The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-21
IL CLUB LEAGUE
WOULD Be SUCCESS
Returning Baseball Men Say
So, Declaring That They
Mean Business.
NO WAR ON ANYBODY
Bans Five Welcome if They
Want In--Yanks to Stay
at Polo Grounds.
NO WAR ON ANYBODY
ny WILLIAM d. HANNA.

hOiO was iOlilAHB w dA llht dbOuL lAiS
Eastern baseball men who returned yes
terday from the meeting in Chicago
which made epochal baseball history,
but It Is plain to see they were in the
utmost earnest. 1t was plainly to be
seen that they meant everything they
did and said and that they feel they
did good Job and a necessary lob
when they declared the National Com
mission dead and gone and decided TO
create in Its place a Board Of Control
with supreme power.
Also they made 1t clear that they are
not seeking war or talking war. but
that the eight National League clubs
and Now York, Boston and Chicago OF
tho American are fully determined to
band together for a twelve club league
In case Ban Johnson's faction of five
Are not willing to line up with them for
Q new deal and new form OF govern
znent for BASEBALL.
Coils. Rupert and Houston of the
Yankees, Charles Stoneham and John
McGraw Of the Giants. George Grant
Of the Boston Braves and Harry Frazee
of the Boston Red Sox returned in a
party yesterday. They discussed the
Chicago meeting from various aspects.
One OF the results or the meeting and
Its steps, as made known by Col. Rup-
pert, is that In the event of twelve
club league the Yankees will share with
the Giants the Polo Ground as per-
manent home. In the more likely event
Of the reactionary five changing their
tune and falling into line. which would
mean the continuance of two eight club
major leagues. the Yankees are to stay
at the Polo Ground two years. not one
as has been the understanding.
Talk Of twelve club league Is no
H.
said that emphatically yesterday. The
most important move now is to see that
the right men are had for the new
Board of Control" said Col. Huston.
THAT must be done to back up our
course in Chicago. A twelve club is
not only feasible. but will come unless
the five other clubs join with US. and
what's more will be a success.
Conditions which existed twenty-five
years ago when a twelve club organiza-
ton held forth have nothing to do with
conditions to-day. Times have changed !;
conditions have changed. Louisville,
Washington. Baltimore and Cleveland,
when it had population OF only 100000.
were in the circuit then. but to-day we'd
have two clubs in Boston. two in New
York, one In Brooklyn, or maybe two !;
ono In Philadelphia
THAT would give n strong Eastern
circuit Two CluDS III IDlCdRO, On6 III
Pittsburg, one In Cincinnati. one In ST.
Louis and one in some other city would
give a strong Western circuit. Circuit
plans are all tentative, but the question
of circuit and schedule was discussed
from every side In Chicago and every
thing else Of Importance we could think
OF gone over thoroughly before we took
any action. Experts on the subject
such as Barney Dreyfuss said workable
su1Aa dill eli, 10 %Na.
There were experienced baseball men
ut this meeting and they agreed that a
twelve club league would be a success
At first John McGraw didn't think so.
He said there would be two too many
tail enders, but he changed his views on
hearing II discussed and said he thought
It would be go after all. There would
be six second division teams. OF course,
but @ two-part season would give all
better chance"
Col. Huston when asked about what
motive the Johnson five could have had
In staying away from the meeting. re-
piled that maybe they were sore because
The plan didn't originate with Johnson.
il there had been proper tribunal a;
the time. he pointed out. tho Mays case
would have been adjudicated by II with
out a row.
Col. Huston wasn't sure the johnson
fDteTlS WOuiQ Idil III " III LILO OlDtIb, Out
said they could organize a. four or six
club league OF their own. But. he added.
the average amount taken out OF New
York In 1920 by each OF the remaining
seven clubs was $4,000, and as Boston
and Chicago are fair TO middling them
selves at whrring the turnstles he
didn't believe the five would hold out
without thinking It over carefully. If
they were sensible. he said. they'd
come in
Col. Rupert stressed the point that
this was no war on anybody and no
desire to force out Ban Johnson or any
body else. The idea was. he continued.
for Johnson to remain president OF the
American League and John Heydler the
head of tho National.
IF tho five stay put out, however"
COL Rupert went on, "therell be a new
league. We waited year for "a Ma
tional Commission chairman TO be named.
Nothing was done and the National
League demanded that something bs
done. The whole thing Is TO get board
to regulate baseball composed of men
who have no financial interest whatever
IN the game. If Johnson and his clubs
had had a plan we'd have been glad to
hear 1t and to adopt 1t il It were a
better one than ours
''I believe those Iaen who are out will
see II our way. They will be welcome to
join us when they do with johnson re-
naming president OF the American
League. We have no quarrel with
johnson, though Comiskey is very bitter
against him."
Col. Rupert said that when Il is
definitely decided that twelve club cir
cult Is necessary the twelfth city would
be selected. He also said Barney Drey-
fuss was willing 20 let another club 20
into Pittsburg In case II comes TO a
twelve club league. Asked II he had
my definite ideas ms to who he wanted
FOR the Board OF Control, no said no. but
that his partner, Col. Huston. had mem
toned Gov. Smith OF New York The
names of Walter Carter and Arthur
Woods, former Police Commissioner, I'm
pressed him favorably aIso names OF
national note. such as William III. Tat
and Gen. Pcrshing
Charles Stoneham OF the Giants said:
I'VE all tried TO figure out why tho
Johnson fvo didn't attend tho meeting
We put ourselves in their place to gee
what we'd have done under the circum-
stances and we decided we'd have al
tended
III the Ave absentees had attended
and didn't want 10 vote our way, that
would have been all right, and II they
Had had q better plan than ours II would
have been all right. Maybe Johnson
thought we weren't In earnest. Maybt