Wednesday
afternoon. As our annual meeting h.
lot called until o'clock Tuesday al
ternooni such an arrangement would
allow Us only few hours in which 10
transact business
1T is possible, Of course. that few
hours might be sufficient 10 get
through with all the business phases
that will be presented. That is not
likely, however, If precedent counts.
The National League usually finds ~
difficult 70 conclude an annual meet
ing inside three days, and the coming
one seems quite as important as am
OF the past.
i think we light find ourselves in
an embarrassing position il We ar
ranged the date which Mr.. Hermann
sugsested' In case we did not finish
cur schedule OF business we would have
70 aclourn temporarily, so 20 Chicago
loi an INDEFINITE session and then
annual meeting.
rms u a matter which will prob-
ably DC settled tomorrow. for am IN
ing now 10 get a line on the wishes 81
the club owners of my circuit. have
suggested that the Joint meeting he
held tne week after next az some NOR
central point, say, Pittsburgh. Cincin-
natl or Cleveland
In all probability we shall knoy,
before We go into executive sessior
Tuesday just when and where this
joint meeting will be held. Nobod,
knows now concluded the Governor.
Should the international League vote
70 suspend operations IN 1918, II is not
likely that Napoleon Lajoie will be car
ried down In the crash. Already sew
eral major league club owners have
sounded Ed Barrow on the possibility
OF sharing Larry.
IL is said that Miller Higgins har
designs on the former Cleveland Idol
and perennial slugger that held hi,
place at the top for twenty years in the
fastest company Of the National and
American leagues.
II am not IN a position 10 predi.f
what action the International League
club owners will take az the meetinv
here next Monday" said Barrow We
terday Shen asked what truth therc
was IN the rumor that Lajoie might be
purchased by the New York American.
This will say, however. 1.-THE In.
ternationsl League should not be I'm the
field, and Colonel Rupert were TO ask
my opinion. | should strongly recon
mend that Lajoie be given a Yankee
contract. Despite his managerial care
with pennant winner last season in
Toronto, Lajoie played stronger game