New-York tribune., 1918-07-11
Baseball War
7 axes Day Off;
Silence Reigns
Rumor Has 1t That Amer,,r
League May Yield Perrv
to Braves
By w. ]. Macbeth

New YORK Is concerned. And /. ~,
pears that other storm centres a. y.
threatened diamond Armageddon ,.,.
cooled off a bit. By the time Of ,n,,
ing to press Ban johnson had l..
whole twenty-four hours rush BY v,s,
out opening his mouth, which in ,.s.r
is remarkable. John K. Tener s,.
Garry Hermann. the other Nat;o,,,
Commission members, Joined !,
brotherly (Elk) love in Atlantic ci.,
refused the reporters even the mo,,
modest peep.
No new angle could be dug up IN III,
city, principally because there was M.
body of the happy baseball family
home except Colonel Jacob Rupper
and he has more sense than TO fan
smouldering flames that might drvs
his prospective champions, the Yau.
KEGS, out into the street. The Yankee,
would have no more home than stres.
cat if the two major leagues got inso
q real tiff. A fact which perhaps NJ
Johnson did not recollect when he h..
came SO verbose and bellcose on -.
cent occasion.
There were few underlings and 81.
taches in minor capacity of the Amer
can League yesterday who expressed
the opinion that his club owners had
brought home the fact TO their dearly
beloved czar that he had kicked owe,
another bucket Of beans. 1t was even
declared by them-though this is NO.
vouchsafed as authoritve - that
Johnson's colleagues had decided 10
take the bits in their teeth and admin.
lster such a rebuke as Big Ban never
before experienced.
May Give Up Perry
This story has it that the American
League club owners will force johnson
for Mack is said TO have filed his
suit at the dictates CT the czar) 10
obey the National Commission man.
date and turn Scott Perry over to the
Boston Braves before the case has
chance TO come to trial in a court Of
law.
Whether or not there is a grain Of
truth in this rumor or whether or not
baseball war develops between the
two major leagues. the fact remains
that johnson appears seriously to have
compromised his Leagues cause in the
very start. He has barred his bosom 10
thrust which a war enthused though
sport loving public would not only
countenance. but sppaud, simply be-
cause ne has sought TO make of the
most sacred treaty Of organized base
ball mere scrap o. paper"
The least imaginable thing In TIE
world Tor the two leagues to 90 to war
over would be Pitcher Scott Perry. One
would think from all the fuss and
furore that is being made about him
that he must be an embryo Walter
Johnson, TO say tho least But he is
no such thing. He is but an ordinary
pitcher, if indeed not a mediocre one
major league scout would twice look
at him. He lost nine games in Tow
with the Athletics short time ago.
Where Would Yankees Coz
OF late Johnson has committed many
stupendous and gigantic blundeF
Ills latest IS the masterpiece of bone
Because of one of the most phenon-
cnally close and exciting races the
young major league has ever aeen-and
their number is legion-the American
League had practic ically stolen the clay
from its older rival. The American
League, then, has by far tho more to
lose. And especially so this year, when
for the first time the Yankees appear
a real pennant factor. Where would
the Yankees play if barred from the
Polo Grounds
If Johnson were fighting for princips
it would be a different matter. But
he IS not. He is defving principle
sportsmanship and. most sacred Of all
solemn covenant. President Tener Of
the National League has ALREADY
scored over him, and scored heavily.
Iener has right on his side. It is
to be hoped that Mr.. johnson will see
the handwriting of public disfavor on
the wall in this instance as he saw
It when he Intellectually attempted 70
violate his treaty obligations to tho
New International League when hs
would have invaded the little fellows
territory for Sunday games at Haf-
rlson, n. j., last spring.
Baseball will have difficult enough
time to survive the season without
family row. And for this unhappy
state of affairs one does not have 70
look further than certain members o.
the National Commission. John n
Tener. president of the Triumvirats,
who threatens to repudiate the com
mission, is not one of the offending
members. Those who wonder why tne
Administration has so far denied 70
organized baseball in the work OF
fight" order privileges extended to 'hs
theatrical profession might specuisS
on certain other violated pledges ana
not be far amiss.
Drilling Plan Abandoned
A year ago last spring Ban johnson
took much credit to himself for 'ns
scheme CT military training FOR Amer
can League ball clubs, which was, ~
deed fathered by Captain I. l.. nus
tons patriotic brain To secure min'
tary instructors for the eight clubs ID.
Nolved from War Department sadiy !"
need Of every available military lnStiu.
ment in the construction of glgan'S
new army 1t was agreed that IN reeuia
Tor the services of such the ball playeI.
when properly advanced would IN tus.
instruct civilian detachments, theteO.
creating an available home guard u.
emergencies. Well, the players neve, ,
drilled anybody, so far as any one en- eels
ever heard. Indeed, once Huston ie'
for France the whole military edlhces.'
the American League crumbled 10 aus. Us.
One does not with impunity escape u
pledges to the Administration. Ia.
And then there is another comm comnss
sion member. for whose club ,if..i f.si
Tonoy is pitching. Toney was indie.ss
on a charge of perjury in conneeIless
with the draft law He IS at hpsis3
now because Of jury disagreement,
but it is said win have to face ano'a,.
trial. Furthermore, he has been ~
dicted on an even more serious chais,
When the chairman of the most ausssi;:
power of organized baseball finds 81 ID
own fireside haven for suspe'..sss ~