Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-22
JOHNSON TO STICK
TO OLD SCHEDULE.
Will Finish 154 Games at
Same Time as Nationals
End 168-Game Season.


ule of 1853 games will be borne solely by
the National League next season. The
innovation will in no wise affect the
American League. which, as usual. de-
clared for campaign of 154 games In
1910. Ban Johnson. president of the
American League, will frame his cam
paign in such a manner as to begin and
conclude the playing season on the same
dates as the opposition.
1t is imperative that the two major
league champions meet annually to de-
eide the base ball supremacy of the
world. The national commission so de-
cided several years ago after the New
York Nationals declined to meet the win
ners in the American League In 1904.
Johnson is not going to put his league at
a disadvantage by closing the season be-
fore the wind-up in the National League.
BY stringing the schedule along for an
extra ten days or he will have his
rivals at a disadvantage.
The American League will he able to
rid itself of cumbersome double-headers.
while the National League bargain
through the season is exceptionally fine q
strenuous finish will face the National
League, while the American circuit Is
taking things easy. 1t is on just such
orally hang.
IF the big leagues had gone to war
there would have been plenty or excite
ment. said veteran base ball man yes
terday- IAN kinds of things might have
happened. and some interesting changes
in the makeup of the big teams would
have occurred. Incidentally, the magnateS
would have burned up thousands OF dol
lars, and the fans would have become dis
gusted. Suppose the American League.
for instance. had declared war because OF
the dominating influence of the Brush
Murphy clique in the National League.
what would have happened? The first
move by Ban Johnson and Comiskey
might have been an invitation to Herr
mann and Dreyfuss to withdraw the Gin
cinnatf and Pittsburg clubs from the
National League and enter the American
League circuit. which. OF course, would
have been increased to ten clubs. rms
overt act would have broken the national
agreement and made the reserve RUE.
clubs, imperative
IF Cincinnati and Pittsburg had jumped
the National League would have been
seriously crippled. Attempts might have
been made to put new clubs in those cities,
but it would have cost a mint Of money
to establish and maintain them. Mean
while there would have been wild scram-
BILE for star players. McGraw, for instance.
might have grabbed Hans Wagner, Ty
Cobb. Mullin. Speaker and a few others
for the Giants. Stallings might have Ia
duced Christy Matthewson to pitch for the
Highfanders. The Chicago White Sox
might have taken Evers. Killing. Miner.
Brown and Overall away from the Cubs,
and SO on. Salaries would have been
boosted to the skies and the gate receipts
would have fallen Off to almost nothing,
especially IL the rival clubs In New York,
Boston. Philadelphia. Chicago and st.
Louis played conflicting games.
THE American League eventually
would have won such a fight because Of
a greater amount of financial backing
The league has been banking war fund
ever since the peace pact was signed In
nearly $1.OO0,OOO at his command In case
of an emergency of this kind. The Ma
tional League in case Of strife would
have had to depend upon the New York
and Charley Murphy would probably
have had to ask his friend c. p. Taft
10 put up a bundle. But the public In
general would have frowned upon any
disorder of this kind. Millions of fans
want base ball OF a high quality. not
struggle among the men who control the
sport. Base ball was never SO popular
in its history. and the prospects for next
season are beyond comprehension. II
things go along smoothly between the
big leagues all the club owners will make
money.
lone thing Is certain. The American
League is the most powerful base ball
organization in America Ban johnson is
the biggest man in the government Of
the sport IN IdCt. he Is Il OlCtatOr. ne
stands for clean ball and is backed by
men who believe In him. no matter what
policy he may adopt. 1 understand that
during the American League meeting here
this week a vote was taken to find out
how the club owners regarded the atti-
tude of johnson in the Ward matter and
that when noses were counted seven of
the eight clubs Endorsed the leagues
president.
Johnson played his cards with an an
Choir to windward In the shape OF an
agreement with Hermann to block things
in the National League meeting Herr
mann at heart is an American League
man, and some day ii will not surprise
IL he has club in that fiourishing
circuit. Without Herrmanns support in
his fight against the election of Ward
Johnson and the American League would
have been forced into a war, but at that
they would have gone to finish Six
wears ago the Johnson organization had
the National League down for the count
and would have totally exterminated the
old body but for Herrmann's interview
ZION.
"A twelve-club league Is not an improb-
ability in the dim future. There are men
in both major leagues who favor such a
plan. but just now there are conditions