Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-14
Is PLAYER LIMIT
WILL Be RETAINED

WILL Be RETAINED
Chicago Dec. 13.-Retention Of the
the usual spring training trips was
decided upon at the closing session
Of the American League meeting to-
night The club owners cleared up
the points in preparation for the joint
meeting with the National Leaguers
here tomorrow.
Summarized, the important questions
to be considered bl the IS club owners
OF the two leagues are:
The advisability Of reducing the
playing schedule To 114 games.
The ACCESSIBILITY " 4 1874 game
schedule running only tive and half
months.
DeviSin- method to collect the fed
eraI war tax
settlement Of the financial obliga
tions resulting from the Federal
League war.
Suggestion OF new division OF the
World Series receipts
Inserting Il war clause i'll the play
cr's contracts to protect the club own
ers in the event the player is called
into the National Army.
President JQhnson's announcement
that the $4,000 fund agreed upon TO
reimburse hackers of Federal League
clubs still remained unpaid caused a
surprise. lie said that the American
League was ready to pay its share
S55,00O-at once, but that the entire
issue would have to be settled by the
row. 1t was revealed that Edward
Gwinner, who lost heavily III backing
the Pittsburgh club of the Federal
League, is to receive $4,000 of the
fund. and the balance is to be divided
between Harry Sinclair, who financed
the Newark Club, and the Ward es-
tate of New York, which supported
the Brooklyn Federals
The suggestion advanced IN the Ma :
tional League that a new division OF
the Worlds Series receipts he made
did not gain favor with the American
League club owners. The National
League proposed to limit the amount
the players OF the contcnding club"
receive and divide The remainder
among the players on the four leading
clubs in the two leagues Presiden;
Johnson said he believed this propose,
probably would be voted down by the
American lcaguers, who thought tina
the "spoil4 should 60 70 the victors.
IN t;,,t
of 4 war clause in contracts for the
1918 season. The clause would include
al drafted or ellisted players to tht
extent Of protecting the club owners
The latter would hc absolved from al
salary obligations in the event the
player enlisted or was drafted But
if the player should return to the
game after being discharged from
military service, ne must consider
himslf still bound to the club witt
which he last signed.
While it is regarded as virtually Ger
tain that the two leagues will decide
son. August Hermann, chairman OF
the National Commission, advised the
American League executives over the
long distance telephone that the ques.
ton OF Il schedule still was open Will
the National Leaguers. President
johnson favOrs a 140-game schedule
and will make a fight for it but prob
ably Will be obliged To accede to the
wishes of the older organization as
both leagues use the same park in
New York.
After agreeing to retain the present
player limit, the American leaguers
decided to hold a base and ball fund
day" in every park of the league next
June, Twenty-Five per cent Of the
gross receipts will be donated to The
fund for purchase of baseball para
phernalia for American soldiers
President Johnson also announced that
the league would raise fund to buy
baseball equipment for Canadian sol
diers.
Trading Spirit Strikes
The trading spirit struck some of the
club owners, and tonight the Cleve-
land and Washington clubs, in addi-
ton to New York, were bidding for
Second Baseman Pratt and Short stoI
Lavan Of St. Louis. Phil Ball. presi-
NeHl III me 81 LOUIS Club, decllneu al
offer Of six players made by Col. Jacot
Rupert of the Yankees in return for
Pratt, Lavan and George Sisler, the
St. Louis first baseman
Ball declares that he desires to trade
or sell Lavan and Pratt. who have
sued him for 100000. Ball is alleged
to have accused these players Of LAY
ing down"
The price Charles Comiskey. owner
Of the Chicago club, paid for Eddie
Collins, star second baseman was
made public tonight ~ President
Johnson He said Comiskey paid the
Philadelphia club $4,000 Collins con.
tract gave Collins a $4,000 bonus fol
signing and signed him to a five-year
contract at salary Of $4,000 a year.