The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-12-14
AMERICAN LEAGUE
PRESIDENT ANGRY

New York, Dec, 1S.-The American
| league simply VIII net tolerate John
! NJ. Ward being elected president of
{ the Satiopal league 10 succeed John
! A. Heydler according TO Ban B..
Johnson. American league president
who arrived in New York today. II
he is elected. said Johnson, it means
| war
AS outlining his position in the
matter on the eve OF the National
league meeting. Johnson gave out a
letter which he has sent to August
Hermann, chairman of the committee
which was Instrumental in ending the
| war between the National and Amerl-
can leagues in 1909. The letter. dated
Chicago. November 30 and addressed
TO Hermann at Cincinnati, says:
when information was brought 10
me from an authentic source that
John NJ Ward was seriously consd,
cred for the presidency OF the Ma.
tional league. it occasioned me much
surprise and raised the question as 10
the sincerity OF purpose of your orr
Sanization Since the signing of the
peace pact and the creation of the
National agreement. organized base.
ball has moved along in broad.
straight channel, with moderate fric-
ton
THE chief soon again encountered
our effort 10 recover player George
Davis after he had been awarded to
the Chicago American league club at
the Cincinnati peace conference. Mr..
Ward, acting as attorney for Player
Davis. drew up the original contract
with the Chicago club. IL was three
year agreement, iron bound and rivet,
ed, At another date, Davis signed an.
other contract with the New York
National league club.
The New York club sought to re-
tain Davis, regardless of the Ciucin-
natl award, and in fact. did m7e him
in one game, despite vigorous pro-
test from the American club Tho
Chicago club was finally obliged to go
into the courts 10 enforce its contract
and John NJ, Ward represented the
player in the proceedings
Davis was checkmated. but the
Chicago club did not have his services
during the entire season. The cost oil
litigation TO the Chicago club exceed
ed $4,000. The entire transaction was
clearly conspiracy and a wanton vio'
lation of the peace pact entered into
at Cincinnati American league inter
ests must be considered and weighed
In the construction Of the national
commission each year. Ii Is far from
our purpose to say OF even suggest.
who the National league should have
as president, but common sense shows
the interests of the other parties TO
the agreement should be considered If
the present cordial relations are to
continue
The unbounded prosperity the game
has enjoyed under It's present govern
ment should serve as safety valve
to any unprcjudicial act that might |
tend 10 destroy hea,nful, sound and !
sportsmanlike condition in baseball. ,
Johnson said tonight that he was |
unalterably opposed TO Charles w
Murphy-Ward'S chief backer-be-
coming dictator in the baseball
world
His policies are far from being in
line with the ideas of men who hari
been working for the development Of
baseball" said the American league
pres <ent, land would be ruinous to
baseball II allowed TO continue. The
American league desires to continue
on friendly relations with his nation
al rival. but cannot do so II Murphy
is to dictate tho policy of the Nation
al league and elect man who has
consistently tried 10 tear down tho
fabric we have established"
Concerning the case OF the attempt
ed bribery OF the umpires In the play
off game between the Chicago and
New York Nationals on Oct, o. 1908.
Johnson said tonight thai new cvi-
dencc was sent to him last summer.
He will present this TO his colleagues