Norwich bulletin., 1922-12-14
AMERICAN MOGULS RECOMMEND HOME
 RUN ZONE; BAN ON BOTH THROWING


 New York, Gee. 1S-The American league at it's annual meeting today took action to- check what it regard ed as two detriments to thes natiollai nt eame-home ruin hitting and pop bot tie throwing. 5l
 The club owners recommended to the joint rules committee, represent ing both the American and National leagues. that home run zones be es- tablished in all big league parks to curb the abnormal growth or clrcut hitting. and urged that regulation of the sale of soft drinks SO that fans no longer would be tempted to use the bottles
 The league, which clsoed it's 1923 seasons late today, also voted to open tbe season on Wednesday, April IS, and decided to establish a fund of $50, 600 to aid disabled ball players or their families by setting aside $lO,- 900 annually for five years, beginning in 1923 from the American league share of the worlds series receipts. 2 Adjustment of opening dates with the National league, which yesterday decided to start the 1923 campaign on Tuesday, April F, was, left to the joint schedule committee, with the un- derstanding, it was said, that the old CT OrSan1ZaClOn, WOulu dSISS IO ASpl n IS, as a joint date.
 The action designed to curb home run hitting was the result of deci- sion of the majority of club owners that the increased heavy batting was | 'detriment to the popularity of the game. It was the general opinion that | a minimum distance of 300 feet be Established, outside of which home | runs would be allowed, in parks hay 1 ing fences abutting on the playing l field.
 Colonel Jacob Ruppert, Yankee own CT, was understood to have opposed l the zoning scheme, which, among oth- CTS, would have a marked effect on the home run achievements Of Babe Ruth, who established the individual
 high rnark for all time in 1921 with i 59 homers The peak in league home run records was reported this year when ba0smen in the two leagues col | lected 1,054 circuit blows, more than l 100 in excess of the best previous mark 1 936, made in. 1921.
 l Discussion of player deals through | out the day in American league circles centered around the reported offer o1 1 the New York Yankees to trade BoE | Meusel, Aaron Ward and pitcher tc 1 the Chicago White Sox for Eddie Col i lins and Dick Kerr, but late in the ! day officials of both clubs said the 1 deal still was in the air.
 1 The deal hinges upon Kerr, who 1 failed to report last spring to the l White Sox, being reinstated by Con- missioner Landis.
 The latter declared he had received no application from Kerr, and that SC | far nothing had been done in the i pitchers behalf. The commissioner ! pointed out that if Kerr had played 1 against ineligible players during the
 past season he would be obliged, un- 1 der league rules, to remain inactive l another year.
 1 It was suggested that early rein
 statement might be influenced by
 Kerr's previous good record and the fact that during the 1919 worlds se- l ries, which was thrown to Cincinnati by group of White Sox players lat i CT barred from the game, he won two 1 games for the Chicago team by bril- liant pitching.
 One important deal announced as | completed with the purchase by the St. Louis Browns for $15,000 of Hollis Thurston, right handed pitcher of tht
 Salt Lake City club, of the Pacific 4 Coast league.
 Frank J. Navin, president of the. De- troit club, was reelected vice presl'
 dent of the junior league and the board | of directors was elected as follows Phillip D. c. Ball, St. Louis; E. $ Bernard, Cleveland; Clark Griffith
 Washington; and Thomas Shibe, Phil 1delphia. The Cleveland club succeed Detroit in representation on the board President B. B. Johnson retains offic'
 under a 20 year term, to which he wa l elacfef1 in; 1910.
 A new waiver. rule was adopted b,
 the league providing that if reieas ing club does not withdraw it's offe
 within AS hours, a club filing a clain : for the player or players involve'
 must make the purchase at the waiv
 CT price of $4,OO0 per player. Unde the present rule, the releasing clu mas five days in which to withdraw its waiver request.