New-York tribune., 1920-10-21
Anxious Only
ToUplift Game,
Says sRuppert
President of Yankees Denies
Hostility Toward Ban
johnson and Loyal Clubs
By w. O. Mcclellan

New York's little army of baseball
"rebels," as certain parties Of the Lake
regions term them, returned yesterday
from Chicago on the Twentieth Century
Limited with every air both of conf
dcnce and determination. Interviewed
jointly and severally they gave the i'm
preston Of men bent on serious bust
ness, even to the extent of becoming
nasty as buzz saw, if necessary.
Understand" said Colonel Jacob
Rupert, president Of the New York
Yankees and a member of the com
mittee which has in charge the framing
of the new national agreement decided
upon at the big Chicago conference,
"the eleven major league clubs which
have indorsed policy for broader and
better government of the game are
looking for trouble from nobody.
"Nor is there the slightest anmus
toward anybody now associated with
the game in our alignment of the ma
jority Of clubs in the two major leagues
We all hope the FIVE American League
clubs which failed to send representa-
tives to the meeting in Chicago viii
join with US in our plans for the i'm
proVemcnt OF the game.
However," he continued, ~ hope
they will not consider what has been
done in the nature of bluff. If
year a twelve~cub league. Detailed
plans have been indorsed and sub
scribed to by all eleven concerned and
there will be no turning back if it
comes to showdown, which we hope
it will not.
Must Safeguard Game
eve are but anxious" concluded
Colonel Rupert, "to have the welfare
Of the game placed in the hands of
men who, as national figures, will
guarantee to the country at large the
honesty and integrity of a sport whose
fair name had been so suilied by a
few dishonest players"
I'VE have mapped our course" said
Charles A. Stoneham, president of the
Giants, "and are prepared to pursue
our way to the objective regardless of
all obstacles. I feel certain the five
American League clubs dissenting so
far will see the thing in the right
light in time. Those five may be a
majority in the American League, but
certainly not a majority in the major
leagues. Provided all had been on
hand and in opposition the Lasker
plan would still have carried II to S,
more than a two-thirds majority"
Harry H. Frazee, president of the
Boston Red Sox, and George w. Grant.
president of the Boston Braves, sub
scribed heartily to every sentiment
expressed by the spokesman.
1t was pointed out very explicitly by
all who returned from Chicago that
the plans already adopted and others
likely to be adopted were aimed neifh-
er at Ban Johnson nor any of the five
clubs supporting him. meeting is to
be held in Chicago on November 9
next, at which Messrs. johnson and
the 'loyal" five will be welcome to
make any suggestions for the better
ment of the game. 1t is only in the
event of blank refusal in cooperation
of those who have held aloof so far
that the eleven have prepared to go
through with a twelve-club league.
Must Danish "Johnsonism"
1t was pointed out by one of the
returned magnates that the major
leagues had decided to rid themselves
not of Johnson but of Johnsonism.
The president of the American League
is blamed for many of the ills that