Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-13
PATRIOTIC FANS READY TO BOOST RED CROSS BASKETBALL BENEFIT TONI
BALL SUIT HAD
LEAGUE WORRIED;
HALT WAS NEAR
Prosecuting Lawyer Threaten
ed to Call All Players
AS Witnesses

Announcement that Johnny Lavan
and Derrill Pratt had settled their
suit against Phil Ball, of st. Louis,
brought peace of mind and happi-
ness to Ban Johnson, president of
the American League. 1t was life
saver Louis A. Dougher in Thurs
days Washington Times says:
1.-The American League came with
in an ace of going out of business
this spring, at least for week or so,
and all because of the suit brought
by Johnny Lavan, the Griffmen's
shortstop, and Derrill Pratt, the
Yankees second baseman, against
President Phil Ball, of the st. Louis
club, according to advices from the
Mound City.
THE players charged Ball with
alleged slander, claiming that he
told a st. Louis newspaperman that
they had laid down to the White
Sox." Each player promptly entered
suit for $4,000. The case was to
have been heard a week after next.
"On learning finally that neither
Pratt nor Lavan would withdraw the
case, but would insist on a court
hearing, Ban johnson got busy. He
hustled down tc st. Louis from Chi
cago and conferred with Phil Ball.
He found the Browns boss inclined
TO be stubborn.
Tried to BulldoZe Them
AT first efforts were made to bull
doze the players, hoping that they
would surrender, but both Pratt and
Lavan stuck to their guns. They had
a clever attorney whose plan was
simple. He intended to summon prac-
tically every player in the American
League to testify TO the character of
Pratt and Lavan as baseball players.
And right there Ban Johnson is said
to have seen the light.
Bringing the stars of the Ameri
can League to st. Louis in April,
with the schedule under way, would
disrupt affairs almost beyond repair.
1t was feared that the fans who care
little or nothing about the merits of
the case, would take considerable in
terest, If their own teams were rid
died for a week or so. 1t was too
great a risk for the American
League.
Again Ban johnson got busy, as
he alone can when it comes to pro-
tecting his organization. He got into
immediate communication with Mil
Ter Higgins, the Yankees manager,
and Clark Griffith, the Washington
leader, urging them to use their
good influences with the players.
Compromise Is Arranged
LAS a result of this action by Ban
Johnson, both Pratt and Lavan were
induced to accept a compromise.
$50 now comes the announcement
from st. Louis that the case has been
dropped, each complainant receiving
$2,700.
Phil Ball is quoted as saying, 1t
didn't cost me anything, so 1 should
worry
The inference is strong that the
American League, rather than face
the possibilities of a disrupted sched-
ule, paid Pratt and Lavan, and
charged it up profit and loss.
The whole affair was unfortunate.
Few fans believe that any player
would deliberately lay down to an
opposing team. Balls st. Louis friend
believes he spoke from the depths of
disappointment over the poor show
ing of his team, of which so much
had been expected.
''The slander suits settlement goes
down on the books as a diplomatic
triumph for Ban Johnson