Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-31
AMERICAN HEADS
TO PLAN CHARTS
Presidents and Managers to Confer in
Milwaukee Next Month About
Year Schedule.
ALL TO HAVE HAND IN WORK
Hickey Will Make Determined Effort
to Stamp Out "Spit BALI Law
and Other Freaks.

Chicago. Jan. 31.-With the sched-
ule meeting Of the American associa-
ton less than month away, the pres
idents and managers of the eight clubs
today are studying railroad time
tables and calendars with view to
drafting a playing chart.
The schedule meeting, to be held in
Milwaukee on Feb. %, promises to be
lively session for instead of ap-
pointing a schedule committee to work
out the problems. every club owner
will have his say-sO. Thomas j..
Hickey, president of the association,
has advised every club owner to draw
up a schedule and present it for con-
sideration. There will be at least eight
charts and possibly nine offered, as
Hickey is drawing up schedule him
self
I'VE have decided to have every club
owner have a hand in the schedule
making, so as to avoid all arguments
! later in the season that they were not
treated fairly in the question OF dates.
explained President Hickey. In prev
/ ious years a committee of usually
three OF four drafted the schedule and
while it always has been apparently
satisfactory to a majority of the clubs.
there has inevitably been 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 agita-
ton for an earlier opening, President
Hickey believes that 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 Milwau-
kee 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 deter
mined effort to stamp out the spit
ball" and other freak pitching. In
order to have thorough understand
ing in this regard, the managers and
eight umpires will he called into a
conference a day or so before the
opening 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 fo-
pitcher not conforming to the rules,
President Hickey said. Il do not anti
cipate any serious trouble as the rule
was passed by unanimous vote. l be-
lieve all are now agreed that it viii
be good thing. | predict that pro
ducng a liveiier batting contest viii
help the game to such an extent thai
70 one will ever want to go back tc
the old sys.em."
Difficult to Enforce.
Predictions that the rule will BIZ
considered by the American associa
llOH executive, WHO maintains lndl tlt
umpires will be able to detect any
tampering with the ball. The frs
offense will cost the pitcher SIS fine
and the second violation will result il
more drastic punishment The UNI
pires will be instructed to throw
winged balls-balls that have beer
damaged from the contact with thu
grandstands or other objects-out O
the game.
The next call for the army. Presi
dent Hickey believes. will give tn,
) club owners better line on the mum
| Der of players who will be lost to tn,
military service.
| ITO date not many have been TAX
: en- he said. However. ! believe w,
shall have no trouble in obtainin,
players under and over the draft ag,
to supplement those who have depend
ents and thus we shall be able t.
maintain good standard of play"
KANSAS AGGIE FIVE WINS.