Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-10

western and two eastern clubs will De represented on the board and that they would alternate each succeeding year.
 Late in the day it was rumored that the Brooklyn club had been sold to d syndicate of Brooklyn men, but Pres1- dent Ebbets emphatically denied this.
 Major Branch Hickey. president and manager of the St. Louis club, was present during the latter part Of to- days meeting after he had explained that there was still a doubt as to whether he or some other person would manage the team next season.
 The constitution was amended so that any club owner, manager. player or agent convicted of tampering with players belonging to other league clubs would be fined S1.000. Expulsion may be the penalty for second offense.
 The league voted in favor. of a 154 game schedule for the 1920 season. which will open on Wednesday, April 14, subject to the approval of the American league. which will meet here tomorrow. The training season was extended from four to six weeks prior to the opening of the playing season.
 MT. Heylder unof1icially stated that the lengthening of the world series to nine games and the new rules for the division of the receipts seemed to find favor among the club owners.
 President Heydler presented his an nual report, part of which read as fol- lows:
 "On the debit side of our affairs, we can place the ruling of Judge Stafford in the Baltimore suit, that professional baseball is commerce and that the system of operating organized baseball is a monopoly or an attempt at monop- oI,r iv, ilIo of Sherman law.
 This finding has been appealed from to the higher court. which hearing, however, hay not be reached until the spring or summer of 1920.
 ,"The breaking away of the minors from the national agreement may like wise be viewed unfavorably; for. al though the majors have not suffere by this breach, yet chaotic conitions are boun to ensue unless proper working understandings are re- estabdlishe un- der a central government. The minors l have notified us that they have ap- pointed a committee of eight for this purpose and there is no question as to the wisdom of holding a joint confer ence. It is my judgment, however, that no new agreement can be entered | into except on legal advice of how best this can be done without running , into conflict with the Washington courts ruling on the question of mo nopoly.
 Passing to the credit side of the years work we are all to be congratu- l lated on the thorough and rapid man ner in which baseball made the tran sition from wartime non- essential to an after-war public necessity and sta ! bilizer.'
 | MT. Heydler then commented upon the establishment of Sunday ball ir New York and Brooklyn, which he said had worked out for the good of the game. won public endorsement and sci a liberal example for other sections o1 the country to follow.
 Several deals were spoken of. includ ing the rumored purchase of Shortstor
 Roger Hornsby of St. Louis by the New York club. President RickeS spiked this rumor by saying there i:
 not enough money in the Nationa
 league to buy Hornsby from St. Louis It was said that Manager John J. Mo Graw had offered a record price fol
 this popular player, exceeding tn, $75,000 mark which was set by thu purchase of Carl Mays by the Nev
 York Americans.
 President Ebbets of Brooklyn stated
 that he had purchased Harold Elliott
 a former catcher for the Chicago Cubs
 from the Oakland, Cal, club Tn,
 Brooklyn club also has signed Catche
 Ernest Kruger again.
 President Chapin of the Rocheste
 club bought Al Baird. an infielder. iron
 the New York Nationals.