The sun., 1918-11-24
WIN. H. TAFT MAY
RULE BASEBALL
Ex-President Asked to Replace
National Commission as
Sport Car.
WILL DECIDE QUICKLY
Hampstead and Frazee May
Have Coup d'Etat of Game
in Their Offer.
WILL DECIDE QUICKLY
by FREDERICK @. LIEB.

I n proposition y,ebteTuHy was rnauo 10
William Howard Taft. former President
of the United States. to serve as a one
man supreme court Of professional base
ball to replace the present National
Baseball Commission of three members
! which since the peace treaty between the
, National and American leagues in 1903
has been conducting the affairs OF pro-
I fessional baseball in the United States.
Harry N. Hampstead. president OF the
New York Giants, and Harry FTazee,
, president OF the BOSTON Red sox. the
/ present worlds champions. waited on
Mr.. Taft In this city yesterday morning
! and laid the proposition before him. Mr..
I Taft received the two club owners cor
daily, discussed various phases of the
idea and promised to give the offer his
/ serious consideration.
while OF course We cannot say
whether or not Mr.. Taft will accept the
proposition We advanced to him. we can
say this-that he will give 1t serious
consideration and promised to let us
know mis- answer at an early date" said
! Hampstead last night.
Ex-President Ardent Fan.
I'VE have great hopes that Mr.. TAFT
will accept said Frazee, the Red Sox
owner. ale is very fond of baseball, in
fact, he loves It. and he intimated that
IL the American public showed any gen.
uine desire for him to act as a national
commission he might be able TO see his
way clear to accept the offer.
Frazee called Mr.. Taft's attention 10
the fact that the position would not
I'm nHAtY ND ho4 y ,,IA
take no more OF his time than three
hours q week. and would in no way
Interfere with his lectures ut Yale.
While the mode of operating tire Ma
! tional Commission would BE- left entirely
to Mr.. Taft, II would he suggested to
| him that he maintain An office in New
York, with an office force capable of
running the routine business OF the Ma
tional Commission. This force could
place the important cases before the
former President
Ii also was suggested 10 Mr.. Taft
that instead of the presidents of the
Natio nal and American leagues being
members OF the commission as hereto
fore. they would act as counsel for their
respective leagues and place the view
points and claims Of their leagues and
club owners before Mr.. Taft.
The only thing that Is lacking !s
FraEee made the offer to Mr.. Tar. In
joint statement issued last night.
Hampstead and Frazee say they made
the proposition TO Mr.. Tart after con-
ference with several club owners OF
both leagues. Hemps'cnd said lie mad
conferred with Eastern club owners of
the National League. but did not get
an opportunity OF seeing those in the
West
Wonderful Thing for Baseball.
In discussing this angle Frazee said:
IF We could induce Mr.. Taft to accept
this position It would be such a wonder
full thing for baseball that all club own
ers. OF course. would be only too pleased
to sanction our action 1t would be the
greatest thing that ever happened to
baseball and would give the sport
prestige to;h as It never enjoyed. II
II inconce!vable that any one would
oppose it,
There is no question that Frazee's
remarks on the benefits that Professor
Taft would bring 10 baseball are per-
fectly sound and true; but 1t would
appear that Frszee. Hampstead and
club owners backing them are trying to
swing a baseball coup detat that would
force the old National Commission out
OF existence.
While Frazee would not be pinned
down to a direct answer RS TO whether
President johnson of the American
League had any knowledge OF the propo-
sition made 10 Mr.. Taft, It is assumed
that the action was taken over John
sons head and indicates his falling
powers in baseball. Frazee. II may be
remarked. leads this anti-Johnson fac
ton In the American League.
The prestige that Mr.. Taft would give
baseball abroad also was mentioned to
the former President BY Hampstead and
Frazee. They pointed out that baseball
always has followed the flag and how
the boys" had implanted the game In
France, England. Italy and Belgium. In
fact, at q dinner celebrating the fortieth
anniversary of the National League, ex-
President Taft. the guest OF honor. spoke
Of how the American soldiers had car
ried the game into the Philippines. and
how baseball had replaced head hunting
as the national sport OF the Moros
Appeals Especially to Him.
This angle OF the situation appealed TO
Mr.. Tafts love of the great American
sport. az In common with many Ameri-
cans. he considers baseball the best
game in the world. and would like to SEQ
the day when crack European teams
meet our best American teams in inter
national competition.
Tho salary TO go with the position
has not yet been considered, according
to Hampstead and Frazee
at would have no weight with Mr.
Taft said Hampstead. He will con-
slider our offer only on the basis of
whether he can spare the necessary
time TO conduct the National Commits
sion's affairs, and IL II will be for his
best interests 20 accept the position
Baseball has had several men In Of
Ace who havo won high honors in the
political world. but never has attempted
TO interest a man OF the standing OF eX-
President Taft in it's affairs.
The first president OF the National
League was Morgan @. Bulkeley, former
Governor of Connecticut and erstwhlle
United States Senator from the Nut
meg state. Then John X. Tener. who
resigned Az president OF the National
League last August. was Governor OF
Pennsylvania when elected to the base
ball presidency and had served his State
in the House OF Representatives.
YTTTDD1Ta ENnTTENNyH