The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-12
SEVEN GAMES EACH
ALLOWED TO CLUBS
Lack Of Trades Unusual Fea-
ture As Annual Meet Closes;
Lands Reelected
BY HUDSON I L

balls winter meetings came to a
blustery end today with the majors
restricting night baseball and re-
electing Commissioner K. M.
Lands.
It took more than four hours
for the Magnates to dispose OF
minor business at the joint meet
ing of the National and American
leagues. Then they headed home
ward from one of the leanest trad
ing conclaves in the memory OF
man.
During the major league meet
ings here this week the American
league did not complete a single
player deal. And the best it ac-
complished at the minor meetings
in Atlanta last week was the sale
of two second line pitchers by the
Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis
Browns.
The owners raised a lot OF
steaming indignation among them
selves in a long debate over limit
ing night ball to seven home
games for any one club. This has
been the National league rule since
the Cincinnati Reds inauguratec
the night game.
But last season the St. Louis
Browns were given permission tc
play IA and the Philadelphia ath'
letics eight and since these are
cities which have clubs in both
leagues, the National league
sought to have its iron-clad rule
extended to include the American
league.
Led by the Browns, the junior
circuit fought the move heatedly
and in the joint meeting the two
leagues split evenly. Lands Their
cast the deciding vote in favor Of
the seven-game limitation.
President Donald Barnes Of the
Browns was so indignant that ne
refused to comment. but said he
would issue a statement upon his
return to St. Louis tomorrow.
The majors decided not to hold
another training a maclplats-l
game such as the one at Tampa
Florida, last spring for wal relief
They did agree to have two clubs
play an annual exhibition at the
birthplace of baseball, Coopers'
town, N. Y, with the world cham
ion Cincinnati Reds and Cleve
land Indians tentatively agreeing
to meet on next June 10.
The majors approved n of thu
most controversial pieces of tech
meal legislation by okaying
minor league amendment to allow
representatives of one club to sigr
players for an affiliated club. l
had been sought by the operator!
of farm systems and last year wor
the approval of the minors ane
the National league, but was veto
ed by Lands when the American
league disapproved. This veal
Lands had no vote because the
two majors agreed.
A rule was passed unanimousl.
to provide that a ball player &C
copied into military service will
be placed on a clubs national de
tense service list and not counted
against it's player limit.
Another proviso was for a dis
ability list of not more than tW'
players not to be counted agains
a clubs roster. The Nationa
league voted against this proposal
and the commissioner cast tn
deciding. vote.
After much discussion, the own
ers decided to delay plans for con
tributing baseball equipment Il
army training camps until a con
ference could be held with govern
ment agencies on what aid organ
lied baseball could best give.
An appropriation of $40, 900 wa
voted again for the American
Legion Junior Baseball program
The reelection of Lands was
foregone conclusion after the tw'
leagues yesterday had unanimou:
ly approved resolutions to that e1
feet. The 75-year-old "czar'' c
baseball still has 10 months to 6
on his present term and the ne'
one will run till January IL, 1874
with an annual salary of $65, 900.