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Show umpires havo boon sottled in the ma-Jortty ma-Jortty of Instances by (he players, tho rule bo allowed to stand for the good of the baseball gamo. Third Baseman Conroy of the New York American club was sold to the Washington team, and 8id Smith of the St. Louis American club was shifted shift-ed to the Atlanta club of the Southern league. ' President ComUkcv of the Chicago American league team announced that he had secured Pitcher Jerry Donovan of Detroit, and President Murphy has secured Pitchers Donahue and Ferguson Fergu-son of the Boston Nationals. Catcher James of the Boston Americans, Ameri-cans, it was announced, had been secured se-cured by the New York American league team. President John I. Taylor Tay-lor of the Boston American league club announced , the acquisition of Louis Wolter, the left-handed pitcher and acceptable outfielder. The American league will close its setjslon tomorrow after - considering tho action of the National, league on tho class A A proposition and tho J latter organization will continue its session until Friday. ' President O'Brien of the American association announced that the meot-lng meot-lng which he presided over had adopted adopt-ed tho schedule for 1909, the opening playing date being set for April 14. j BASEBALL WARFARE SERIOUS Pulliam Expects to Be De posed as President of National League. Chicago, Feb. 17. President Harry Pulliam of the National league made it plain today between sessions of tho league meeting that he wa3 willing to forego the glory, and salary attached to his position In order to save himself worry. It Is known that the best of feeling does not exist between Mr. Pulliam and Garry Hermann, chairman of the national commission, and President Charles W. Murphy of the Chicago National Na-tional club, but It was not until today that the warfare assumed a serious aspect as-pect It was said that Mr. Pulliam had ordered Barney Dreyfuss and Charles Ebbetts, owners, respectively, of tho Pittsburg and Brooklyn National teams, to leave his office In New York, and, while tho demand was compiled with, it Is said that both Dreyfuss and Ebbetts vowed vengeance upon him. Mr. Pulliam issued a statement today He declared he was tired of warfare and, after leaving for California next Monday, ho would not be surprised to hear that he had been deposed by those in the league who he. claims to be antagonistic to his administration.. "I expect." he said, "that there aro enough of the oppopltion to depose mo as president, and, as a matter of fact. I would not regret such action on their part. The Job is a thankless one for the most part, and the friction that one has to contend with is not worth tho trouble. As a matter of fact, I did order or-der Droyfuss and Ebbetts out of rny office In Now York, and I would do the same thing again If the circumstances circum-stances were similar." The propo6eo" amendment to the national na-tional agreement In relation to the Claas AA league was discussed "and, while no definite action was taken, the sentiment appeared to favor the change. A similar spirit wa3 manifested mani-fested at the session of the American league directors, With the display of willingness of the part of the major league magnates, It Is probable that the American association, Eastern league, and Pacific Coast league, will be placed In a class by themselves, according to their desire. In the National league session It was decidod to amend rule C4 6o that the umpires will not have the power to fine players or the men on tho coaching coach-ing lines. In future, violations of the rules of the national game may bo punished only by ordering the offender to the club house, but he may not take up a position either In the grandstand or the bleachers. Another Innovation was the adoption of a rule that managers man-agers of home grounds will not be permitted per-mitted to voice any sentiment regarding regard-ing ground rules In case the visiting team enters a protest against existing exist-ing conditions. Tho umpire Is to be the sole judge In such an emergency. In the major league clubs it was de-cilod de-cilod by the rules committee that a limit of twenty five playere shall be the maximum during the playing season, sea-son, on and after May 15; and thirty-five thirty-five during the so-cailed "off season" which precedes tnc warmer contests of the clubs for pennant honors. The committee decidod to stop tho practice of certain managers of shifting shift-ing pitchers during the games in order to glvo their teams an advantage when the batters on the opposite side show great strength at tho plate. When one pitcher is taken out, his successor must remain In the box until he has retired at least ono man Tho scoring rules were amended at the suggestion of a committee of sporting sport-ing writers, and It was decided that the umpires of. minor leagues must use their own Judgment In the matter of Imposing fines. In major leagues the fines in the paet havo been settled by the clubs, and as a result the penalty, pen-alty, did not fall sufficiently heavy upon the playing offender. For this reason It was decided that lu minor leagues, whore tho fines Imposed by |
