Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-05
MAYS CASE WILL
BRING ON BITTER.
|. LIZ G AL BATTLE
New York Americans Owners
to Get Injunction Restrain
ing League Head From
Interference.

New York, Aug. 4.-One of the
bitterest internal fights major
league base ball has experienced is
expected to follow the developments
today in the case of Carl Mayes,
New York American league pitcher,
who was indefinitely suspended by
President Ban Johnson of the
American league for refusal to pay
a fine. The Yankee club officials
not only took steps today to begin
injunction proceedings against the
league president to restrain him
from preventing New York using
the player, but also issued state
ment in which it directly charged
that Johnson is interested in the
Cleveland club.
Will Get Injunction.
After conferences today of the
New York owners, Col. Jacob Rup-
pert and Lieutenant Colonel Huston
and their lawyers, it was stated by
Colonel Huston that the prelimi-
nary action would be to get out an
injunction against Johnson and pre-
vent him from interfering with the
New York clubs property rights.
The clubs attorneys also took up
the question of instituting a per-
sonal damage suit againt Johnon
on behalf of Colonies Rupert and
Huston.
Mr.. Johnson would not see press
representatives today, but issued a
statement announcing that the spe
cial meeting of the American league
called for tomorrow had been cam
celed. The New York owners had
informed Johnson that they would
not attend the meeting.
President Johnson declined to
comment on the charge of Colonel
Huston that he was interested in the
Cleveland club.
Would Lower Standard.
In statement asserting that
TO permit the transfer of the player
to one of the contending teams for
the championship would lower the
standard of base ball and place
premium on fragrant violation Of
club discipline" President Johnson
gave his side of the case.
After. detailing the manner in
which Mays left the Boston club
in Chicago during the progress of
a game, Mr.. Johnson said that the
Chicago, Cleveland and New York
clubs Immediately opened negotia
tons to obtain the player. This, he
said, prompted a vigorous protest
from the Washington, St. Louis and
Detroit clubs and later from Phila-
delphia. James Dunn, owner of the
Cleveland club, Immediately with
drew his efforts to obtain Mays as
soon as the argument was presented
to him that for a pennant contender
to obtain the services of the player
would lower the standard of base
ball"
Ten days after Mays left the Bos-
ton club Mr.. Johnson said he wired
Manager Barrow of the Boston club
as follows --=- ri.
-. please explain why Boston club
has neglected to suspend Mays. This
must be done Immediately or Amer
lean league will be forced to take &C
ton"
Sent Message to Rupert.
On the same day he said he sent
the following message to Col. Rup-
pert of the Yankees:
Mays left Boston club without
permission and has made declara-
ton he will not continue in its serv-
ice. This is most fragrant breach
of discipline and should not go I'M
punished. Six clubs have protested
that player should not be permitted
to go elsewhere. To allow this in
cident to go upchallenged will work
endless harm to the American league.
Clubs should stand together and re-
fuse to negotiate for this man"
Il heard nothing more from Coll
onel Rupert and naturally sup
posed he had dropped all negotia-
tons for Mays" Mr.. Johnson's state
ment said. When the announce
ment was made in the newspapers
of July 81, that the player had been
transferred to the New York club,
l was astonished. Immediately I
suspended Mays indefinitely and
wired both the New York and Bos-
ton clubs to that effect.