New-York tribune., 1919-02-27
FuItZ Circuit
Frlssing Over
One Franchise
Four Cities Desire to Take
Place of Hamilton i'm
the International League
By w. J. Macbeth

The floating franchise of the New
International League, characterized by
the brethren of the association as the
Syracuse Hamilton spoke of the wheel,
is causing that big minor circuit about
as much trouble as a floating kidney
might be expected to bother bilious
'hypo." There is little to be done
but to take the doctors prescription
and wait-as the International League
magnates are doing.
The infection. disinfection or lack
of affection, as you choose. may be
properly treated at the resumption of
hostilities this afternoon at the Hotel
Imperial, the international Tnagnates
having knocked off abruptly at the
union hour last night from its first
session of the annual schedule meet
ing. The New international emulated
the tactics of the old National in
that little or nothing was accomplished
at the first sitting. But that was the
fault of the big circuit problem rather
than of initiative on the part of the
Class AA solons.
The big trouble is. or seems to be,
that now that the war is over there
Is a prospective rush to jump claims
in David /. Fultz's gold. mine. No
less than four cities Of the East are
already scrapping for said floating
franchise. Syracuse, indeed, appears
quite eager to relieve Hamilton OF
the obligation it assumed last mid
summer when Class AA baseball
proved bust in the upstate town.
Pgtsy Donovan and his associates
believe Syracuse's failure was due sole
ly to the problems resulting from war,
and that in peace times the city would
hold its own with the best of the
other associates. Two Canadian cities.
Montreal and Ottawa, as well as Scran-.
ton, Penn, are attempting to horn in
to the eighth berth, for which Syracuse
is making fight.
\ Montreal May Return
! Until last year Montreal was mem
4 Der of the league. 1t was not always
4 desirable member. A great objec-
Il tion was the isolation Of the Canadian
/ metropolis. Then, too, Sammy Lich-
4 tenhein's regime, it was said was
never popular with the French
Canadian element. the backbone of
MontreaPs population. If Montreal re-
turns to the international League fold
/ it Will be under new and more popular
associations, it is said. Indeed, Mon
treal appears to be very seriously con-
sidered by the majority. It was be-
cause of the fact that representatives.
from that city were on the way that an
adjournment was taken jate yesterday
afternoon until this noon
Moreover, there is likely to be a
change of ownership at Newark Those
who operated the club last season are
desirous of retiring and number of
propositions have been submitted by
Would-bc purchasers. One syndicate
which seems to have All inside track,
and which would not interfere with the
present administration M ght utilize
the old Federal League Park at Harri-
son, \. j., in case it attains the fran
chise
The circuit uncertainties, of course,
have delayed action on the main point
cf interest, the schedule This detail
will be attended to Immediately the
eighth city is determined. In all prob
ability the magnates of the new Inter
national League will indorse a schedule
Of 154 games They have shown no dis
position toward undue economy. that
Is. in the few little policies it has been
able to adopt SO far
The league was run along the most
economical lines in 1918, as it was a
matter of life and death then. But tho
bonds arc now being loosed. i was
decided yesterday to employ g staff OF
eight umpires. instead of the five man
combination that labored year aeo
1t was also decided to raise the PLAYER
limit from fifteen to sixteen, exclusive
/ of managers.
The following representatives at
tended the meeting: J. McCafTery, To-
ronto; j. J. Lannin, Buffalo; c. T.
Chapin, Rochester; A. Benedict, Bing-
hamton; Joseph J. Moran, Jersey City;
Jack Dunn and c. II. Knapp, Baltimore:
Thomas McCarty, Newark; 7. J. Doro-
van, Syracuse Hamilton.