New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-02
LANNIN SELLS
BOSTON RED SOX
TO H. H. FRAzEE
Hugh ]. Ward and "Bron-
co Billy" Anderson Also
in Big Deal

Boston. Nov. /. The Boston Red Sox'
worlds champion baseball team, was
sold to-day 20 company headed by
Harry II. Fr4zeb New York theatrical
Migrate. Joseph J. Lannin has turned
s.>,r cootiol 20 the new owners.
Associated with Mr. Frazee in the
zeal arc Hugh J. Ward Of J. {. Will
iamson d Co.. Ltd. Of London. G.. NJ.
Anderson. Enc-- o the movies as
Bronco Billy" who. with Nh Frazee.
is half owner Of the Longacre Theatre.
Il, the third Of the new owners. Mr..
Frazee. who left Boston for New York
on the midnight train, did not make
public the price paid.
u have wanted TO own ball club
Tor a long time said Mr.. Frazee. q
tried TO buy the Giants once, but found
that it was impossible. have been
negotiating for the Red Sox with MI
Ward and Mr.. Anderson ever since the
dav after the worlds series Finally
Mr. Lannin came 70 terms with US.
Want Carrigan Manager
"Our policies will be very much the
same. We take over all leases and
contracts. We also come into posses
sion Of Fenway Park. We have already
started negotiations 70 retain Bill Car
riean as manager. think he is one OF
m. hest in the country. ! wish that
Won would say for US that We will do
our best 70 keep the Red Sox as world s
champions. Both Mr.. Anderson and
MIR. Ward are as keen for baseball as
/ am, and we will get the best materlsi
possible.
1--WE are showmen, Of course, and we
figure that showmen can succeed IN
baseball. We will study the wants OF
our patrons and give them the best line
OF baseball that money can ouy'
Tho announcement Of the sale OF the
Red Sox came as no surprise TO those
Of this city who have kept in close
touch with baseball conditions. 1t had
been known for more than year that
Lannin's stock was on the market. ne
former owner of the two-time woria
champions stuck TO the game, IN spite
Of poor health and contrary TO the
wishes of his immediate family.
Rut there was another sinister ana
perhaps more poten. influence brought
TO bear after the close Of the last sea
son that may nave HdcNtl4NN 49, f''
Lannin in the disposition OF his inter
ests. Ban Johnson, president OF the
American League, and the seven other
associate club presidents got the Dig
stick out for the retiring Boston ooss'
Lannin fell into great disfavor with
Johnson and his associates shortly be-
fore the close of the last pennant race.
He was quoted as saying that his club
was being prosecuted by the American
League umpires. He insinuated that IT
had been fixed to Job the Red Sox out
of the pennant, and he loudly declared
that unless Boston repeated its cham
pionship achievements he would dis
pose Of the club.
After Lannin's Scalp
1t was a kind of speech that attacked
the integrity of baseball, talk that
man Of Johnson's force of character
could never brook. With the speech
went Lannin's career as an American
League magnate. To friends Johnson
asserted that, without fuss or furry,
Joseph J. Lannin would be compelled
to retire from the American League.
During the recent worlds series a
secret meeting of American League club
presidents was held in this city. II
was decided then that Lannin would
have 10 dissocate himself from the
young major league. IL is understood
that the head of the Red SoX was in
formed his colleagues would no longer
sit in with him at American League
councils. This was equivalent to mott
fying Lannin he would confer great
favor by retiring quietly.
Lannin's alleged attack upon the hon
esty of the umpires was break similar
TO the one made by Horace Fogel. presi-
dent Of the Phillies, some years ago.
Fogel was impeached by the National
League for his remarks and barred as
an Objectionable person. Though Fogel
was but fgurehead executive, he had
some small parcel of stock, of which he
had 10 dispose 10 step out.
Johnson, because of the stigma at
taching TO his league through Lannin's
outburst against the umpires, has
smarted for action all along. The re-
cent wordy battle with President Iener
of the National League sat heavily on
Bans soul, IL is said. Whenever john
son aired a remark about National
League sloth in investigating the John
J. McGraw TRADE in Brooklyn, Ban was
hit right under the belt by Tener's
counter about the Lannin scandal.
Bought Club in 1913
Joseph J. Lannin bought the Red Sox
in the winter of 1913, taking over prac-
tically all Of the stock controlled by
James T. McAleer, Robert Mercy AMI
John !. Taylor. Mr.. Lannin, who hailed
from New England originally, had made
a fortune in the hotel and real estate
business In and around New York. At
present he is proprietor Of the Garden
City Hotel.
Under the McAleer- Mercy admins
tration the Red Sox won pennant in
1912. and the same year after eight
games defeated the Giants for the
worlds championship. Mercy and Nc
these games by failing to hold sec
tion Of the bleachers for the Royal
Rioters This organization boycotted
the final game. There was also inter
nal dissension that developed duriIg
this same series under Manager Jake
Stahl
Bucky O'Brien. Joe Wood, Bill Car
rigan and several other players en-
gagged IN fist fight in the clubhouse
at the Polo Grounds after one Of the
games The fight was renewed later
on the train on the way 20 Boston.
II almost disrupted the championship
club.
This internal dissension hung over
through the campaign OF 1918. For
Stahl matters did not progress so ia.
Vorahly as the year before. Toward
mid-season President McAleer sum
mariiy fred Jake. Now, Stshl was
bosom friend Of Johnson. Ban resented
NcAlcer's action and eventually
brought pressure that forced McAleer
and Mercy % dispose of their inter
~ a.. rlav I -,