The sun., 1919-10-15
FIGHT ON HERMANN
RESUMED BY BAKER
Starts New Crusade to Remove
Cincinnati Head From
Commission.
by FREDERIoK q. LIEB.

| ~ We DhASns
: Now that the worlds series is over
baseball politics already is nearing the
boiling point. Usually II is customary
for the owners to wait until the end
of the football season before they try to
get on the sport screen. but this fall
there is such a feeling of bitterness be-
tween the rival factions of baseball that
they are ready to spring at one another
at a moments notice.
The fact that ma jor league baseball has
lust gone through an unprecedentedly
prosperous season has augmented rather
than decreased this factional warfare.
Profits have been big and stakes are
high. Clubs are willing to fight harder
and spend money more freely to protect
what they regard their rights than ever
before.
The present fractional fight is really a
continuation of the stormy quarrels OF
last winter when a strong effort was
made by a reform element to strip Ban
Johnson and August Hermann of their
power in baseball. When Hermann
was kept at the head Of the National
Commission last winter through the aid
of Ban johnson, 1t was merely a tenn :.
porary victory.
This winter perhaps the issue Is more
closely defined. and the gulf which exists
between the two American League fac
tons Is far deeper now than 1t was a
year ago. There have been some bitter
feuds in baseball. One of the most bit
ter was the one between Charley Ebbets
and Tom Lynch. when the latter was
president of the National League. Yet
this was tame beside the deep seated
antagonism which now exists between
the Yankee owners and Ban johnson.
New Fight on Hermann.
The National League men who were
$50 anxious to unseat Garry Hermann
as chairman of>the National Commission
a year ago are even more determined
TO GUST Hermann this winter. It has
been proved to them that under no cir
cumstances will Hermann resign. Eff
forts were made to have Hermann re-
sign last winter, but Garry never noticed
them.
When II became certain that Cincin-
natl would be a contender In the 1919
worlds series William Baker, president
Of the Philadelphia club, called on Herr
mann to resign from the commission.
Baker is a member of the National
League committee appointed to recon-
mend a new chairman for the National
Commission.
| Col. Rupert of the Yankees, who is
on the American League committee to
report on a new chairman, also called on
Hermann to resign, suggesting that
John Bruce, secretary of the commission
act as chairman during the worlds
series. Hermann ignored both invita-
lions.
Baker has taken the lead in a move
ment seeking the prompt removal OF
, Hermann and has lined up most of the
| National League club owners in his fight
He also has the sympathy and moral
support of John Heydler, president of the
, National League.
In the American League Rupert has
| fol an ha lnad TIT la Ruht II
mann, but he only has the backing Of
t the Red Sox and White Sox. The other
clubs are sticking to Hermann out of
| loyalty TO Ban Johnson. 1t is the same
, anomaly of last winter a bunch OF
American Leaguers fighting to retain
National Lacquer as chairman OF the
National Commission.
ComIsxey n Fighter.
The Yankee Colonels, Rupert and
| Huston: Comiskey of the White Sox
, and Frszee of the Red Sox also have
: pledged themselves to do all In their
power to get Ban Johnson out, and
failing In that to at least curb his
! power.
Comlskey. the veteran White Sox
owner. was pretty Ill during the worlds
series, but he was about, and reaffirmed
, his former remarks that the time has
come for Johnson to get out of base
[ ball. Comiskey is a hard relentless
! fighter, and once before when he hal
! a historic fight with Ban Johnson. he
: threat tened to break up the league and
, forced Johnson to sue for peace.
Having all my money invested in
baseball. I have no desire to entrust
the welfare of my club to a man whose
baseball investments run into the thou.
sands" remarked ComisRey in Chicago
last week.
| 1t must be admitted that from the
| DraSepf outlook fbara oh
for the triple alliance of the American
; League to get Johnson out. Though
, they represent the three most powerful
and wealthest clubs in the circuit they
are minority, and the other clubs are
: sticking pretty close to Johnson.
The vindictiveness revealed on the
other side Of the fence has been evil
denced by the actions of Frank Navin.
president OF the Detroit club, in doing
! all in his power to embarrass and an
, noy the Yankees. The frs. indication
OF this came last September when he
protested the transfer Of an unplayed
Boston game to New York. Later he
resigned from the joint committee ap-
1 pointed to select a new chairman OF the
National Commission in an effort to
show that the committee had only comic
/ opera powers. Within the last week ne
has held up the worlds series money Of
the New York American players. pro-
testing their right to get third place
money on the grounds that the games
won by Carl Mays enabled them to finish
in this position.
II the fight grows hot enough, It would
not be surprising to see the Yankees.
Red Sox and White Sox bolt the Ameri-
, can League and start a new league.
This possibility has been discussed by
both Yankee owners In fact. Huston
has gone so far as TO suggest that a
more compact league could be built up
I than the present American League cir
cult.
"Of course. we are not contemplating
, such n move unless It would be forced
. upon u.s." said Huston. But this is a
fight without quarter, and there is no
telling where Il will end"