The New York herald., 1921-12-06
YANKEES HIT HARD
BY LANDIS VERDICT
Must Get Two New Outfielders
to Open Defence of
Flag.
BABE GOT IL BY MAY 20
Meusel Got Four Homers by
That Date During Recent
Season.
BABE GOT 12 BY MAY 20
BY DANIEL.

BY DANIEL.
New York was too busy gasping over
the suspension of Babe Ruth, Bob
Meusel and Bill Piercy yesterday tc give
calm thought to the verdict and the is
sues involved. In the freshness Of the
blow there was strong tendency to
take an alarmist view Of the situation.
There were many who believed that
Judge Lands had done nothing less than
assess the Yankees one perfectly good
pennant-that after the fans had been
lulled into the belief by repeated delays
in announcing his verdict that he
would allow the thing to blow over and
then fine each his total earnings on
the transforming tour which brought
on all the trouble.
However. there 10 no question that the
decision is a just one-even q ligat one
1t is no sesret that the owners of the
Yankees feared that Ruth would be sus-
pended for the greater part of the sea-
son--if not for all of 1t. II they remain
silent they probably do SO not from
chagrin but elation. Ruth. Meusel and
Plercy got an easy sentence.
Big Loss I'm Money,
The Yankees will be hit hard by the
loss Of the two outfielders. but thar need
not OF necessity prove fatal to their
chances. The decision II q very drastic
one In so far as the other players--the
club itself and the owners-ars con-
cerned. The loss in money cannot be
computed at this time.
AS we read the decision Ruth and his
cooffenders are barred not only from
the league championship games up to
May 20 but from all other contests in
which the Yankees may engage. This
means that the Yankees will be minus
their big drawing cards when they play
through the South and at Ebbets Field
Sn the spring.
The loss will be big. but the owners
or the Yankees are morally responsible
for the baseball doings of their pla, ers
from the beginning Of one season TO the
start Of another. The players are sup
posed to be under their control, In so far
as baseball is concerned, for twelve
months year and IL the stars get out
or hand the club must suffer the corse-
quences It is the penalty Of having
luminaries who believe themselves to be
bigger than baseball itself.
Ruth. Meusel and Piercy were warned
sufficiently. They were warned the
morning after the world series when
they got together in the clubhouse of the
Yankees at the Polo Grounds. We were
there when Judge Landis sent UP stack
OF letters-one to each player-for which
he had to sign G receipt.
Disregarded the Warming.
Ruth got mis- and signed for it-and
~ informed him that IN u a ~ to MI ~
any baseball for chc rest of the year
But he disregarded advice and warn
ings-and carried Neusel and Piercy
along with him. Wallie Schang and
Carl Mays, who also were supposed to
20 on the tour, informed the promoter
that morning that they would not CO.
"If the Judge says no., it's no. f"
laughed Mays as he left the park. He
had the good sense to recognize author
ity when he saw 1t. George Kelly had a
fine offer from the Winter League in
California--but he did not even con-
slider 1t.
The suspension Of Ruth and Meusel
means that Miller Huggins will have to
provide himself with two new outfeld-
crs to start the season. The loss OF
Piercy is negligible. As tip top ONT
felders cannot be pircked even with the
lire Of a big bank roll It becomes evi-
dent that the job before Huggins is more
than a hard one.
Huggins has Elmer Miller, the centre
felder-then he has Hawks, Fewster.
Connolly, who has been recalled. and a
couple of other mirror leaguers. Out
OF this bunch Miller looks good Few
ster may be able to go to May 90 at
top speed. The best prospect in the
rlnors is Jacobson OF the Baltimore
Club and 1t may be that Jack Dunn will
listen to the sweet music OF the Rup-
pert-Eluston excheqrer. There are a.
few veterans In the minors who might
be able to I'LL the bill for month.
what They Did Last May.
just how much the loss OF Ruth ana
Neusel may mean may be apprecin ted
from their performances up to MAY go
last season. On that date Ruth had hit
il home runs. He had got 81 hits, for
nn average OF 1878. and had ecored "a
runs.
Meusel had got homers--31 hits In
al. for an average of .2S4 and had
scored II runs. The pair had been re-
sponsible for quite n number of victo-
ries, and with all that, the Yankees we're
trailing the Clevelands by two runs.
Their standing was: Won. 16: lost H.
The suspension order means that Ruth
will not break his home run record next
ecason. He hit fifty-nine this year. and
with at least thirty-cight days Topped
off his season he will be lucky II he hits
forty. The early season daye. when the
pitchers are just beginning to find their
form, are the golden days for the slug
gers.
The decision Is going TO hovc
tremendous effect on baseball---an IN
flifence for great good The pruycrs
non are served ,ottb notice that the
greatest IS only q COG IN the machine
that orders arc orders, aud that
tohdt the Commissioner says goes.
The club oDaers are served tcitb no
tice that no consideration Of money
loas tciit swerve Judge lands IN hts
decisions. He plays no fuuorttcs.