The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-14
BAN JOHNSON
SOUNDS WAR CRY
American League President
Fights Against John M. Ward
MAY Be SPLIT IN RANKS
Election of John Ward To Succeed
Heydler Means That National
Baseball Agreement Will
Be Rent Asunder.

New York, December 13.-The American
! league simply will not tolerate John M.
Wards being elected president of the
National league to succeed John A. Heyd-
Ter, according to Ban B. Johnson, Amer
lean league president, who arrived in
New York today. II Ward is elected. said
Johnson, 1t means war.
AS outlining his position in the mat
ter on the eve of the National league
meeting, johnson gave out letter which
he has sent to August Hermann, who
was Instrumental in ending the war be-
| tween the National and American leagues
in 1908. The letter says
when information was brought to me
from an authentic source that John M.
Ward was seriously considered for the
presidency of the National league it &C.
casoned me much surprise and raised
the question as to the sincerity of pur-
pose of your organization. Since the
signing of the peace pact and the Gre
alton of the national agreement organized
baseball has moved along in a broad,
straight channel with moderate friction.
efforts to recover Player George Davis
after he hal been awarded to the Chi
cago American league club at the Gin
cinnati peace conference. Mr.. Ward, act
ing as attorney for Player Davis, drew
up the original contract with the Chicago
club. 1t was three-year agreement, iron
bound and riveted. At a subsequent date
Davis signed another contract with the
New York National league club.
New York Kept Davis.
1.-THE New York club sought to retain
Davis. regardless of the Cincinnati award
and in fact did use him In one game.
despite vigorous protest from the Amer
lean league. The Chicago club was final
ly obliged to go into the courts to en-
force the contract, and John NJ Ward
represented the player in the proceedings.
Davis was checkmated, but the Chi
cago club did not have his services during
the entire season. The cost OF the liti-
cation to the Chicago club exceeded $1,000.
The entire transaction was clearly con-
spiracy. and a wanton violation of the
peace pact entered into at Cincinnati
American league interests must be con-
sidered and weighed in the construction
at is far from our purpose to say, or
even suggest, who the National league
should elect as its president, but COM
mon sense and the interests of other
parties to the agreement should be con-
i sidered If the present cordial relations
are to continue.
THE unbounded prosperity the game
has enjoyed under its present govern
ment should serve as safety valve to
q ftfdf al 81 hat -
destroy a healthful. sound and sports
manlike condition in baseball
No Cinch for Ward.
Wards election to the National league
presidency appears by no means assured
President Murphy of the Chicago club
says that Ward will be elected on the
first ballot but President Dreyfus of the
Pittsburg club asserts that Ward can
not now command more than four votes
If the votes are four for Ward and four
for Heydler the present executive will
hold over under the provisions of the Ma
tional league constitution
Plenty of compromise candidates have
been made, named and almost all of
them will be here to attend the Pittsburg
clubs banquet on Wednesday night The
Murphy Ebbett faction are scheduled to
select Joseph D. O'Brien as its compro-
mise candidate. If Hermann, Dreyfus
and Dewey find they cannot elect Heydler
they are likely 1t is believed to place
In nomination Robert Brown of Louis
vile.
Adrian Arson has little or no chance
according to one of the magnates and his
appearance is regretted, it being the gem
eral opinion that whoever was respon-
sfble for the veteran making the trip
eastward had been hoodwinking him.
Stanley Robson. the St Louis club
owner. announced that he would be on
hand here today but Horace Fogel, who
| represents the new owners of the Phila-
delphias, will not arrive
Friends of Fogel are quoted here to-
day as asserting that "as yet he has not
pledged himself to the Murphy Ebbetts
! faction and he will come here today to
| swap his vote to any magnate that will
] give him some good players.
IL this Is the case, perhaps his vote
| is unlikely to go to Heydler as the Herr
mann-Dreyfus- Dovey coalition has de-
clared an intention to elect a candidate
without making any trades.
Opposed to Murphy.
Johnson announced tonight that he was
| unalterably opposed to Charles w Muir
| ply, Wards chief hacker, becoming a
| dictator In the baseball world
His policies are far from being in line
| with the ideas OF the men who have
| been working for the development OF
baseball said the American league pres
| ident, "and would be ruinous to baseball
| II allowed to continue.
"Mr. Murphy has insinuated that we
American leaguers are attempting to die
| tate who shall be elected president OF
! the National league This is wrong, but
we are surprised that the National League
club owners should try TO remove from