The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-02-05
BASEBALL HEADS
STRIVING To CT: T
PLAYING CR Ar 7.
Eyes Are Glued On Railroad
Timetables; Meeting In
Milwaukee.
A l4O GAME SCHEDULE

A l4O GAME SCHEDULE
tBv Associated Press 10 Tho Bnnncr1
CHICAGO, Feb with the sched.
ulc meeting Of the American Associa
tion less than month away, the
presidents and managers of the eight
clubs today are studying railroad time
tables and calendars with view to
drafting u playing chart
The schedule meeting, to be held in
Milwaukee on Feb. 2S, promises to be
lively session for instead of appoint.
ing a schedule committee to work
out the problems, every clubowner
will have his say-so. Thomas j. Elick-
ey, president Of the association, has
advised every club owner to draw up
schedule and present it for consid-
Grafton. There will be at least eight
charts and possibly nine offered, as
Hickey is drawing up schedule him
self.
1--WE have decided to have every
club owner have hand in the sched-
ule making, 50 as to avoid all argu-
ments later in the season that they
were not treated fairly in the question
Of dates" explained President Hickey.
"ln previous years committee of
usually three or four drafted the
schedule and while it always has been
apparently satisfactory TO majority
OF the clubs. there inevitably has been
a howl from some one in regard to
holiday and Sunday dates. We hope
to do away with these protests under
the new plan
Although there has been some agi-
tation for an earlier opening, presi
dent Hickey believes that a 14O game
schedule will be adopted and that the
season will start early in May instead
of the middle of April as in former
years. The decision to abolish the
southern training camp program, he
said probably will be carried out to
the letter, although some of the clubs.
including Milwaukee and one or two
others, may train away from home. A.
f. Timme, president of the Milwaukee
club, contends that high, chilling
| winds sweeping off Lake Michigan
make it advisable to train in some
other city. Peoria, Beloit, and Madi.
son have been mentioned in this con.
nection
President Hickey will make a deter.
| mined effort to stamp out the spit
BALI and other freak pitching. In or
der to have IL thorough understanding
| In this regard, the managers and
eight umpires will be called into a
conference a day or so before the op-
ening of the season to discuss the
| rules
Il am going to have all of the man.
ayers and umpires meet in Chicago
and go over the entire question thor.
! oughly, so there will be no excuse for
a pitcher not conforming to the rules. -
President Hickey said. 81 do not an.
ticipate any serious trouble as the
rule was passed by unanimous vote. /
believe all are now agreed that it will
be good thing. | predict that pro.
ducing livelier batting contest will
help the game to such an extent
that no one will ever want to go back
to the old system"
Predictions that the rule will be
difficult to enforce are not seriously
considered by, the American Associa
ton executive, who maintains that the
umpires will be able to detect any
tamperng with the ball The first of
fense will cost the pitcher $25 fine
and the second violation will result
in more drastic punishment. The UNI
pire will be instructed to throw wing
ed balls-balls that have been dam
aged from the contact with the grant
stands or other objects-out of tho
game.
The next call for the army, Presi
dent Hickey believes, will give the
club owners better line on the mum
Der of players who will be lost TO the
military service.
ITO date not many have been tax
en-" he said. However, / believe w,
shall have no trouble in obtainint
players under and over the draft agt
to supplement those who have de
pendents and thus we shall be able t.
maintain good standard of play"
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MARTINSRIJRC REn