Evening star., 1920-01-11
BASE BALL FACING
:. A CRUCIAL PERIOD
Fans Hopeful Crisis in Its A.
fairs May Be Passed Within
the Next Month.
GUARDIANSHIP A FACTOR
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

organized base bail now is facing
one of the most momentous periods in
it's history. Within the next month
questions of grave import to it's well
fare must be settled if plans for
what is expected to be the most
prosperous year it has yet experienced
are to be perfected in time for the
ef,fing training trips. wlich inau-
eurate active work on the diamond.
There is no question but that the
FliVe 10 the menace in the unsettled
state of affairs existing in the
pastime and it is assured herculean
efforts will be made to unravel all
.Snarl3. legal and otherwise. 1t is
task of mammoth proportions. but
the great mass of fans. who care little
or nothing about base ball politics or
finances are looking forward confl-
6ently to the next four weeks, nope
full that by the expiration of this time
all difficulties will ironed out at the
quartet of meetings to be held in Chi
Cago. These are the separate sessions
of the American and National leagues.
en- February 10: a joint meeting the
following day and then the gathering
>of the nagnates of both organizations
with a committee from the minors to
discuss the framing of a new national
agreement.
Peace Dove FIuttering Again.
- 1nlS IOur-Week peTiOu Is eApeCieu
to produce the crisis in the fight be-
tween the factions of the American
League. OF late there has been lull
in the cannonading along all sectors.
snd. although the New York owners
declare there is to be no let-up II
the attack on Ban johnson, the pro
kpective passing of Garry Herman
as national commission head is bein
hailed as the forerunner of true
S.befween the embattled cliques. 1t is
pointed out that with Hermann out
Johnson's power and influence in the
councils of the game will be greatly
diminished. and that is just what the
Chicago, New York and Boston clubs
have been contending for.
The selection of successor to
Hermann in itself constitutes prob
lem of the utmost Importance to base
ball and is fraught with possibilities
for pickering and contention. Re
gard1esS of whether it is deemed ad-
} visable to change the personnel of the
commission to include representatives
of the minor leagues and the players
themselves. a merry battle is in pros
pect before a man adjudged qualified
for the eXacting duties of the posi-
tion can be agreed upon. although
there is no dearth of candidates for
the post.
who now are headed for some obscure
place in Louisiana to hunt and fish in
addition to framing tentative schedules
for the penhant race. are expected to
get their heads together and decide the
amount of salary and term of office
that can be offered to whoever may
be profered the position. Upon reach
ing decision johnson is expected to
enable the joint committee appointed
to pick new chairman to function by
naming some one in place Of Owner
Navin of Detroit, who resigned, to act
with himself and Col fhc
present American League members of
the joint committee, and President
Heydier, Veeck of Chicago and Baker
OF Philadelphia. the National League
members.
Flock Of HATS In the Ring.
In addition to Bob Young of this
city. one of the most recent to be
placed in nomination, there are upward
OF dozen who have been mentioned
and the next Week or two may be ex-
pected to see the hats of several others
shied into the ring. Another of the
late entries is Henry T. Killilea, a
prominent attorney of Milwaukee. who
has been associated with base bail for
years, dating from the time johnson
organized the American League, and
VINO IS, or was, close friend of Presi-
dent Comiskey oT the White Sox and
former Owner Charley somers of
Cleveland. Killilea is regarded as
Johnson's candidate. This may not
help him much il he is ambitious to
land the job.
The two most prominently spoken
OF IN connection with the position
Bill Ed~a ards of New York. The for
mer is said to be Weeks choice,
While the latter is favored by Baker
Both are regarded as we'll equipped
for the post. Others mentioned as
possibilities to fill Garry Herrmann's
shoes are State Senator Walker of
New York. who fathered the Sunday
base ball bill in the Empire state,
ana John Conway Toole. an attorney
who has at times acted as legal ad--
others are John B. Foster. former
secretary of the Giants: John Far
reli. secretary of the National AS
sociation of Minor Leagues, and T. w.
Davis of Philadelphia.
Many Think Grf6 Lost.
Judged by comment appearing in
various out-of-town newspapers, a
large ma sority of base ball writers
are of the opinion that Clark Griffith
was bested by Ed Barrow in the swap
of Foster, Harper aAd Menosky for
Roth and Shannon. Opinions vary
from statements that the Red Sox
got a shade the better of it to as
sertions that Griffith was badly horn
swoggled. A sample of the latter
brand has been set forth in Phila-
delphia daily by scribe, who says
that Roth looks good only in the av-
erages. and cites the fact that in his
short career he has failed to make
good with four clubs. The ', lite Sox,
Indians. Athletics and Red Sox have
passed him along. He asks: What
is the reason that a hard hitting out
feeder like Roth. who looks 80 i'm
pressivc in the averages. never lasts
long with a club"
In regard to Shannon. read this
cheerful summing up of his ability:
Shannon is a bright young man.
but totally impossible as an inielder
because he hasn't the knack of ham
ding ground balls. Helis very apt
to put an infield and pitcher and even
: the whole team up in the air by SLOW
emily defense around the keystone. He
might do better in the outfield. but
as second baseman he is totally de-
ficient. Nobody knows this better
than those who saw him perform dur
ing his tenancy at Shibe Park.
To offset this, here is what another
critic, also a Philadelphia. has to say
about the trade:
I'm our opinion Washington gets a
bit the best of the deal-aIwaVS urO-