New-York tribune., 1918-02-03

The matter at hand concerns double
headers and when they shall be played.
1t is held by Colonel Ebbets, who is
responsible for several constructive
baseball ideas, that the present system,
which prohibits double headers during
the first swing around the Eastern and
Western circuits, results in an over
whelming number of bargain bills dur
ing the latter part of the year, when
the public is tiring of the game In
consequence, double-header in Sep
tember is far less box office attraction
than in May.
The bulletin issued by John Hcydlcr,
secretary of the National League, out
Inning three proposed changes to go be-
tore this months meeting, follows:
The National League, during its next
session, set for February 12, will con-
sider, among other things, PROPOSE
ton to amend it's constitution so as to
permit playing off postponed or tie
games in the first scheduled series be-
tween the clubs at interest.
The rules at present provide that M
double-header be played in the .frst
series The great majority of postpone
these cannot be played off until the
second series there has invariably fol-
ioweo congestion of double headers
IN midseason. y - o0' >
Schedule Often Crowded
I'm case of further unfavorahI.
wSeather IN June or July. the clubs are
lorced TO crowd such increased most
ponements into September and October
"nlch arrangement in the past has re-.
suited IN some Of the clubs being com.
Pelied to play six or seven double
at all. r'' '"o saincS
"Fifty-eight of the nipetvs.von
double headers PLAYED in 1917 1917 'hsexe" hv Na
t1onal League clubs were staged after
ene middle of August. These were made
necessary by April and May postpone
ments, which games, by reason of
rainy July, could not be plaved ofP
untli the third or final series of tho
The object of the proposed amend.
allowing clubs to play off nostnora s
! lnents IN any series in which thev nav
occur. Which '"eS MAY
ohSc XII waiver KulC
a.. another effort will be made TO haya
tt. ths league set aside its rule providing
that player claimed under tha ,,a;,,a .Grns
rule must at once be released 70 a'.e ths
club claiming his services. II ia hold
py those desiring this change that the
operation OF the rule in connection WITH
we present restricted PLAYER limit has
WORKED hardship on clubs in devclon.
A'ene g.. OF the1r young players.
"A similar proposition failed of adon-
th .loll az !ne december league meeting. ;t
rostan rnstt ueins held that its passage would
restore the old system of iockevinc IN
the asking waivers which prevas,ed
wnen the recall of claimed plavers va
allowed pay els was
There will also be considered e.,
amendment to fix A minimum ra;,.ar
price OF $500 on any PLAYER who va
purchased from minor league, or who
was d Tree agent at the time Of enter.
=. ing INTO contract Some dissatisfar.
I'oh mas existed in the past With the
r11a'uneratlon received by ciabs losing
p.ddSe'S OF thls class under tho waiver
RUE provisions. The argument is also
advanced that it is impossihlo for tha
PRESIDENT of the league to fix the value
ol 'he release price of player about,
"hose abiilty nc often knows nothing
ana that the minimum claim price for
snch player should. therefore. be arbl-
'rariiy fixed at $780,
Giants Release Middleton
Pitcher Middleton, of the Giants. r,b,
was bought from Louisville with great
expectations, has been released to t5e
Kansas City club of the American As
s,ociation. Middleton never fulfilled
me promise that he was to be a yal,-
able major league pitcher, aud his re-
lease is in keeping with the general
major league policy OF wedding out
excess baggage.
President Ebbcts of the Broollyn
club SAID yesterday he ANTICIPATED no
SlhIculty IN obtaining Pitcher AT
MsmauN's signed contract
In the off season a ball player likes
TO write letters. and it is human nature
10 protest. said The colonel Yesterday.
The contract | have submitted 10
Mamaux exceeds 5000, which was tho
reported figure. though 7 am not at
liberty to state precisely the sum
stipulated, When the time comes ho
will fall in line"