New Britain herald., 1918-08-07
TENER RESIGNS AS i HEAD OF NATIONALS
Action Follows Dispute Over Case
 of Player Scott Perry

New York, Aug. 7.-The baseball
 muddle between President John K Tener of the National league and Pres- 1dent B. B. Johnson of the America1ll league over the Scott Perry case rel
 suited yesterday in the resignation of
 MT. Tener from the National league. He has served at the head of the older major league organization since De~
 cember 10, 1913. His successor has not been named, but Secretary John A. Heydler will probably serve as president until the annual election of the body here in the fall.
 The naming of Governor Tener's, successor will updou btedly result inI another squabbIe between the club owners. The logical man for the placa is Secretary Heydler, but the leagua failed to name him after he had served out the unfinished term of the late Harry c. Pulliam in 1909.
 When President Tener refused to serve on the national commission un- less the American league decided tot abide by the awarding of Player Scott Perry to the Boston Braves, it was a toregone conclusion that the National league president would step down. Ferry IS now with the Philadelphia Athletics, and when the national con- mission awarded him to Boston, Main ager Mack got out an injunction re-t straining the National league from taking the player. This was the first time since the creation of the national commission that it's verdict had ever been appealed to the courts
 When President Tener threw down the gauntlet to Johnson by refusingt to serve on the commission unless theI Athletics gave up Perry, he expected that his club owners would stand be- hind him. Instead, some of them sided with Johnson. and a disruption in the National league ranks resulted. AS 1t stands today, the league is in d very topsyturvy condition.
 In his letter of resignation, which was received at National league head- quarters yesterday, President Tenen said, among other things:
 Having declined to serve further } on the national commission for the good reason familiar to each of you, | must ask that my resignation as your president, rendered last December, ba accepted. I am prompted to take this course out of consideration of the present situation and that you may more speedily select my successor, wka i. will, if you desire, serve on the com mission under the circumstances"
 It was while he was governor oG Pennsylvania that Tener was electea president of the National league to succeed Thomas J. Lynch of New Britain, Conn. Until his term as gov- ernor expired, Secretary Heydler was really acting president of the league and President Tener took charge 'inl the following year. Under his rel gime, the National league went through one of it's most perilous ' stages successfully and after long and bitter fight organized baseball bought out the outlaw Federal leagueS $
 It is stated by baseball men that itI was this compromise in the Federal league war which first started the differences between Tener and John- |! son. The American league head did not want to compromise and wanted to fight the Federal league to a finish. Early in the year the breach between the leagues grew larger when John son was credited with many state ments concerning the exemption of the baseball players from military service. The National league took just the opposite position to John son and advised its players to go into the national service. The Scott Perry case was simply a culminatio1r of storm which had been brewing between the league for long time.
 On account of extensive business President Tener resigned last December but the owners per- suaded him to serve. He consented $, only with the understanding that his baseball duties would not interfere with his business interests. Since last December Secretary Heydler has been doing much of the work of the league executive, although President Tener outlined all matters of policy and served on the commission.
 Governor Tener is now the head of a large highway building corporation and will devote all his time to tKis business.
 The resignation of MT. Tener prob- ably marks a general shakeup in professional baseball In the Ameri- can league there Is much opposition to President Johnson, especially from Owners CQniskey of the White Sox and H. H. Frazee of the Boston Red Sox. It would not be surprisinAaf Johnson was deposed as head of 3YiK league before another year. Johnson. z it is stated, has wanted to get out of baseball to go into another bus- l ness for some time.
 A new chairman of the National Commission to succeed August Herr E man of Cincinnati is also looked for M by baseball mon. What the baseball W people want is a neutral chairman at M the head of the commission. Sines H it's organization the commission has M had two National league representa- E tives to one of the American leaguet a This state of affairs has caused req M