The Washington herald., 1920-11-09
National and Three Amer-
can League Teams Adopt
Lasker Plan.
JUDGE lands IS HEAD
Clark Griffith Supports Ban
Johnson Stand in
Fight.


the two major league baseball
leagues became a reality tonight
when the Lasker plan to reorganize
baseball. placing it under the con-
troll of a civilian commission Of
three, was adopted by the eight
clubs of the National League and
their three American League sup
porters-
Ban johnson. president OF the
American League. and the hVe
loyal" clubs who upheld him in
opposing the Lasker plan. were left
out of the reorganization, following
their nrm refusal to meet with
their opponents.
Meaas Biggest Rift I'm History.
Failure OF the two factions to
come to an agreement means that
baseball in the major leagues faces
the biggest rift in it's history.
The National Leaguers and their
three American League supporters
will proceed with their plans to
form a twelve-club league. With
eleven clubs already in the new or
ganization, there is one vacancy to
be hlled- Baltimore is an applicant
for the place. II was made plain
tonight, however. that no minor
league territory would be invaded
in picking the twelfth club.
Representatives OF the eleven clubs
tonight unanimously named Federal
Judge K N. Lands, of Chicago, as
chairman of the new board of con-
troll His salary was fixed at $50, 900
year. He was notified of his ap-
pointment and took the matter un-
der advisement-
Await Judge Landis' Reply.
The second member of the board
will not be named until Judge
lands gives his answer This
member will be named by the same
men who chose Lands. The third
member of the board will be chosen
by representatives of the minor
leagues, If they wish to name him.
Clark Griffith. president of the
Washington Club. was a member of
the loyal five who supported Ban
johnson to the end in his opposi-
tion to the Lasker plan. Griffith
was the chief spokesman for the
American League in its parleys with
the opposition faction in the Con-
gress Hotel during the day. He was
firm in his declaration that the
American League was anxious for a
reorganization in baseball. but
would under no circumstances
countenance the Lasker plan. He
was told that there could be no
agreement that did not include that
plan.
Majority Sends UItimatum.
As result of the conferences an
ultimatum was sent to johnson and
his supporters at 2:30 this after
noon. giving them until o'clock to
agree to terms. Johnson declined
johnson and his men held an all
day session in the same hotel
where the others were meeting.
Emissaries were sent back and
forth repeatedly throu ghout the day
but they failed to bring about har-
mony.
In addition to the Washington
club the other club now remain
ing in the American League are
Cleveland. Detroit, st. Louis and
Philadelphia.
The American League, faced by
the naTa4aifU nf oh
to its organization, planned to place
one each in Chicago, Boston and
New York. These are the three
cities in which the club owners who
endorsed the Lasker plan are To-
Gated. Funds for the promotion of
these clubs have been guaranteed
by the loyal American Learuers.
IL was declared.
A ID. Lasker, father of the Las
ker plan, was all smiles tonight.
II was he who announced to wait
ing newspapermen that his plan
had been adopted by the eight Ma
tional League clubs and the Chi
cago White Sox, and the New York
Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
This war move means that Chi
eago will have two clubs in the
twelve-club league. the White sox
and the Cubs New York will have
two clubs and so will Boston.
Representatives Of the new league
left tonight for Kansas City, where
the National Association of Minor
Leagues meets tomorrow to present
the proposition to them. A COM
mittee from the Johnson forces also
left for Kansas City.
The Lasker plan was first ad-
vanced two months ago when the
Cook County grand jury started its
Investigations into crooked baseball
playing and indicted eight white
Sox players and some former play
ers and others who are accused Of !
hxing games for the benefit of !
a gamblers syndicate.
Plan to Ban Gambling. 1
Lasker and his associates hold
that this plan will do away with
baseball gambling and keep the
sport clean in the future. Ban
Johnson never approved the plan. 4
others did so immediateIy.-T The big !
feature of the Lasker plan is the
OF a board of con-
troll whose members are in no way \
Interested in any. of the clubs. Judge
Landis has been spoken of as a
member OF the board since the plan
was first announced.
Others who have been mentione,l
rs possible members Of the boar 1
are Gen Pershing. W. G. McAdoo.
william Howard Taft and other men
n infernaff0ual ren,,f.tt.. A