The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-04
EASTERN LEAGUE
 CLUB OWNERS IN
 ANNUAL MEETING
Optimism Runs Rampant Over 1919 Prospects
 Springfield and Water
 bury Not Represented.
O'NEIL'S VIEWS ON
 NATIONAL MEETING
Tells of Efforts to Change Relations of Major and
 Minor League.

Wintry weather, aftermaths of war, nor any talk about unsettled conditions can subdue optimism that always permeates a meeting of Eastern League baseball owners, and this was the case once again yester- day afternoon when the club owners of this circuit gathered at the Hotel Bond in Hartford and talked over prospects for the 1919 baseball sea- son. The club owners exuded optim- ism In every particular and at the close of the session declared that they viewed the outlook for baseball next summer with an even rosier as rect than they viewed the three past seasons, which have been far from successful from financial stand point.
 The session was not fully attend ed neither William E. Carey of Springfield, who was Ill; William F. Baker of New York, the Waterbury owner, nor George B. Prest the treasurer of the New London club, 1 being present Hartford was repre- sented by James H. Clarkin, New Haven by Edward Dugan, Providence by Benjamin P. Moulton. Bridgeport by c. P. Lane, Jr., and Worcester by Edward Smith and M. J. McMahon. President O'Nei1 presided over the i session and made a report on his at tendance at the annual meeting ot the National Association of Profes- sional Baseball Leagues in Peoria 1 H.. last November. His report was very interesting. particularly with i regard to the activities among cer. l tain former leaders in minor league i circles, who for some unknown req. l sons seem to be bent upon changing i the regulations that govern the re i lations between the majors and the | minors. President O'Neirs repor
 was such that the league owners de. Cided that it was for the best inter. ests of all concerned that he attend i the proposed session of the board ot
 arbitration of the National Associa ton to be held January IA, whether the session be called in Chicago ol i New York.
 1 There Is an element among tht I Glass A and Class A leagues whicI
 are desirous of doing away entirel! with the drafting of players iron | those circuits by the ajors, ant want to have the privilege of draft ing from the other minor leagues ex i tended to them. However, they ar
 not willing to set a price upon thes
 drafts until after they acquire tn right to make such drafts, and tha
 il. itself is not considered good busi | oi1of I
 Class B as the Eastern League.
 The league members commende | President O'NeiI for the foresight h
 displayed in protecting minor leagu
 territory at the last annual meetin
 of the National Association, whereb
 leagues which did not operate las
 year, and might find it impossible [
 get going again this coming season
 might still hold their territory by tn payment of one-half of the custom
 Gry protection fee to the Nationa
 Association,
 i At the finish of the meeting tn
 statement was made that the Easter
 League looked forward to the com
 ing baseball season of 1919 with re 2 newed confidence, despite the fac l thai the past three years since tn
 orga nization of the "merger" circui , had not been up to the customar , baseball success of previous year The club owners had gone throug , three bad years, suffering heav | losses, but they declare themselve ) willing to talks another chance i } 1919, feeling certain of the suppol of the baseball public in every re
 spect. Without 8 doubt the Easter League club owners have prove 7 themselves the gamest gathering ( l sporting promoters ever banded tc t gether in this neck of the woods, an 5 with improved conditions this con , ing summer, may reasonably eXpe' } that baseball followers in New Eng iand will back them up in every e. fort they make to produce baseball