Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-18
"0LD FOX" SEES
BRIGHT FUTURE
FOR BASE BALL
Cantonments Developing Fans
and Players and Great Re-
action May Be Antici-
pated for Game.

Chicago, Aug. H-While baseball
magnates contemplate sorrowfully
their dwindling Golfers, and with the
first of September ever in mind, look
with apprehension oward the future
of the national pastime, Connie Mack,
the old Fox" of base ball sees NO
cause for alarm.
Neither, according to his views, will
the recent embroglio at Cleveland in
which both National and American
league magnates participated in
"swatting Ban Johnson, endanger the
position the American league presi-
dent occupies with regard to the sport
in general.
Mack's conclusions may be summed
up as follows:
UNLESS the war continues two
years or longer, ba e ball will feel no
permanent i'll effects.
2-There will be no break in the re-
lations between the American and Ma
tional leagues.
3-The seeming unpleasantness de-
veloped at Cleveland will be forgot
ten and Ban Johnsons prestige un-
impaired.
+No reorganization of the Ma
tional commission with view to the
elimination of Garry Hermann is
contemplated,
S-American soldiers and sailors
will not permit base ball to die out.
Discussing base ball affairs inform
ally, Mack said:
Will Close Next Year.
whether base ball will suffer per-
manent injury as a result of the war
depends entirely upon the wars dura-
ton. Unless it last several years base
ball will retain all its favor and popu-
larity. Of course the gates will be
closed next year, as it would be fool
ish to attempt to keep the game 60
ing with men outside the present draft
age limits. Some of the club owners
undoubtedly will be hit hard by idle
ness, but | doubt whether in any
case the blow will prove fatal.
when the war is over, the great
est base bail reaction in the history
of the game will result. The sport
cannot be forgotten when it is being
played in every post, camp and can
tonment in the United States and
overseas.
There is no danger of break in
relations between the two leagues due
to the law suit filed involving Pitch
er Scott Perry. anticipate a salts
factory adjustment of every difficulty
during the ,winter.
"In viewing the present situation it
is necessary to take into considera-
ton the fact that the magnates are
under great stress, due to the uncer-
tainty of war conditions. It is a period
to test the character of men in all
lines of endeavor. Club owners have
not yet recovered from the shock of
having their business Glassed as non
essential, and until this shock is abb
sorbed, chaotic conditions must pre-
vail. al think we all have underestl-
mated the wars immediate necessi-
ties.
Johnson Will Remain.
"If the war continues longer than
two years, all the stars Of the first
will have passed on. But SO
far as hurting the game permanently
is concerned. such an eventuallty
seems unlikely War, in the long run,
will boom base ball. The cantonments
are developing thousands of fans"
Regarding the set-to at Cleveland,
during which several magnates op-
posed Ban Johnson's proposal to play
The worlds series before September l,
Mack said:
There is not the slightest chance
hat the American league will drop
Ban Johnson or limit his powers.
believe majority of those who attend
ID the Cleveland meeting which voted
1own Johnsons proposal to end the
season August 20, favored Bans plan.
There were many who agreed with me
hat it would be better to complete
he worlds series prior to September
|. But when we learned that the club
owners having chances to compete in
he worlds series were satisfied to
<eep on playing until September
md take a chance on the big games
being stopped by the War depart
nent. that let us out. We were salts
led if they were. However, majority
Of. US today believe johnson was
.ipht."