New-York tribune., 1919-02-16
Give Findings
OF Governing
Football Body
By c. A. Lovett

commission of association football |
which acts for the United States Foot
ball Association council between an
nual meetings, we're announced by
Thomas w. Cahll, honorary secretary,
in this city yesterday.
Incidentally it was made known that
the commission has had presented to
it two questions of unusual interest,
one. relative to allowing substitutes in
soccer matches, being of real interna-
tlonal Importance.
The commission has fined the Bah
cock & Wilcox club Of Bayonne S25
tor illegal playing of James Neil, a
registered for Standard Shipbuilding
+. c., against New York F. G. in re-
cent National League fixture. The game,
protested, was replayed on account of
Neips participation. The commission
found that Neil had been used after
Secretary Stenger of the Babs had
been notified officially of the mans in
eligibility, and the club was given
thirty days to pay the fine assessed
The player was restored to good stand
ing
The St. Louis Soccer League appealed
from the commissions suspension for
three months of Player James O. Bran
nigan. formerly of Morse Dry Dock f.
{. of Brooklyn, and Manager Henry P.
Mccarthy, of St. Louis Screw Company
+. c., for Brannigan's having played
on December Is for the ST. Louis team
without having obtained his release
from the Brooklyn club. From ST.
Augustine, Fla, where he is wintering,
President Peter J. Peel, of Chicago, in
agreement with Secretary Cahill, re-
fused to lift the suspensions.
Who Controls Pros?
an Interpretation of the rule giving the
national organization sole jurisdiction
over professional players. The claim
has been made that state associations
or subsidiary leagues have the right to
use registered professionals on picked
representative teams without U. S. F. 4.
sanction. This is contrary to the in
depreciation of the rule always accept
ed heretofore.
Either the commission or the national
council, at its meeting in May, must pass
on the action of the Missouri Associa-
tlon IN countenancing new rule of the
ST Louis League to permit substitu-
tons for not more than two players on
one side in any game, but not for play
ers removed from the game by the
referee for misconduct on the field.
The first law of the game, as adopted
by the Federation lnternationale de
Football Association, to which the u.
5. F. A. is affiliated, says there shall
| be eleven men on each SIDE. This has
peen interpreted generally as barring
substltutions, but there is rapidly
growing demand, both in this country
and abroad. for changed interpreted
elon, Inc leaders of the game in this
country seem strongly to favor sub
stltutions under certain highly essen
tlal restrictions. Even general sub
stltutlons, unrestricted as in college
football, would be preferable to a pro
hlbitlon of substitutes.
1t now is up to the U. S. f. A. to
decide whether the progressive St.
Louis league shall be forbidden 20
exercise its new rule in local compe-
the national body to move through the
+. |. F. A., to have the International
Board give the matter OF substitutions
consideration.
New York F. C. and Paterson f. C.
clash at Lenox Oval, 14Jth Street and
Lenox Avenue, this afternoon in
National league match of exceptional
interest. Both clubs are strong con-
tenders for the national championship.
New York meets Morse Dry Dock at
Lenox Oval on March 2, and Paterson
travels to Quincy, Mass, on Washing
tons Birthday to meet Fore River,
both games being in the fourth round
of the national challenge cup compc-
tition. The Paterson clus also is CON
sidering a proposal to play abroad in
the late spring.
The New York club, which has been
an ln-and-out aggregation ali season,
seemed to hit its stride at Philadel phia
week ago, when it tied Merchants Ship
Team A at II. Paterson trounced
Morse, 81, in an A. +, A. cup tie game
at Paterson q week ago. So to-day's
battle should throw an interesting light
on the relative strength of the two
seekers after the crown now resting
uneasily on Bethlehem.
Player William Eadie, late of the
| Scottish Am orleans. of Newark, is in
difficulties with the national body in
consequence of his having played as q
member of Kinley f. c. against the
American A. A. F. C. week ago, when
he had not yet been released officially
by the Scots. President William S.
Brown of the New Jersey Soccer League
and secretary of the American A. A.
eleven, permitted Eadie to play Illegally
against his club when, it is stated on
good authority, he had full knowledge
of the players ineligibility, of which
Manager Kinsella Of the Kinley club
was unaware. The case has gone to the
National Commission, Eadie, mean
while, being under suspension.