Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-21
AMERICAN LEAGUE QUITS
FOR DURATION OF WAR
President Ban Johnson Says To-
Days Gaines End Season-For-
NAL Action Monday.
NATIONAL TO ACT WEDNESDAY,
General Belief That 1t, Too, VIII
Move Promptly Looking to Strict
Compliance With Secretary Bakers
"WOrk-or-Fight" Decision.

CHICAGO. July 2o.-President Ban B.
Johnson. OF the American League. de-
clared tonight that the American sea-
son would close tomorrow as a result
Of the ruling OF Secretary OF War
Baker classifying baseball as a nones-
sential occupation.
There will be no effort on our part.
so far as | know to-day. to keep the
schedule going" said Mr.. Johnson. The
season will end tomorrow.
Il have heard from all of the Amer
ican League managers and they are
willing TO call 1t off Immediately. rher.
was only oue objection and that came
from Harry Frazee, of the Boston Red
Sex. He wishes the matter put to ii
Vote.
we will have meeting In Cleveland
Monday TO pass officially on the closing
of the season. but for all practical pur
poses II closes tomorrow for the wars
duration"
WILL BIZ No APPEAL
FROM BAKERS DECIsInN
No appeal from Secretary OF War
Bakers Interpretation Of the "wuI
or fight" ruling az applied TO bali play
ers will he made and no effort IS
planned TO finish the season with t=nmc
recruited from veterans above the
draft age and amateurs below the
draft age. Such an attempt baseball
officials say. not only would he an
imposition on the fans. but would also
be more or less of "a subterfuGe IN
view OF the ADMINISTRATIONS edict.
American League club owners will
meet In Cleveland Monday to wind ur
the seasons business and diSciss the
many financial tanEles which VII! re-
suit from tho sudden interrup'icn OF
the national pastiTe. National LnaE'i"
club owners. few Of whom are re-
ported as rnvoring efforts - weather
the storm, will meet in New York We'd
nesday to discuss the situation.
Baseball as represented by the Amer
lean League. has accepted the s;tua-
ton without an outward murmur of
protest. but regrets were openly eN-
pressed at what was taken an i'm
piled imputation of slackcrism in the
Issuance uf such a drastic order with
cut any previous intimation of the
governments wishes.
1t WAS pointed out that twice last sea-
son the American League offered to
close its parks IL such action would
help in winning the war. but that the
idea was discouraged.
Now that the administrations wishes
arc known, II was said. the club own
crs hasten to comply. Four of the five
club owners whom President Johnson
was able to reach by telegraph to-day
Just what will become OF the players
and umpircs' contracts will be deter
mined at Cleveland Monday. Later an
rntirc reconstruction OF the govern
ment and machinery OF baseball is
planned.
while the ruling came out OF n clear
sky. far as our knowledge OF the
governments wishes was concerned.
said President Johnson, I'VE accept the
ruling without Il protest. If those 2JI
player affected can perform useful and
Indispensable work in the remaining
three months of the baseball season.
the financial loss resulting to our bust
ness is inconsequcntial We only re
greet that we have been placed in
the position of having. to close our
parks when We already had offered 20
10 So. One word from an authorita-
tive source would have accomplished
che same result"
Al the Chicago National League club
headquarters II was announced to-
nigh, that Cincinnati would play q
double header here Monday. The team
Is scheduled to 20 East Monday night.
hut II was announced that the trip
had been abandoned.