Evening star., 1918-07-21
Parks to Close Gates After
Today's Games, President
Johnson Announces.
OFFICIALS WILL BOW TO
WORK-OR-FIGHT RULING
Chance for Rehabilitation Of Sport,
Mr.. johnson Says - Business
Meeting in Cleveland Tomorrow.
By the Asaociated Presa.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, Ill, July 2o.-Ameriean
League base ball parks win close their
gates for the duration Of the war after
tomcrrcw's games unless unexpected
developments occur, it was announced
tonight by Byron Bancroft johnson,
president Of the organization.
No Appeal to Be Made.
No appeal from Secretary Of War
Bakers Interpretation Of the work-or-
fight ruling as applied to ball players
will be made, and no effort is planned
to finish the season with teams recruit
ed from veterans above the draft ago
and amateurs below the draft age. Such
an attempt, base ball officials say, not
only would be an imposition on the fans.
but would also be more or less Of . Uub-
terfuge in view Of the administration
edict
American League. club owners will
meet in Cleveland Monday al the call
Of President johnson to wind up the
seasons business and discuss the na1ay
financial tangies which will result from
pastime. National League club owners.
a few Of whom are reported as favortng
Efforts to weather the storm, Will meat
in New York Wednesday to. discuss
the situatfon. -
BASE ban a represented by tbs
American League has ac8pt6G Ne
situation without an outward murmur
of protest, but regrets were openly
exprsssed st What was taken ~ an
the issuance of such a drastic order
without any previous intimation of
the governments wishes. It was
pointed out that twice last season the
American League offered to close its
parks IL such action would help in
winning the war, but that the idea
was discouraged.
Settle on Contracts Monday.
Now that the administration wishes
are known, it was said, the club own
ers hasten to comply. Four of the
i've club owners whom President
johnson was able to reach by tele-
graph today favored closing the sea-
son at once Just what will become of
the players and umpires' contracts
will be determined at Cleveland Mon
day. Later an entire reconstruction
of the government and machinery OF
base ball is planned.
while the ruling came out Of
clear sky. 50 far as our knowledge
of the governments wishes was con-
cerned," said President johnson. I'VE
accept the ruling without q protest
II those 255 players affected can per-
form useful and indispensable work
in the remaining three months of the
base bali season. the financial loss re-
sulting to our business Is fnconse-
Quential. We only regret that we
have been placed in the position of
having to close our parks when we
already had offered to do SO. One
word from an authoritative source
would have accomplished the same re-
suit.
Chance to Rehabilitate Base Ball.
Now we will wind up our affairs
as best we may and build for the fu
ture. We will extend every cooper
alton in our power to the government.
This time, while professional base ball
is cast aside for the national emer-
rehabilitate base ball Evils have
crept into the game. Wasteful ex-
travagance on the one hand and lack
Of proper government on the other
have been overlooked in the hurry
and hustle of the times. Major league
Minor leagues must be better super
vised. They have scarcely shown
ability to govern themselves. We will
start at once to formulate plans for
the future-plans which will mini
mfxe the business and emphasize the
support and recreation SO as far as
that is possible.
II think the national emergency ul-
timately will be of good to organized
base ball in giving 1t much-needed
opportunity to clean house in its busi-
ness methods and in the membership
Of some OF its present family"
At the Chicago National League
club headquarters 1t was announced
tonight Cincinnati would play a dou-
ble-header here Monday. The team 10
scheduled to go east Monday night.
but 1t was announced that the trip
had been abandoned.