El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-05
BAN JOHNSON IS PE8SEIERIN6
MADE YANA DEAL CO. THROUGH
johnson Held Rupert and Houston in Line When They
Were Disguised With Dickerig and Ready 20 Aban
don Their Plans to Purchase; New York Eas
HadFew Players Who Led in Batting Last
By DAMON RUNYON.

q Jew YORK, Feb. 5.-Persever-
M ance, as we have been informed
\ by some profound authority, is
one half OF genius. That being the
case, we judge that Ban johnson, pres
ident Of the American league, is now
shy only the other so percent of the
necessary ingredients to rank with the
heaven born. Say what you please
about Ban-and, as far as we are con-
cerned, we have often said just about
what we pleased about him-he is one
perseYering cuss.
It was his perseverance that put
through the Nank deal A dozen times
during the negotiations for the sale of
the club Huston and Rupert were
squared away for a grand run-Out on
the whole proposition. So many com
pllcatiOns arose that they became ut
terly disguised. but Ban held them in.
How, we do not know, but he held EN-.
And in the end they bought the club.
There would have been no deal had
It not been for Ban, and both Rupert
and Huston said as much at the din
ner given last Saturday night at the
New York Athletic club to the sporting
writer's of the city by captain Huston,
with his new partner as one of the
guests of honor.s Moreover, both
passed Johnson a lot of compliments,
even while admitting that in the begin
ming they had not been profoundly i'm
pressed by the big boss of the Ameri-
can league.
We BOOst Ban.
We confess that full many a time
and oft We have marveled that a man
OF Bans temperament could so get the
start OF the baseball world as to prac-
tically corner the business of Juggling
the palm. We confess that we regard
ed him as just rOtund bloviator con-
stantly surrounded by an atmosphere
that would founder a fleet Zpnne-
Inns and we do not now admit that
we have entirely changed our views
Of him in some respects But knowing
as every sporting writer in New York
knew, the obstacles Ban had to sur
mount in this deal we have to concede
that he is just about the an-firedest,
perseVeringest man in baseball
Credit to johnson.
By nature a WaVer of red flags in
the face of vested authority and at
heart a HEAVIER Of bombs at the throne
OF baseball cars, magnates and such,
we do not love Ban Johnson, and we
do not think we shall ever love Ban
Johnson, but that does not prevent us
from ballyhooing the discovery Of I'M
suspected virtues in a guy.
That does not prevent US from giving
credit where we believe credit is due,
and 1t is our conviction that the trans
fer of the Yanks, coming at this par
ticular time, is about the best thing
in general-and that Johnson is en-
titled to all the credit for it.
Our Greatest Hitters.
Continuing our undertaking Of the
statistics of our national litigation, we
come upon the distressing fact that it
has been "a years since a pastimer
wearing a New York uniform has led
the hammers of the land, unless we ex-
Cept Otis Crandall in 1910 and, on sec
ond thought we do except Otis. He
figured IN only 43 games, and Sherwood
Magee in his 1874 games has always
been regarded as the real leader. Otis
hit. .342 that year, and Sherwood .33l.
Roger Conner and Jack Glasscock
were our only regular rappers in all
that barren stretch of time between II
and 1914. Roger whacked 81 in 10
games in 1885, and that was regarded
as quite a lot of pounding even in
those days. Glasscock poled 1876 in
1880.
It seems that as hitters we have
always been good pitchers or infield-
ers around here, anyway. In 43 years
we have had but II men among the
first three sluggers of the National
league. and only three men among the
first three hitters of the American
league in II years such pounding