New-York tribune., 1919-01-27
Mccarthy and
>rannisyala Get
3 Months Ban
Soccer's National Commis+
sion Hands Out Suspen.
sions; fakes Up Neil Case
By c. A. Lovett

suspension for three months from
organized football is the fate which
has been meted ont to Placer James O.
Blannigan and MaAager Henry p. Nc
NarthE, Of the St Louis Screw com.
pany soccer club hy she national COM
MISSION OF the United States Football
ASSOCIATION. Dating from the occasion
OF tAVif JOINT intrAction OF football
,aW the suspensions expire at noon on
March Is
Inc suspensions. announced by ths
commission Yesterday grew out o. an
unusual case. m which footballers Of
tne East were greatly interested. foc
hFennlEan. highly capable player,
r"moted through these parts in ths
hfS' hali OF the current soccer season
on quite mad career.
biahnlgan came Last last fall henr
on Joining his lliteraN side-kicka
Harry Jay Ratican. in the Bethlehens
9.eel array OF national soccer chan<
pions. The early weeks Of the season,
however. found him in the lineup of
the Merchant snip team A, OF Ilafris
SON fenn Merchant Ship released
nm after few weeks On his plea thai
ne wanted to return TO st. Louis Rus
instead OF going to his home Brannis
Ean came TO New York and signed
with the Morse Drydock Football Club,
of Brooklyn.
In early December Brannigan "he
out suddenly for other parts He dii
not take the trouble to notify his ctns
ployers at the drydock. who we're paN4
ing at the rate of something like 81 .e0D
yearly for playing football and dong
d tufh at inspecting rivets' or sonlcs
thlng OF the sort, of his decision IA
seek a change OF scenery He ar4
Peared IN 81. Louis. however, iu md<
December, and, exhibiting "A telecrani
purportlng to release him from 80
Morse prydock Football Club. proceeds
ed TO play IN n 81. Louis Soccer Ieaeu.3
game at Cardinal Field on December -.
Commission Divided
Since he not only was unregisteiod
TOR the s.. Louis Screw Club but also
had not been released by Morse, his
suspension was automatic, as also Wa4
that OF his club manager, who PLAYED
hlm Illegally. The national commits
slon made definite the term of susncn-
sion, majority Of the members Of tha5
Dody nndlng player and manager equals
lV to blame The commission rs mads
up OF the officers Of the governing SOC
Ger body-Prosident Peel. of Chicagos
Nice-Presidents Healy, of Detroits
brown, Of bayonc, and Riley, of Meth
uen, Mass; Honorary Secretary ta-
hill, of New York, and Treasurer Wills
lam 5. Haddock, of Pittsburgh II &
reported on good authority that at
least two members of the commission
favored a suspension OF one year fof
BrannigAn.
The commission just has received
another case Of more than ordinary iu.
terest, for the reason that it involves
a member of the commission, A. n.
brown, Of Bayonne, and Il second m.m-
beE of the United States Football .
ISOLATION Council. William PAtricie.
secretary of the National League.
Patrick, Brown. William Davidson
and ]. Steneer are members Of the
Babcock & Wilcox Soccer Committee.
of Bayonne. Patrick, Davidson and
Stenger are said to have been party
to the playing, Illegally, of one james
Neil, of West New York, N. J., IN I
National League game at Bayonne on
January IL. Two days before a pros
fessional form signed by Neil had heca
sent by the Babcock & Wilcox CLUB
to National Secretary Cahill for rogiss
tration.
Cahill refused to register the playcr
for the reason that he had not beg
officially released from the Standard
Shipbuilding Football Club. for whlca
he signed for the entire 1913 10 seas
son, and notified Secretary Stengcr, q
the "Babs." of this fact warning hlIa
not to play Neil In spite Of tins caa-
tion, Neil was used by the "babs, Bhn
defeated the New York Football Club
3 to / with his aid. Naturally the Aov
York Football Club protested the Famss
the "Babs" conceding the Justice Of tiN
protest and taking quick advantage 2
an Offer from the New York Football
Club to replay the game. Ndw YorS
we'll might have claimed the game. Tie
replay is scheduled for LenoN Oval.
this city, this afternoon.
\ 1t is said Brown opposed the playing
Of Neil but was oyerruled. No onA
on the Babcock & Wilcox committee
seems to want to assume the blame 'oe
having ordered Neil to play, excepting e
Patrick, and the other members Of he
committee refuse TO let HIM shouldae
the entire responsibility. Neil appears
to be the injured innocent party -
the STANDARD Club had disbanded .
November. but failed 10 notify tha
United States Football Association q
release its professional players.
With the Rrannigan-McC casa
as precedent, some one on the Bsb4
cock g. Wilcox Club undoubtedly vii
he punished by the commission. but 5
is likely that Neil viii be restored Q
good standing in organized football -
the commissions findings.