The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-02
Millions of Fans Pour Through Gates of Major League Parks During Past
 Season
By IRWIN NJ. HOWE

In the year just closed, base ball reached the highest tide of prosperity it has known since it became the leading outdoor sport of the country, nearly fifty years ago.
 There have been years in which a greater number op professional leagues and clubs completed and there have been other years in which there were more close contests for pennants than was the case in 1920, but never before in one season did so many millions of fans watch the games, or pour such a golden flood into the pockets of the pro- motors.
 The increase in paid admissions p the two major leagues alone was more than two millions, while individual clubs among the minors counted their gains by tens of thousands.
 This year was sensational in other re- spects than ip the mere increase in jn- terest and the amount of the cash re- ceipts. Now records, which will be re- ferred to later were established in sew eral departments of play and for the first time in more than 10 years open dishonesty was discovered, involving players in several leagues. The manner
 in which the guilty persons concerned were dismissed and their further prose- cution and punishment promised is a matter of common knowledge.
 REORGANIZATION
 The reorganization of the government of professional baseball, the great need of which has been evident in recent years, was hastened by the explosion which came at the close of the majo- league season. In the reorganization. the office of first commissioner was ere ated A part of the duties of the holder of that office is to feret out and punish all who are guilty of practices that are detrimental to the good name of base ball. In the appointment of Judge Ken nesaw NJ Landis to the office of first commissioner a unanimous appointment by all the owners and promoters of base ball in the country, fans have been as- sured that unrelenting war will be made on all kinds of crooks who may here after attempt to discredit the lone squars professional sport" Judge Landis Is dis tinguished not only for his learning bu' also for the terror that his name 'n- spires among evildoers who come within his jurisdiction.
 RACE CLOSE IN AMERICAN In the American league the pennan' race was so close it was difficult to de ternine the winner until the last days of the season.
 With Chicago and New York on the heels of the Cleveland team, baseball | fans were treated to a marathon which | has not been equalled in several years By a display of magnificent spirit the Cleveland Indians won the first pen nant in the history of the Ohio metrop- ! oils. In justice to the other contend | CTS, it must be said that the victory of the Tribe was partially due to the disastrous disruption of the Chicago White Sox and to temporary inju y ! to Bob Shawkey, ace of the Yankee pitching corps and leading twirler oi | the league. The deplorable accident IT New York that resulted in theNdeath of Ray Chapman tore great hole In the Cleveland team, and with less cour- lageous and resourcefut pilot than Man ager Iris Speaker at the helm, the final victory would probably have been cele- brated in another city. Encouraged by the triumph in their own league, the Indians kept right on and defeated Brooklyn for the championship of the world in handy fashion.
 | Starting early in the season, Iris Speakers athletes assumed first place and though occasionally dislodged by New York or Chicago, they stuck tena- ciously in the vicinity of the top .une until the finish. The Yankees did not lgreatly interfere with Cleveland turing the last half of the season, tholgr | they were a considerable menace earli CT in the race. The Chicago team, how. ever continued obstinately to dsput,
 the leadership until late in September when the confession by several mem bers of that team that they were guilty of throwing the 1919 world series tc Cincinnati, caused President Comiskey to suspend indefinitely seven players This act assured the pennant to Cleve Hand. S ,s
 CHAPMAN'S DEATH
 Shortstop Ray Chapman of Cleveland Twas killed by a pitched ball on Angus t16 in a game at New York. Next tt Manager Speaker, ChapmIn was tn, I leading player of the team. and for
 few days it seemed that this unlooket
 for catastrophe had wrecked the tear
 for the year. It took Speaker about l
 days to get his men together again
 during which they lost seven out O
 nine games. However, beginning Au
 gust 27. they started again, and main
 tained their victorious stride to the end LPitcher Walter Nails, obtained from tn Pacific Coast league at this time, woi | six straight games, holding the ia nous sluggers of various teams to fey hits and fewer runs. He is entitled t
 much credit for the Cleveland victory
 as he also twirled remarkably well i
 the series with Brooklyn.
 The American league victory in tn
 world series was featured by two un I usual plays. Both occurred in the lift
 game played in Cleveland Second Base man WambSganss took a line drive fror the bat of Pitcher Mitchell in the lift inning with two Brooklyn runners in tn paths. Stepping on second base, he ne,
 touched Catcher Miller coming dow from first who had not yet had time | stop running. This was the first trip play ever made in a worlds series an