The Washington herald., 1914-02-19
Washington Club Pays High
Tribute to the American
League Chieftain.
OTHER SPORT COMMENT
BY WILLIAM PEET.

Certain National League baseball writ
ers have started to WELD their hammers
against the American League in general
and President Ban johnson particularly.
Charles Webb Murphy, owner Of the
Chicago Cubs. has threatened to sue Ban
Johnson, charging defamation of charac-
ter.
According to Murphy and the baseball
writers in question, johnson is the type
of man who thinks he has been given the
divine right to dominate everything he
surveys and who attempts to crush any
thing and everything that opposes him.
1t might be interesting to note just what
President Minor. of the Washington Club,
thinks of Ban johnson. also a few words
from Gfifiith would not be amiss.
President Minor, when interviewed yes
terday, remarked: THE Federal League
situation is not bothering US. Ban John
son assured US at the meeting in New
York that We had nothing to fear from
the new league. We have left everything
10 him. Each manager in the league
seemed satisfied.
Every club owner in the league is q
business man. shrewd business men
might add, and any time eight men de-
eide to leave entirely into the hands OF
one person the settlement of a PROPOSE
ton likely to injure their business, il
shows in what confidence and esteem that
individual Is held.
Ban johnson makes a mighty good
president. We are satisfied with him. The
league has prospered under his direction.
and that he will be perfectly able 10
handle the Federal situation We do not
doubt for a minute"
Clark Griffith voiced about the same
sentiments. and men like Minor and Grif-
fifth do not have to say nice things about
Ban Johnson in order to hold their jobs.
Branch Hickey, manager of the st.
Louis Browns. has forbidden his ball
players to play poker or shoot dice.
In lieu of poker Manager Hickey might
Nrecommend pitch as a coed moral cx-
ercise for his twirlers.
Every time some bali club is looking
for a manager just put down a little bet
that Fielder Jones name will be men
toned before the matter is settled. There
are very few ball clubs in the major
leagues with which. this name has not
been connected at one time or another
and now IL seems the Federal has caught
the habit. The latest from New York is
that Jones has been elected to manage
the Brooklyn Federals and that he will
land the job If money can tempt him.
Fielder Jones has always been anxious to
hut il is not known how he will take 10
The Federal proposition. Last year he
was declared A free agent by Comiskey
and he should be a popular card in
Brooklyn. where he gained his early
fame. Il was from the old Brooklyn Ma
tionals Jones jumped to the White Sox
during the days OF the National American
war.
The idea suggested by William Baker
and approved by Ban johnson that a
third major league be started by organ
lied baseball is an excellent one. but the
trouble is it started too late.
We should have taken up this un-
protected territory two years ago, when
We had d chance" said one of the mag
mates at the recent meeting. ''It may
now be too late and cost US a lot Of
money
The cities considered for the new league
are Brooklyn. Buffalo. Baltimore and
Washington in the East, and Cleveland.
Detroit, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in the
West. Teams in these cities would not
interfere with either the National or
American League and would give the
fans continuous baseball If this had
been done 4 year ago the Federals would
have been completely shut out.