OCR Text |
Show A1E1CAN LEAGUE MAGNATES ADJOURN TO MEET CONJOINTLY WITH NATIONALS TODAY CHICAGO. Dec. 13. Retention of the twenty-five-player limit and continuation con-tinuation of the usual spring training trips was decided upon at the closing session of the American league meeting meet-ing tonight. The club owners cleared up these points in preparation for the joint meeting with the National leaguers here tomorrow. . Summaries of the important questions ques-tions to be considered by tho sixteen club owners of the two leagues are: The advisability of reducing the playing sechdules to 140 games. Tho advisability of a 154-game schedule running only five and a half months. Rovising a method to collect the federal fed-eral war tax. . , Settlement of the financial obligations obliga-tions resulting from tho Federal league war. Suggestion of a new division of the world series receipts. Inserting a war clause in the player's play-er's contract to protect tho club owner own-er in the event the player is called into the national army. Johnson Surprised. President Johnson's announcement that the $110,000 fund agreed upon to reimburse backers of Federal league clubs still remained unpaid caused a surprise. He said that the American league was ready to pay its share $55,000 at once, but that the entire issue would have to be settled by the club owners of the two leagues tomorrow. It was revealed that Edward Gwln-ner, Gwln-ner, who lost heavily in backing the Pittsburg club of the Federal league, is .lo receive $50,000 of' the fund, and tho balance is to bo divided between Harry Sinclair, who financed the Newark New-ark club, and the Ward estate of Now York, which supported the Brooklyn Federals. The suggestion advanced by the National Na-tional league tha"t a new division of I tho worlds' series receipts be made did not gain favor with the American league club owners. The National league proposes to limit the amount the players of the contending clubs receive and divide the remainder" among the players on the four leading clubs in tho two leagues. President Johnson said he believed this proposal probably would be voted down by the American league, which thought that the "spoils should go to the victors." Arrange Benefit Games. After agreeing to retain tho present pres-ent player limit, the American leaguers decided to hold a "bat and ball" fund day in every city in the league next June. Twenty-five per cent of the gross receipts will be donated do-nated to the fund for the purchase of baseball paraphernalia for American soldiers. President Johnson also announced an-nounced that the league would raise a fund to buy baseball paraphernalia for Canadian soldiers. The Philadelphia clubs of the American Amer-ican and National leagues will play an exhibition game early in the season to raise a fund for the widow of William Wil-liam G. Wcart of Philadelphia, secretary secre-tary of the Baseball Writers' association, associa-tion, who died recently. The suggestion sugges-tion for the benefit game was made by Connio Mack, manager of tho Philadelphia Phil-adelphia Athletics. President Johnson declared himself in favor of a new form of contract with a war clause Inserted ,in It for tho I 1918 season. The clause will affect all drafted or enlisted players and is for tho purpose of protesting the club owners. The latter will be absolved from all salary obligations if the player play-er enlists or is drafted. But if the player returns to tho game after being be-ing discharged from military service, he must consider himself still bound to the club which he last signed. Johnson Favors Cut. While It is regarded as practically certain that the two leagues will de- cide on a 154-game schedule for next season, August Herrmann, president of the Cincinnati Nationals and chairman chair-man of the National Baseball commission, commis-sion, advised the American league ex-, ecutive over the long distance tele-" phone that the question of a schedule still was open with the National leaguers. President Johnson favors a 110- i game schedule and will make a fight for it. but probably will be obliged to accede to the wishes of the older organization, or-ganization, as both leagues use tho same park in Now York. j The price Charles Comiskey, owner of the championship Chicago club, pa!d for Eddie Collins, star second baseman, was made public touighl by President Johnson, lie said Comiskey paid the Philadelphia club $50,000 for Collins' contract, gave Collins a $15,-000 $15,-000 bonus for signing, and signed him to a five-year contract at a salary of $15,000 a year. Get the Trading Bug. The trading spirit struck some of tho club owners tonight. Tho Cleveland Cleve-land and Washington clubs, in addition addi-tion to New York, are bidding for Second Sec-ond Baseman Pratt and Shortstop La-van La-van of St. Louis. Phil Ball, president of tho St. Louis club,( declined an offer of-fer of six players made by Colonel Jacob Puppert of the Yanks for Pratt, Lavan and George Sislcr, the St. Louis flrst-sacker. . . Ball declared that he desired to trade or sell only Lavan and Pratt, who have sued him for $100,000. Ball is alleged to have accused these players play-ers of "laying down." |