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
7 at Polo Grounds.
by WILLIAM b. HANNA.

Eastern baseball men who returned yes
terday from the meeting In Chicago
which made epochal baseball history,
but II is plain to SEQ they were in the
utmost earnest. It was plainly TO be
seen that they meant everything they
ala and said and that they feel they
did a good job and a necessary lob
when they declared the National Com
mission dead and gone and decided TO
create in its place 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 twelve club league
In case Ban Johnson's faction of five
Are not willing to line up with them for
O new deal and new form of govern
xment 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 OF 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
Jean the continuance of two eight club
ajor leagues. the Yankees are to stay
the Polo Ground two years. not one.
has been the understanding.
Talk of twelve club league Is no
uff. Each OF the returning magnates
lid that emphatically yesterday. The
1ost important move now is to see that
lie right men are had for the new
pard Of Control" said Col. Huston.
That must be done to back up our
eourse in Chicago. A twelve club is
got only feasible. but will come unless
\e five other clubs join with us, and
pts more will be a success.
Conditions which existed twenty-five
RS ago when a twelve club organiza-
IN held forth have nothing to do with
)nditions to-day. Times have changed !;
conditions have changed. Louisville
Washington. Baltimore and Cleveland,
rhen it had a population OF only 200, 900.
we're in the circuit then, but to-day we'd
have two clubs in Boston. two in New
ork, one In Brooklyn, or maybe two !;
lne In Philadelphia
THAT would give a strong Eastern
{circuit. Two clubs In Chicago. one In
I.
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
schedules were simple matter.
s"Tbara oaYnariapCaI hn aaI,a maj
ut this meeting and they agreed that
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 1t discussed and said he thought
It would be a go after all. There would
be six second division teams. OF course,
but two-part season would give all a
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 at
/ the time, he pointed out. the Mays case
would have been adjudicated by IT with
yout a row.
Col Huston wasn't sure the Johnson
coterie would fall In with the others. but
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 whirring the turnstlles 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
fesire 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 the five stay put out, however"
Col. Rupert went on, "therell be n 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 nd 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 It IL It we're
better one than ours.
IT believe those men who are out will
see 1t our way. They will be welcome to
JOhi w nhth tucy oo WIN JOHNSON re-
naming president OF the American
League. We have no quarrel with
johnson. though Comisxey is very bitter
against him"
Col. Rupert said that when It Is
definitely decided that twelve club cir
cult Is necessary the twelfth city would
be selected. He also said Barney Drey-
fuss was willing TO let another club 20
into Pittsburg In case II Gomez to a
twelve club league. Asked IL he had
my definite ideas ms to who he wanted
for tho Board OF Control, he said no but
that his partner Col. Huston lad mem
toned Gov. Smith OF New York The
names of Walter Carter and Arthur
Woods, former Police Commissioner, I'M
pressed him favorably, arb names of
national note, such as william II. Tat
and Gen. Pershing.
Charles Stoneham OF the Giants said:
we all tried TO figure out why tho
Johnson flvo didn't attend the meeting.
We put ourselves in their place to see
what we'd have done under the clrcum-
stances and we decided we'd have al
tended.
III the five absentees had attended
and didn't want TO vote our way, that
would have been all right. and II they
hed had bofter plan than ours IL would
have been PAIL right. Maybe Johnson
f, thought w6 weren't In earnest. Maybe
no thouaht we would or could do moth
fnR. anU that after hanging around two