The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-16
Bonus Rule Moves Near Enactment
After Advisory Council Meeting
Chandler Sends Measure To
Minor Leagues For Final
Approval

CINCINNATI, Jan. Is. - up -
Basebal's bonus rule moved a step
nearer enactment Wednesday as
Commissioner A. B. Chambers ad-
visory council reached agreement
on the measure and sent it to the
minor leagues for approval.
The council, meeting in quarter
ly session, also cleaned up other
unfinished business in preparation
for the joint meeting of the Ameri-
can and National league in New
York Feb. 1.
1t announced appointment of a
committee to meet with Clint
Evans, president of the National
Collegiate Coaches Association,
and also made recommendations
on post-season transforming.
Chandler told newsmen that upon
approval of the National Associa-
ton of professional baseball clubs
(minor leagues, he would notify
major and minor leagues that the
bonus regulation had been adopted.
The rule becomes effective, he
said, 30 days after the date of his
notice to the leagues.
The advisory council made only
slight changes in the bonus pro-
vision which earlier had received
the affirmative nod from each of
the major leagues at separate
meetings.
The bonus plan provides that any
free agent "a player not under con-
tract), who signs a players con-
tract with a major or minor league
club in consideration of a bonus
or promise of a bonus, shall be
classified as a bonus player
throughout the remainder of his
baseball career
1t also stipulates that any such
free agent shall be deemed to have
signed his contract in considera-
ton of a bonus if the aggregate
amount of value exceeds: Sc, 900
for a Major League club; 81, 900
for a Glass AAA club; 3 1000 for
Glass AA; So, 500, Glass ALL ST. OO-
Class A; 81, 500, Glass B; 1 1000,
Glass c; $500, Class D, and $500,
Glass E.
Under terms of the rule, no bonus
players contract shall be assigned
outright to a club of lower CLASH
fication unless waivers first have
been obtained in the assign or
clubs league or leagues, and no
such waiver requests shall be with
drawn. ,z
In case of violation, the bonus
rule provides that the player shall
be made a free agent; the viola
ting club and all clubs affiliated
with it may not contract with such
player for three years and the
violating club shall be fined $4,000
if a Major League organization, OF
81, 900 if a Minor League club. 1t
also provides a $500 fine against
the club officer who participates
in such a violation.
Chandler said the committee to
meet with Evans was named at
the request of head of the Col
legiate Coaches Association. He
would not describe the purpose of
the meeting but in the next breath
told newsmen how successful the
hands off" agreement between
Major League and high schools had
proved. Under that agreement,
reached last year, big league base
ball refrains from approaching a
high school player until his class
had graduated.
Warren C. Giles, president of the
Cincinnati Reds, is chairman of the
committee, and Leslie O'Connon,
general manager of the American
League Chicago White Sox, is the
other major league member.
George Trautman, president-elect
of the National Association, will
name a third member. No date
has been set for the meeting.
Chandler declined to say what
recommendations his council had
made in regard to players barn
storming, which now is limited to
80 days at the end of the regulation
season, but Giles a member OF the
council, asserted: You can be
sure they seek to curtail barn
storming."
r0u rHynn