The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-11-26
COL. RUPERT IN'
 FAVOR OF TAFT AS B. B. LEADER
Yankee Owner Thinks Former President Would Be Able
 Official.

NOlOuel JdCOU NuppeTl, pEeSlueAt of the Yankees, spoke yesterday fa- vorably of the action of Presidents Hampstead and Frazee in asking for mer President William H. Taft to consider a proposition to act as a cne-man National Commission in baseball. Ruppert said that if MT. Taft consented and could find the time to give to the various baseball controversies which arise, it would be fine thing for the national game. In favoring the one-mau commission idea, however, Ruppert had nothing to say about the busting of Ban Johnson and August Herr mann from the game's highest tri- bunal
 r Barney Dreyfuss of Pittsburgh, who has been one of the leading figures In the recent baseball upheaval an- nounced yesterday in Pittsburgh that It was to be regretted that the prop osttion to MT. Taft had leaked" out. MT. Dreyfuss was in this part of the 1 country about a week ago, and at that time consulted all the club owners in the East on the proposition, and | found them favorable Dreyfuss said that it was understood among the club owners in the East that he should first confer with the Vest ern club owners before any an- nouncement was made.
 It was case of some one" said Dreyfuss, mot being able to keep d secret under his hat"
 Opposition 10 the plan has already cropped out in the Western section 1 of the American League, where Pres
 dent Johnson has strong support
 Phil Ball, the owner of the St. Louis
 Browns, is the first to openly oppose
 the idea. He announced yesterday
 that he had received telegram from
 Hampstead and Frazee, asking him tc
 wire MT. Taft his approval.
 T did not wire MT. Taft" said Ball
 'L think MT. Taft has the finest judi
 cial mind in the country and is ir
 all respects great man. But I ob-
 ject to having Messrs. F'razee and | Hempstead's plans wished on me in any offhand manner. F'razee has -lC authority frcm any one to submit such a proposition on behalf of the American League. Until the league | meets and discusses any plan it oh viously has no official standing. Any changes of policy will be effected al
 the leagues meeting early in De-
 cember."
 Events of the last week have
 shown that the opposition to Bar
 Johnson has become unexpectedly
 strong. Baseball men yesterday die
 not hesitate to say that there would
 be a showdown at the American
 League meeting, with, the Easterr
 clubs probably lined up against John,
 son.
 A decided change has taken place 1T the manner of Johnson's usual visit! to this city. He was here in New York last week for several days, anC on Sunday was at the hotel where h.
 usually stops. He refused to see an, one, however, and when it was an nounced in the papers yesterday tha he was in the city, he immediatel packed up and disappeared. No
 one word was forthcoming iron
 Johnson, which in itself denotes rather surprising state of affairs , Johnson's silence at this time is sai
 to be. the result of an ultimatun f which was sent him by America
 League club owners that he was n = longer the official mouthpiece of tn \ league on serious topics.
 . For many years Johnson has hel A absolute sway in his organization, bu of late years, with the clubs comin n into new ownership, there has been n tendency to curb Johnson's power! I. The club owners have made it know - to the president that they will eXer e else their own likes and dislilIes i @ voiclng the politics of the organiza 1t ton.
 = The fight over Johnson at tn o American League meeting next mont l. promises to be the bitterest brea I. that the American League club owr tt CTS have ever had. Prabably notf Is. ing official will be done about the rt e- quest that has been made for a change in the makeup of the Natior l. al Commission until the two bi L. 1oog,oo ao+ uDop It officially