Norwich bulletin., 1920-11-09

factions, the clubs backing Johnson pre-
 viously having countered with a propos-
 tion that each league appoint a commit
 tee of three to confer with a like com
 mittee from the minor leagues.
 The eleven clubs refused to change
 from the original stand and when their
 final ultimatum, issued at ? ?. m. today,
 was not answered, went ahead with
 their plans.
 Lack of chairman for the national
 commission for many months, the base
 ball scandal and the enmity of the three
 American League clubs for Ban John
 son were contributory causes to the for
 nation of the league. The clubs joining
 in the plan have opposed Johnson in
 league affairs for years. and snearly dis
 rupted the league last year They charged Johnson with being the "czar
 of baseball while the clubs friendly to
 the American league president countered
 with charges that. the proposed reorgan-
 ized was merely plan to depose John
 son.
 The following statement was issued by
 the eleven club owners forming the new
 league:
 "To the American public: The eleven. clubs which were signatory to the reso- lutions adopted at meeting in Chicago on October IS met according. to the call of the resolutions this morning. MT. y, George W. Miller, representing the d- rectors of the American League ad- dressed the meeting stating that the five dissenting American League. clubs would not attend a joint session of club owners where majority rule in interclub affairs would prevail.
 They proposed that the five dissenting. clubs appoint a committee of three to
 meet with a like committee to represent the National League for the purpose of subsequently, meeting a committee of three from the minor leagues to draft a plan for the reorganization of baseball These eleven signatory owners stood on the fundamental principle that under the old system of interleague affairs, be- ing controlled by league votes, selfish | ness and politics had crept into the game resulting in scandals on the playing field and that in all matters that were not strictly league affairs, clubs should vote individually so that their responsi- bilites to their constituents and their To- cal public could be marked.
 For several hours the eleven club 1 owners pleaded with Messrs. Griffith and Miller to bring the other four members lwho were holding out into the meeting lit was made plain that the whole ob- i ject of the joint meeting of owners was l that baseball be reconstructed on such 1 a high plane as to merit public confi- I dence and that control of baseball be reconstructed on such a high plane as 1 to merit public confidence and that con- ] trol of baseball be established of men of such calibre as to command public re- l spect.
 l Tt was emphasized that each club would have one vote and that the sug- gestions of each club would be fully con- sidered. It wa sfelt by the eleven own CTS that so long as the leagues voted as leagues, the selfish interests of each league would be paramount in inter league affairs and that it was only by unselfshness in interleague aaffirs, with no advantage to any league or club, that the control of baseball could be put on an altruistic and impartial basis. "The five dissenting clubs were given until four o'clock to appear in the meet | ing, but failing to be present, the eleven signatories proceeded with the formation 1 of twelve club league, as provided by l the resolutions of October 1S.- This l league will be known as the New Ma 1 tional League and John A. Heydler will continue as president. secretary and l treasurer.
 1 The teams comprising the league are l the Boston Braves the Boston Red Sox, Brooklyn, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Chi cago White Sox, New York Giants New 1 York Yankees, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, i St. Louis.
 Tt was agreed that the twelfth club l should be the. first of the five dissenting ] American League clubs who would apply for membership. Failing to receive such i application within a reasonable time, a twelfth club is to be established by the new National League and it is not the | intention that minor league territory be 1 invaded.
 The meeting then proceeded to reaf- l firm it's acceptance of the Lasker plan of baseball reorganization, which, with slight notifications, was formally adopt l ed, the chief notifications being that the minor leagues should be requested and permitted to choose an associate member of the board of conrol.
 l Honorable Kenesaw Mountain Landis, | judge of the district court of the United States for Chicago was unanimously l rendered the position of chairman of the board of control for a term of seven years at an annual salary of $50,000. A i committee waited upon Judge Landis to tender him the position which tender, af- i ter an extensive discussion with Judge Landis, he now has under consideration The Lasker plan provides for the ap-
 pointment of two associate members of
 the board of control, neither of which 1 was elected A committee from the
 meeting has gone to Kansas City to H-n-
 1 der the minors an opportunity to e:ect
 la candidate of their own choost~~ s1s as
 sociate member for the six year Jerr.,
 The third member, whose term will ~. | five years, was not chosen pending Judst
 Landis' acceptance of the chairmanshil
 of the board of control