Evening star., 1918-11-26
BASE BALL WORLD
AG0G ANENT TAFT
Ex-President Was Approach
ed in Regard To, Not Cffer-
ed Position, Is Explanation.

NEW YORK, November 26.-Base ball
owners in the two major leagues are
buzzing around like SO many disturbed
hornets. Some know where they stand,
some do not. Some followed the lead of
Harry N. Hampstead, president of the
New York club of the National League,
aud of H. H. Frazee, president of the
BOSTON club of the American League.
and some did not.
Some declared themselves in favor of
Ia one-man national commission, with
former President William H. Taft as
that man: some kept quiet, ominously
quiet, while one or two declared that
the whole proceeding was out of order.
Harry N. Hampstead, president of the
Giants, cleared up the situation slightly
by asserting that a misunderstanding
had arisen over the announcement. at
the Lambs Club on Saturday evening
that MIR. Taft had been offered the posi-
ton as sole member of base balls su-
premet court
Mr.. Hampstead said yesterday that
MIR. Taft had simply been asked if he
would consider such an offer if made to
him formally by the National League
and the American League.
Presents Different Angle.
This puts slightly different angle on
the situation. To all appearances Messrs
Hampstead and F'raZee thought that
they could stampede the various owners
OF the two major leagues who had not
been consulted by the very bigness of a
former President of the United States
and former justice of the supreme
court.
Some of the owners could not be
stampeded: the national agreement is
still something more than mere
scrap of paper; the national agree
ment must be amended before base
ball can commit itself to such a radi-
cal change in it's form of government.
Mr.. Taft has been put in a rather un-
fortunate position.
Nobody could be found who would
adnit framing and writing the for
NAL statement issued by Mr.. Hemp
stead and Mr.. Frazee. 1t certainly is
gem and possibly might be open to
misunderstanding.
To follow up their campaign. Mr..
Hempstead and Mr.. F'raZee sent out
/ kilograms to the owners in their re-
spectIVe leagues urging them to wire
Mr.. Taft their approval of the plan.
Mack Criticises Frazee.
Connie Mack. manager of the Ath-
letics, who stamped Harry Frazee of
Boston a "limelighter." said he did
not see how under the circumstances
the American League could indorse
the action taken by Messrs. Frazee
and Hampstead in asking Mr.. Taft to
accept the office of base ball arbitra-
tor.
THE high-handed proceeding by
F'raZee, who has drawn the American
League into a very unpleasant situa-
ton, makes it practically impossible
for the Americans to subscribe to the
offeS extended Mr.. Taft Mack said.
The Boston lin elighter must be sat
upon. He cannot run the league"
H. H. Frazee. who. it begins to look,
has taken up arms against Ban John
son, president of the American League.
expresses the fear that the lack of
unanimous approval might lead Mr.
Taft to feel that some friction exists
among club owners over the sugges-
ton to have him head a one-man COM
mission and that under the circum-
Stances he might refuse. He said this
would be most unfortunate
Ban johnson is still strangely silent
For once in his base ball life he has
not rushed forth with a statement
This is something decidedly new
When he does speak, when he does
crack the whip, it will be discovered
how strong his following is.
incidentally, Ban Johnson's term of
office as president of the American
League has ten or twelve years to run