Vol. 56—No. 26 Philadelphia, March 4, 1911 Price 5 Cents PLAYING RULES! An Important Statement by President Johnson, of the American League, Showing Why There Was No Joint Meeting of the Major Rules Committees, and How Proposed Changes Can Still Be Made. SPECIAL TO "SPORTING LIFE." oped into as good a performer OIL the dia HI.CAGO, 111., February 27. Every mond as he has developed into a jurist. thing is perfectly lovely in^ base ball once more, and there isn©t an FOR THE BOYS. c other scrap in sight until the championship season opens. Presi dent Johnson, of the American Important Innovation to Be Tried by League, denies all intent to block President Hedges. rule revision, and declares himself in favor of everything anybody is kicking for at pres Special to "Sporting Life." ent. Mr. Johnson returned on Friday from St. Louis, Mo., February 27. President Cincinnati, where he has been at the bedside Hedges, of the St. Louis Browns, proposes of his aged father, who still is in a criti to do something also besides building great cal condition. Speaking of the criticisms which have been aimed at him for prevent grandstands and model diamonds. One of ing proposed rule changes, the American them is the entertainment of children from League executive said: "So far there have -the ©schools free. Mr. Hedges proposes to come to me from the National League sugges take the matter up with Superintendent of tions to change two rules and these changes Schools Blewett and other proper persons so have to do merely with the wording of rules, that deserving school children shall b« re not with their intent. The idea being to warded for eood work in their classes by be make their meaning clear. ing given tickets to the ball games. It is not his idea to make this affair of on* or two RULE O. K. IF FOLLOWED. week days, but to arrange matters so that "There is an outcry about elevated pitch each day during the Summer will We a cer ers© slabs. There are no such slabs in the tain number of children at the Browns© American League and would not be any game as a reward of merit for good scholar where if the plainly worded rule now in the ship. In this way Mr. Hughes says he hopes book were enforced. That rule permits rais to upbuild the love of the national game in ing the slab only fifteen Inches above the the breast of every boy and girl in the pub level of the home plate and base lines. This lic schools and to assist as far as possible Blight incline is for the purpose of drainage the authorities in enabling them to offer nu only and must be uniform. There are none merous prizes for excellence in studies. of the high mounds of which complaint has « been made in our circuit. The diamonds are carefully surveyed and the reports of the NEW ENGLAND LEAGUE surveyors are in mv possession. Merely by enforcing the existing rule the slabs can be Adopts a 126-Game Schedule and Enacts lowered so that the pitcher will have no appreciable advantage. Regarding Some New Rules. THE COACHERS© BOXES Special to "Sporting Life." American League umpires were instructed Boston, Mass., February 27. The annual last year to call out the baserunner any time meeting of the New England League, held in a coacher ran into the diamond to stop or this city today, resulted in the adoption, help him. If it is desired to keep the with only a few minor changes, of the sched coacher from stepping out of his box at all ule for the coming season as submitted by I am agreeable and it can be done by in the committee. The schedule provides for structing the umpire to forbid it. I have a total of 126 games for each club. A com been blamed for preventing the revival of mittee was appointed, consisting of Jesse the earned run. I opposed strongly the abo Burkett, Worcester; Louis P. Pieper, Law lition of the earned run when it was dis rence, and J. J. Gray, Lowell, to report on the carded and am as strongly in favor of re selection of an official ball, for next season. viving it. In fact, it probably will be made The members adopted an amendment to the part of the American League©s official scores constitution requiring that the president, this year. All these matters could have manager and treasurer of each club join in a been shaped UT> if the National League rules statement twice a month giving a list of committee had been called together at the players under contract and their salaries, Cincinnati meeting of the schedule commit failure to do which is to be punishable by tee in January. I had asked Mr. Somers and a fine of $25 for each day of offense. It was Mr. Comiskey to be prepared to serve with voted also that no player may participate me on our rules committee and wrote Presi in more than five games before signing a dent Lynch, suggesting that his committee contract. In the absence of. President Timo meet us in Cincinnati. He replied that there thy H. Murnane, D. F. Clohecy, of Haver- seemed to be no great demand for changes in the rules and apparently did TRIS SPEAKER, hill, presided. __ Outfielder of the Boston American League Club. NOT FAVOR A JOINT MEETING UP TO COURT. at that time, consequently I dropped the mat Trts Speaker, the famous outflelder of the Boston American ^League Club, hails from Hubbard ter. I did not understand there was to be City, Texas, where he was born 28 years ago. He stands five feet 11 inches and weighs 180 any demand for a joint meeting, nor any pounds. He is a typical Texan. with a rough complexion, heavy eyes, a voice like rolling Waterloo Files Brief in the 1.1.1. League later opportunity for one, so did not name thunder, and large, powerful, freckled hands. He is a regular Texas cowboy in the saddle Injunction Case. any committee. It could not be expected and can do as much with a horse as he can with a base ball bat. He reads little and is al most constantly in the open. Speaker made his debut in the Texas League in 1907, where Special to "Sporting Life." that our club owners would go to New York Scout George Huff found him and bought him for the Boston Club for $500. A year!s season at the time of the schedule meetings and ing under Mike Finn at Little Rock, in the Southern League, made Speaker fit for Boston, whose Chicago, 111., February 27. The final move we did not expect the National League com team he joined in 1908 and of which he has been the star a second Ty Cobb as it were ever by the Waterloo, Iowa, Club in its efforts mittee members to come here. Mr. Herr- sines. He is a hard hitter, fast runner, and phenomenal fielder. In the opinion of competent to retain a place in the I. I. I. League was mann is advocating a permanent rule" com critics like Managers Donovaii and McAleer, Speaker is the grandest young ball player in the mittee to serve the year round. The sugges profession. made last Friday afternoon by Attorney tion is good, but why did not Mr. Herrmann O©Brien, who filed a brief in the Superior serve on the rules committee of the National Court recapitulating all his contentions why, League when appointed last Fall? Both Mr. the ouster voted by four clubs of the league Comiskey and Mr. Somers, whom I intended is illegal. The brief touches upon all allega appointing, are leaving for the South shortly, that he is desirous of signing a contract beginning March 6, the date on which the tions made by O©Brien in the original and but if it is considered necessary to have a supplemental bills, and asks that Al Tear- joint rules committee meeting to pass on the with the Pittsburg Club for the coming sea Pirates leave for West Baden. The big ney, president of the I, I. I. League, be re Bimple suggestions made I could appoint son, that he is anxious to get to training shortstop©s name was recently drawn from strained from forming a 1911 schedule in omebody else." quarters and get himself in prime condition, the jury wheel and he was duly summoned to which Waterloo is not placed. It is expect * and that it is his purpose to play ball dur serve as a juror. Judge Evans in his youth ed that Gridley will render a decision this ing the championship season as he never was one of the best amateur second baseman week that will settle finally whether the cov WAGNER RELIEVED. played before, Judges Evans and Davis. of in this vicinity. Attorney John S. Robb, Jr., eted place in the league will be retained by- Common Pleas court No. 3 have consented, is authority for the statement that the judge Waterloo or will be held by Quincy. The Pittsburg, Pa., February 27. The Pittsburg upon his agreement to do all these things, to was tendered a contract to play professional Quincy Club was voted the franchise by the Club©s star, Hans Wagner, having announced relieve him from jury duty during the term ball. His friends say he would have devel- four members who voted to oust Waterloo.