The Washington times., 1917-08-27
SUNDAY BALL LURE
Wins NATIONALS
FOR BALTIMORE
BY LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.
President B. b. Johnson, OF the
J American League. has at last been
brought around to see the advantages
to his organization OF transferring
the Washington franchise to Balti-
more, IL the latest news from the
Monumental City is well founded. He
alone has opposed the plan sought by
q every other club in the league.
Johnson's enmity toward Baltimore
was based on the surrender OF its
franchise fourteen years ago when
John ]. McGraw took most OF his
! players into the National League dur
| ing the days of big league baseball
warfare.
Dunn To Manage Yankees.
Two weak places in the American
League are to be strengthened at one
and the same time. Jack Dunn, the
successful msgnate-manaEer in Balti-
more, will go to New York, succeed
ing Manager Donovan, and Clark c.
Griffith will manage in Baltimore
where Sunday games are allowed.
The New York club will gain by
obtaining a skillful leader. bringing
with him many OF his best players.
The league will benefit in two ways:
First, by sharing in the greater receipts
in New York arising from victories; and
second, by getting out OF Washing
ton. which has not supported the ball
club for two years, and into city
hungry for big league baseball, and
able TO offer Sunday games attended
by banner crowds.
Receipts Here DISheartened.
That various clubs in the American
League have complained bitterly over
the small receipts here was told IN
Tie Washington Times two months
ago. That they demanded a .halge
ir the lDagsc circuit was told ard
as promptly denied by President Zen
jamin S. Miner ana Manager Griffin, /
the largest individual stakeholder in
the club.
President johnson, visiting New
York at the moment, added the weight
Of his denial. saying that Washing
ton had done much for the American |
League and that the American League |
would prefer to lose money there
than make profits elsewhere"
President johnson and Manager |
Griffith when communicated with |
this afternoon, reiterated their stereo- |
typed denials OF the transfer OF the |
teams franchise.
With attendances excellent all over /
the league, except in Washington. the I
influence Of the larger clubs continued /.
to be eNerted against JohnsOn's posi- /
tion. President Charles a. Comiskey. /
OF the Chicago club, who has taken l
several stands against the head of 4
the league this summer. was said to |
be one working theoretically for a
shift OF the American League fran
chise to some city Offering greater
financial profits.
Lured by Sunday Games.
The bait Of Sunday baseball was Of
fered TO the American League by Bal
timOre business men, many Of them
former stockholders in the Federal /
League. The Baltimore International /.
League club engaged many big league
clubs for Sunday games as an expert
ment and was successful. Reprcsen-
tatives Of the American League at
tended these exhibition contests and
Baltimore ready for major
league baseball.
Now il leaks out in Baltimore that
plans have been completed FOR the
W dshllE ION lTdH'hlNf 10 Bo 10 lsailll- .
more, President Johnson having been
won over. The local Stockholders
will be taken over bag and baggage.
joining the former Federal League
stockholders in Baltimore. who viii
add their cash to the new clubs treas
ury for use in strengthening the team
and making it a pennant contender.
Hope For Sunday Ball In New York.
The American League hopes to b,
allowed To play Sunday baseball in
New York next season, the Red Cross
benefit contests this summer provid-
ing an entering wedge and proving
that Sunday games do not disturb the
peace.
With Sunday baseball scheduled for
New York and Baltimore in 1918, the
entire league will reap financial ben
eflts impossible with the present cir
cult. with Washington eliminated,
every club will stand on better fl
nanciRI basis. This is the argument
that has been pressed by most Of the
clubs.
FROM THE BOX SCORES.