DEVOTED TO Title Registered In C. S. Patent Office. Copyright. 1910, by the Sporting Life Publishing Company. Vol. 54-No. 22 Philadelphia, February 5, 1910 Price 5 Cents YEAR The Playing Rules Conflicts, Whether Suffer No Radical the Senior League Amendment, and Adopts New 154- There Will Not Game Schedule, Be Many Playing or the One of 1909 HE Joint Playing Rules Committee Mr. Dreyfuss. This necessitated the drawing and the Joint Schedule Committee up of two 154-game schedules by the Ameri completed their labors at Pittsburg can League committee in order to reduce con the former after several sessions flicts, no matter whether the National League running over a day, and the latter adopted the long or short schedule as the _ after a siege of three days. The American League had decided under no cir Joint Rules Committee, after cumstances to play more than 154 games per "Sporting Life©s" report in the last issue club. After the final adjournment Wednesday had closed, held another meeting on January it was announced that both the long and 25, and repealed one amendment that had short schedules would be presented to the been adopted namely, the scoring of wild National League meeting this month. Presi pitches and passed balls as "fielding errors" dent Ban Johnson, of the American League, instead of "battery errors," and the old rule also stated that either schedule would fit in will prevail in the future as heretofore. satisfactorily with his league. The cham pionship season in the West will open on THE OLD RULE Wednesday, April 13, and on this date proba which was re-enacted was much fairer to the bly the campaign of the National League pitchers and catchers who have to handle the teams also in the East will start. The Ameri ball many times oftener than any other can Leaguers, in order that the Superba* players. Where one pitcher works an entire should have a clear field to themselves on game he generally pitches anywhere from opening day, decided© not to 100 to 200 balls to the catcher. If he were START THE BALL ROLLING to be charged with an error for every wild pitch the committee felt that it would be just on the Eastern end of the circuit until Thurs as proper to credit him with having accepted day, April 14. On this date the Highlanders a chance every time he threw perfectly. It will open at home with the Boston Bed Sax, while on the previous day the Brooklyn Club would be the same with the catcher. The will re-open Washington Park, with the Phila latter has to catch a hundred or more balls delphia team as its opponent. The first game during a game, for which he gets no credit on the Polo Grounds will be on Friday, April in the fielding averages. Had the new rule 22, while at Forbes Fiejd the opening con been retained the catcher would have had test will be either on April 20 or 21. The nothing to gain and everything to lose. Cincinnati Reds will get the Pittsburg sched A VAIN GRIFFITH APPEAL. ule plum. The holiday dates in New York Committeeman Griffith made a strong plea this year will be apportioned in this man for a change in the coaching rule that makes ner: The Highlanders will have Decoration it punishable to coach the batter in case Day and Labor Day and the Giants Inde there is a man on base at the time. He was pendence Day and Columbus Day, if the long supported in his contention by Umpire Hank schedule is adopted. On May 30 the High O©Day, but opposed by President Lynch, and landers© opponents will be the Senators and the amendment was defeated. "Griff" said on September 5 their rivals will be the Ath that nearly all of his troubles on the field letics. The Giants© antagonists on July 4 were caused by an irrepressible tendency to CHARLES HALL, will be either the Phillies or the Superbas. yell words of encouragement to the batter, The New York Americans will be in Phila such as "Come on, old boy!" "Hit her out, Pitcher of the Boston American League Club. delphia on the Glorious Fourth, while on Labor Day the New York Nationals will play now!" etc. He said that the public likes Pitcher Charles Hall, of the Boston American League Club, Is a native of California and that kind of lively coaching and that it harms first made a reputation as a pitcher in the Pacific Coast League in 1904. In 1906 he was in Washington Park, Brooklyn. no one. Umpire O©Day agreed with him, but purchased by the Cincinnati Club, but was not used very often. In 1907 he started the season THE POSSIBILITIES. pointed out that the present rule requires the with Cincinnati and finished it with the Columbus Club, of the American Association. He It is said to be a practical certainty fhat coacher never to address the batter under was recalled from the latter club and sold to St. Paul, for which club he did such good work the National League club owners, at their any circumstances, and contended that it is in 1908 that he was secured by the Boston American League Club, along with pitcher Karger, meeting in New York this month, will decide his duty to stop all such coaching. "Hank" in a trade for pitchers Chech and Kyan and $6,000 in cash. He was handicapped in 1909 by sickness, but showed enough class to warrant his retention for 1910. in favor of the short schedule. Barney Drey- said that if this rule was changed he would buss says that a six-to-two vote is necessary not have to put "Griff" off the field once a for the 168-game schedule to be adopted, and year, and so he was in favor of it, but it that he and two other magnates, presumably failed to go through. It is probable, how Garry Herrmann and John Dovey, will vote ever, that President Lynch will instruct his against it. It may be stated, however, thai umpires to be lenient in such matters and to week to the proper discussion of the rules. the arbitrators than I possessed before. Such if the sentiment for the 168-game schedule is allow the coacher to talk to the batter within A fine chance I had of getting anything a conference every year would do mnch to found to be very strong Mr. Dreyfuss and his reason. through at the meeting. There were fonr stop th« troubles that are constantly coming allies will give way in the interest of peace A FORCEFUL SUGGESTION. umpires against me, and BO matter how np between players and umpires. The sug and good will, as they did in the presidential varied their opinions might be, they would gestion was indorsed by Umpire Connolly, matter. Peace is of more importance in base Mr. Griffith made another suggestion, which, be sure to get together when I was the who favored going a step further by appoint of course, could not be acted upon except by ball now than personal opinion or petty poli SPONSOR OF ANY AMENDMENT. ing a standing committee to which all dis tics. All the members of the schedule com action by the major leagues. It was to the putes and questions of interpretation during effect that the Joint Rules Committee should Another reason why I favor all the managers mittees started for home Wednesday night- the season could be appealed for instant of They have decided that their meeting next be a Committee of the Whole, consisting in and umpires getting together is to bring ficial decision. addition to the magnates, of all major league them closer together socially. I know I have year shall be in Detroit and the yean after managers and umpires, in addition to a dele been noted for being an enemy of the um THE SCHEDULE MATTER in Boston. gation of those base ball writers acting in an pires. Well, on the field I may have de consumed three days owing to the decision to PRESIDENT BAN JOHNSON, advisory capacity. Regarding this Griffith served some of that fame. The umpires are submit both a 168-game schedule and a 154- of th« American League, said after the can- aid: "I would not have any other com good fellows, though. They are honest men, game schedule to the Rational League th« elusion of the schedule labors: © ©The Ameri- mittee meeting at the same time. And if it also, and I know that within the last two former by Mr. Ebbetta, according to instruc took a week, I think we should give up « days I havd acquired a far better opinion of tions, and tb* latter a* a minority report by iContoraed on the second page.). SRORTIIXQ LJFE FEBRUARY 5, 1910 for the American League and 168 games for idea in view it was so arranged that a team the National, eliminating conflicting dates as could, with the permission of the visiting MORE DISCORD far as possible. With that done we drafted club, arrange to piay a game of the regular another calling for 154 games in each league, scheduled series upon a Sunday either im and these were worked out mediately following or preceding the series, Assaults by a player upon another player, um WITH FEWER CONFLICTS REVIEWED IN AMERICAN AS pire or spectator, costs the offending party than ever before, I think. Which of its $25, and if a team leaves the field of play schedules the National League will adopt I during the progress of a game the manager i» do not know.