The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-21
HEyDLER MAKES
BASEBALL RECORD
Nav Succeed Himself for Ma
tional League President at
Next Meeting.
MURPHY AND HERMANN
ARE OPPOSED TO HIM
Has Best Experience of Any
y Man in Business for
League Office.

Away back in the DAYS when Uncle
Nick - Young presided over the dcstln-
les of the National League and main
taiucd his headquarters IN thus city,
which at that time WAS on the old cir
cult. he took a great fancy TO lad who
was prominently identified with amateur
sports in tho District, His young friend
was an athlete of no mean ability, and
baseball was his hobby. From pitching
for amateur teams he drftcd into um
piring, and soon become one Of the most
popular officials in the District-that is,
as popular as an umpire could hope to
bc-and his services were in demand be-
cause he had the reputation of being
''squarc and possessing good Judg'
mcnt.
The young man appreciated Young 5
friendship, as Uncle Nick in his of.
fetal capacity was maker of umpires
and gave him good advice, \ few years
found the youngster an umpire in the
National League. Years passed and the
league retired "Uncle Nick" who is
now living quietly in Washington. His
young friend quit umpiring, but stuck
TO baseball in the capacity Of critic,
That man is John Arnold Heydler, who
today is president Of the National
League. He occupies position far
more important than it was in Young s
day, and responsibility sits well on his
shoulders.
Honest Worker.
John \. Heydler is a man who never
crowded into the spotlight of public
opinion. The fans know of him. but
his work as secretary of the National
league did not receive much publicity,
and his name was seldom mentioned.
Elected president last summer TO fill
out the uneXpired term of poor Harry
Pulliam, his name became more ia
miliar TO the fans through the attack
made upon him by Owner Murphy of
support of Umpire KLEIN, when Muir
ply filed charges against that official
last summer. And now he has become
an issue in baseball because of the
movement to oust him, which Murphy
is heading.
Perhaps the "fans want to know !"
what manner of man and official he
is who has incurred the enmity of the
volcanic Chlcagoan, what qualifica
tions he possesses, and why he is now
involved in league politics, although he
is no politician.
Nobody ever questioned Heydler' s
ability and judgment and impartIality
until Garry Hermann. owner of the
Cincinnati club, and Murphy last sum-
mer suddenly discovered that he was
not "broad enough and not "big
Let us first consider Heydlcrs s expert
ence and fitness.
Grows Up in Game.
There are few men who have seen
baseball from as many angles as the
National league president. He grew
up in baseball, whereas some of the
other men suggested for his Job have
viewed the game from only the angle
of an owner. Heydler has played base
ball-and plays it yet-has been an UNI
pire, has Travelled over the country as
a baseball reporter. and for the last
seven years has handled the office work
the details and fgurcs-of the Ma
tional league. In short. be has been the
business manager of the organization,
and there ism t a man who knows the
business better than he.
You couldn't t very well find an Of
fetal who has more intimate knowl-
edge of the great enterprise which or
ganized baseball has become. Few
baseball executives realize what an nm
pire is up against Heydler does. He
was an arbitrator in the days when the
league didn { back up the field Judge
as it does now, and he therefore rea-
liZcs the importance Of discipline, he
never prattlcd league secrets, yet withal
he is the friend OF every newspaper
writer on the circuit, He is courteous
to them all. knows what news is, and
when to tell il and when to suppress
it, Nobody can question his honesty.
Baseball reporters have never caught
him in lie. You cannot find scribe
who will speak i'll Of him. That is
why the Baseball Writer'S association
indorses his administration and pro-
tests against the league turning him
down without further ehance to make
good.