Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-09
LEAGUE OWNERS
MEET SECRETLY
Not So Secret Though, For
EbbettS Planned Herman
Right Out Loud
Rr Associated PrcrS

New York, Dec. "A caucus of
National League club owners was
held here to-day to discuss questions
which will come before the annual
meeting of the league tomorrow.
The meeting was attended by
Presidents Hampstead, Ebbets and
Baker. of the New York, Brooklyn
and Philadelphia clubs; Vice-Presi-
dent Jones, of the st. Louis Club,
and it was said representatives of
Pittsburgh and Boston clubs also
were present. 1t was the intention
of the club owners to keep the
meeting secret.
The most important questions
taken up were the naming of new
National League president and the
candidate the National League will
support for craftsmanship of the
National Commission. What names
were decided upon is not known,
but several members who have con-
ferred with Acting President John
Heydler, of the National League, re-
ported he is not anxious to hold the
office of president permanently.
August Hermann, president of
the Cincinnati club, and chairman
Of the National Commission, was
not present. 1t is understood that
the caucus session went on record as
favoring a neutral man, with no
financial interests in baseball, as
commission chairman. This would
eliminate Hermann, unless he sew
cred his connections with the Gin
cinnati club and sold his stock.
President Ebbets, of the Brooklyn
club, said tonight the feeling in the
National League is that a neutral
should head the commission.
'Mr. Hermann has been u splen-
did chairman and has held the posi-
ton with honor for fifteen years."
Ebbets said, but the National
League wants to get away from the
idea that it is the favored one on
the commission and has two repre-
sentatives against only one for the
American League. For that reason,
we think neutral chairman, with
no financial interests in the game,
would be. a benefit to the sport.
Since this is a reconstruction period
the league considers it a good time
to make a change"
The annual meeting of the Ma
tional League, to be held in New
York, Tuesday, will be the first step
in the direction of baseball recon
struction, made necessary by the
war. While number of momentous
problems confront the senior league
magnateS at this time, there is no
evidence that a concerted program
of action has been solved. Among
the outstanding questions which
must be considered by the club own
ers is the election of q league presi-
dent, the future status of players re-
leased outright last autumn. Nation
al commission arrangements, playing
plans for 1919, limitation of club
rosters and many other items of
routine business.
The election of president to sue
ceed John K. Tener, who resigned
last summer, is expected to be one
of the first features to be consider
ed by the magnates. So far as is
Known at this time there is no IA
Vorite candidate. The names of four
men have been mentioned in con-
nection with the position, but no
one appears to have a majority of
the eight votes back of his name.
The quartet is composed of John A.
Heydler, present secretary treasurer
of the league; Lieutenant David l..
Fultz, former president of the Base
ball Players Fraternity; Francis X.
McQuade, a city magistrate of New
York, and Robert Brown, of Louis
NilAtt NSs
Unless the various votes can be
centered upon one of these men as
a compromise candidate, there is the
possibility of the election of dark
horse as was the case when Thom-
as j. Lynch was selected to succeed
Harry Pullman. Secretary Treasurer
Heydler appears to be the logical
man for the position, but it is un-
derstood that he is not particularly
seeking the honor of league eXecu-
tive, being perfectly satisfied with
his present place. Fultz, like Heydler
is an experienced baseball veteran,
who knows the game from all angles
and, in addition, has the advantage
of legal training, having built up a
successful law practice since he
abandoned active professional play,
following a severe accident while q
member CT the New York Ameri-
cans. McQuade is a New York city
magistrate, noted for his interest in
baseball while Brown came into
baseball prominence several years
ago when he was advanced as q
candidate for Lynchs place by
Barney Dreyfuss and Garry Herr
mann.