The Washington herald., 1920-02-09
MAGNATES In
BIG MEETINGS
American and National
Leagues With Minors and
Commission in Session.

Chicago, Feb. s.--winter baseball
will have its biggest inning this week
in Chicago. Every branch of the ma
tional games wide organization will
be represented >at the conferences
during the four days confab. The
conclave will get under way this af-
ternoon, when the joint rules COM
mittee of the major leagues will hold
a preliminary session to talk over the
changes in the playing code which
may be adopted at the meeting to-
morrow.
On Tuesday. both the National and
American Leagues will hold adjourn
ed meetings, when the playing sched-
ules for the coming season will be
adopted. The joint meeting of the
two leagues to appoint a chairman of
the National Commission to succeed
August ierrmann Of Cincinnati will
be he'd on Wednesday. while on
Thursday the major and minor
leagues will get together to talk over
the reorganization of the old ma
tional agreement which was abrogat-
ed by the minors a year ago.
showing Interest.
The strained relations in the Amer
lean League adds interest to the
johnson circuit session on Tuesday.
The insurgent members, New York.
Boston and Chicago, have not yet de-
cided whether they will attend the
regular league meetings. but they are
sure to attend the joint meeting on
Wednesday.
OF the dozens of suggestions which
have been made for changes in the
playing rules the joint committee will
probably adopt only few. The rule
makers believe that the game is sat
isfactory as it is now played ana IL
will be their policy to let well enough
alone. new rule will probably be
adopted concerning Just what consti-
tutes a legal game
Bar Freak Pitching.
1t is pretty certain that a rule
will be adopted prohibiting freak
pitching. such as the spit-ball, the
shine-balI and the many other trick
tosses to which the batsmen object
every time they fail TO hit the ball.
A new rule is likely on home run
drives which win games in the last
of the ninth and also a change in
the rule about stolen bases. There
is a tendency among officials not
to credit as stolen bases those which
runners get when a game is prac-
tically decided and no attention is
paid to the runners advancement
on the sacks.
The joint meeting on "Wednesday
to name a new chairman of the
National Commission TO succeed
August Hermann of Cincinnati is
expected TO be a lively affair. as
none of the candidates mentioned
seems to meet the approval of Ban
Johnson The joint nominating
committee, made up Of William F.
Baker and william VeeCk. repre-
senting the National League. and
Colonel Jacob Rupert and Frank
]. Navin of the American League
will meet on Tuesday and make mp
the list of names TO be presented to
the club owners.
Many names have been suggested
for the place. including Big Bill
Edwards. Judge Lands, John Con
way Toole. Robert Young OF WASH
:ngton, Adrian Anson, John B. Fos-
ter. and numerous others. The po-
sition of secretary OF the commits
sion is also to be filled. President
johnson wants Hermann reappointed
but this move will meet with op-
position from the National League
club owners and also from the three
inSurrant members of the American
League. There is still n possibility
that in the case Of a deadlock BE-
tween President Heydler and Presi-
dent Johnson. Herman may keep
the position. in spite Of the oppo-
sition to him.
When the representatives, of the
minor leagues meet the majors they
will advocate a renewal of rela-
tions without the draft. The major
leagues will not favor this scheme,
as the majority of the minors. with
the exception of the three Class AA
leagues. are in favor Of the renewal
of the draft. II may he possible
that the two baseball forces will
come to no agreement and that the
minors will go along by themselves
for another year.