The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-07
BAN JOHNSON IN NEW YORK FOR
 BIG CONFERENCE
Member of National Com mission Accompanies American League
 President.

New York, Dec. Ban Johnson, president of the American League, and a member of the National Com mission, arrived in this city last night, but eIuded the vigilance of in terviewers and betook himself to secluded nook for a conference with other American League officials.
 It is understood that Connie Mack of Philadelphia, Clark Griffith of Washington and one other American League club owner joined the Ameri- can League chief and that they had an extended conference regarding the meeting of the league next Thursday in Chicago.
 H. H. FraTee, president of the BoS- ton club, was notified of the confer ence but would not attend, as he and Mir. Johnson are not on particularly cordial terms since the Boston mag nate suggested that the present Ma tional Commission be abolished and Judge Taft be placed at the head of the affairs of the national game. While the coyness of Johnson made it impossible to get a declara- 1 ton from him as to his intention, information from Chicago is to the effect that he is here to lay plans to l combat his enemies next week in the | American League conclave.
 It is said that Ban will demand a vote of confidence from the American League in the form of a resolution 1 pledging that organization to insis- 1 tence on the retention of a three headed commission as at present. It ! is known that Johnson will fight to a finish to prevent the appointment of a one man commission and he first desires to line up his own organiza- tion in support of h1s program. It is also a well known fact that Johnson never has overlooked insub- 1 ordination on the part of any of the magnates in his league and it is hint ed that he will arrange some form of
 discipline for Frazee, who had the hardihood to suggest that Q one man
 commission would be a better thing for organized baseball than the three headed commission of which body MT. Johnson is a member.
 MT. Frazee is busy getting data to- gether to prove that a majority of persons interested in the subject ap- proved of the suggestion of Judge Taft as Supreme Court of baseball and it is said the Boston owner will give Johnson and his allies a hot fight in the meeting.
 The only question is how many of the club owners Johnson can line up
 for his plan of keeping the three
 headed commission in existence and of disciplininer Frazee
 In view of the rather timely and
 valuable work done by Al Demaree last season the announcement that he
 had been internationally released by the Giants came as a surprise to the
 baseball fans of the metropolis. Ii seems that the pitcher received no-
 tice of release some weeks in advance
 of the compulsory closing of the sea-
 son and is now a free agent. Demaree lis at present in the employ of a Jersey
 shipbuilding yard.
 In view of the fact that McGraw
 has seventeen hurlers and no catchers
 to speak of it is said he would like tC
 trade a few moUndsmen for a good
 catcher or so. Lew Mccarthy k : about the only dependabIei catcher or the Giant payroll and he was in bad shape all last season from a broker , leg.
 The ominous silence in the direction of Louisville, Ky, is taken to meaT that Brown of that city has decided
 not to be a candidate for prcsiden of the National league at the coming session or that he is about to start 6 1 strategic campaign,
 Ever since Nick Young stepped : out of the presidency of the Nationa League Brown has been an annua , candidate, and his platform has al , ways been announced in advance. Hi ] silence at the present time may havt
 some significance.