Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-07-02

I'VE" Iurh, July d he puRNac. GUS
spirit OF John j. McGraw was alone
responsible for his recent troubles
with the National League, John X
Tener and several New York newspa-
per men.
His fiery temper broke loose agains,
Umpire Bill Byron in Cincinnati. and
for plugging Bill on the beak he drew
heavy fine and SUSPENSION. The
action of President Tener in filming
and suspending McGraw was like toss.
ing oil on blaze Once again Nc
Graw's temper fared up and corr.
'p0ndents with the Giants printed in.
terviews in which he was quoted as
saying some very harsh things about
Tener, the umpires and the National
League In general
Called en- the carpet by the league
credited to him in written state
ment, which discredited the stories
aent home by New York writer's. and
got him in decidedly bad with the
'crlbes. II was out of the frying pan
and into the fire for McGraw, but 1t
is said that he admitted heavy pres
sure was brought to bear which re-
'ulted In his signing the statement
hat appeased the National League,
and as this is generally accepted as
the straight" OF the affair. II is only
natural to conclude that McGraw said
everything that was credited to him.
McCraw Is working for the New
York baseball club. He is permitted
to do practically as he sees fit in
everything and is rated as one OF the
most capable men in the game. but
when the National League, headed by
President Tener called McGraw's
hand, the New York club had visions
OF another Horace Fogel case, and
persuaded McGraw to take what ap
peared to be the easiest way out.
The signed statement handed over
TO the directors by McGraw made
closed book of the case in so far as
z tlcial action by the National League
was concerned. But it did not ap.
nease the New York scribes who we're
put In a bad light, and their actions
in the matter have been generally
Imported by the neutrals who know
all angles of tho caca
The net result of McGraw's state.
ment therefore, has not been a very
morsc for tho National
League to swallow. The manned in
which the case was handled placed
he league In rather unpleasant
light. 1t made the league look ride.
nlous. and 1t has engendered the be
lief that II McGraw took watre'
when he signed his statement the Ma.
'ional League took water" along
with him.
McGraw's troubles in the National
League have been numerous because
or his fiery spirit. Last September
he startled the baseball world by ac-
cusing his ball club of tossing off
games to the Brooklyn dodgers. At
east he was quoted to that effect. and
later denied that he had meant what
he said, AT the lime the baseball pub.
&c looked for drastic action on the
part of the league in the way of an in
vestigation. But the Investigation. Il |
here was one. never was made public.
and II Is said tl.at the league decided
the best course was to let the agita.
ton die out The same system has
been applied to the recent incident
and, to say the least, 1t has been a
blow to the straight-laced old league.
Nothing that has happened in the
lively career Of McGraw has ever hurt
him so much as his population of the
newspaper articles credited to him
He would rather have taken a licking,
II Is said. than to have signed the
statement. but he works" for the
New York club, and the New York
club thought It best as did the league
directors No one who figured In the
case, with the exception of McGraw,
seemed to give tinker's rap what the
Newspapers would think or how the cor.
respondents would feel. II was case
Of the newspapers be burned. And the
attitude hasn't escaped the notice Of
N" baseball rublic by long shot, be-
cause the whole case was as plain rs
the map OF Old Erin on McGraw's