Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-24
TOM LYNCH CAN
FEEL PROUD Of
HIS GOOD WORK
National League President Was
Not Given Fair Chance at Head
of Old Organization.
Bv Sam Crane.

With Governor John K. Tener the
next president of the National
League, and Wilbert Robinson man
7gar of the Superbas, two old-timers
~ again brought together in base
baU and the sport will be the better
for it.
.bough it will be well to give him
The credit that is his due. Under
circumstances and conditions that
made il impossible for him to make
snv new plans or to become force
fI executive of prominence, still he
has filed the important once with
becoming dignity, much more so, IN
fact. than some of the magnates OF
the league have shown.
Harry Pulliam, by his personal
characteristics, made himself much
more prominent as president than did
either Nick Young or Tom Lynch,
but it is a question with me if the
latter did not give even more salts
faction and better results than did
the lamented Pulliam.
ii was Harry's disposition to get
into the spotlight and stay there. In
this he succeeded, but it is doubtful
if all the hurrah and excitement that
surrounded his regime was as bene-
fetal to the league and baseball as
Lynch's more quiet and sedate aG-
ministratiOn.
Johnson Has tull Power.
Ban Johnson has been foremost in
baseball and has made the American
League prominent not so much by his
force of character as because he was
made the real boss of the younger
organization, and was given full
sway ana power.
There is a whole lot Of difference
in being the president virtually for
life than from year to year, as was
Lynch Under the same handicap it
is doubtful if Johnson could have
established the reforms that he has,
although I acknowledge that he is
4 very smart person and the man for
the position. His personality has
4 lots to do with his success and that
Of the league, but possibly Lynch
q would have branched out and in
n stalled reforms had he been given the
81 Swng-the power. But that was
4 never accorded him, and he felt thar
he was kept under the bushel, ami
8 he remained hidden there.
| would have preferred to see
Lynch make regular visits to the
cities in his circuit and see person
q ally how his umpires were doing,
& and that he failed to "mingle" as he
n should have with the club owners
4 was held against him.
q Took Things for Granted.
Lynch took it for granted that mis-
1mplres could not be wrong. He was
elected president on that issue-and
q nothing else-to straighten out the
4 umpire tangle, and was most consist
4 ent IN supporting the fellows of
~ Tgk !, h; ay,ftr
u days of the game.
4 He stuck to his umpires through
4 thick and thin, and he can not be
blamed for that, possibly. 1t may
q have resulted all for the best that he
q did so, for if he had listened to all the
s. dcks made and released any of his
n staff by reason of the fault found
81 with them. that would have been an
Il 'ntering wedge that would have
s. meant chaos.
& The National League started wrong
Il ny electlng its presidents for only
s 'ne-year terms Good -natured, easy
y Eotng Uncle Nick Young, although
Il he was head Of the organization for
a 'Wenty years or more, was fearfuhy
Il lraid of strife, and he avoided it at
Il very opportunity. He was a mere
Il 1gurehead; but nevertheless, a dear
Is
Il up IN the National League and the
n game.
League Has Prospered.
n they say Of Otis Crandall that he
8 would be twice over the valuable
Il player that he is if he would hold
MS head up'-that is, be more chesty.
e Snd that has been the trouble with
h lgm Lynch as president
81 II can be said of the latter's ad-
a N'mStration, though, that the sport
.aS had its most successful days un-
8 osF II. He can look back to his term
N Office with pride and satisfaction.
lynch did come to the front when
q ~ SET his foot down against Horace
9Sei and his scandalous talk. The
animation Of Fogel was one thing
3't viii stamp Lynch's regime as
.N'orcal and little less momentous
Tor The Well-being Of baseball than
aen William A. Hurlbut, of Chicago,
.'o While president, stamped out
looNeoneSs by blacklisting those
r't'fs who We're found guilty of it.