The Washington times., 1921-04-12
By SID MERCER.

clslon OF some sort IN the case of
]. Franklin Baker probably will be
rendered this week by Judge
Landis. Those who know the
judge best anticipate that he will
make an example" of Baker,
whose offense is that he mingled
with ineligible players last season
when he played Independent ball
after retiring from the American
League with the consent of the
owners of the local club.
Baker rejoined the Yankees last
Saturday in Brooklyn and was in uni
form again yesterday. but there is no
possibility of him playing until Judge
Landis renders an official opinion on
his eligibility. He isn't needed badly,
and If he were Manager Huggins
would not risk a controversy with the
baseball commissioner by playing him
even in the exhibition games.
While the owners of the Yankees
feel that a suspension of Baker will
be an injustice, they will bow to any
ruling that Judge Lands may make.
They helped to put him in office. ami
they are with him, right or wrong.
They feel that perhaps the judge may
not know all the extenuating circum-
stances in Bakers case, but they will
not argue after the decision is mad.
Baker feels that he is the victim os
circumstances. His record as a player
is clean and his relations with en-
ployers pleasant. His retirement last
year was caused by the death of his
wife and the fact that he did not want
to leave his motherless children. The
club officials respected his decision,
and he was placed on the voluntary
retired list without prejudice. At no
time was he ineligible to play.
PLAYED TWICE WEEKLY.
Later in the season he appeared
twice week with an Independent
team in Maryland. In these games
he sometimes played against men who !
had jumped contracts and reserve :
clauses in organized baseball. When !
he came back to the Yanks this |
spring somebody complained, and |
Judge Lands wrote Baker asking |
him to detail his activities last sum-
mer and name the ineligible players |
he performed against.
The New York club took up the |
case with Judge Lands, and 1t has
been the subject of protracted cor
respendence. Baker said he could |
not give the information Judge Ian !,
dis asked for as he doesn't RENE nber
many of the players he met last sum-
mer or what their status is in or |
ganized baseball. Furthermore, he
feels keenly the humiliation Of being
placed in a false light at time when
many big league players are under
fire. He imagines the general public
in some way connects him with the
scandalous proceedings.
And so he is prepared to go back to
the farm II Judge Lands imposes
any severe conditions in exchange for
a fresh passport to the American
League. In the meanwhile, J.
Franklin has prepared himself on
the field and was participating in
exhibition games up to ten days ago,
WOULD NOT BE IN.
Even IL he were eligible now he
would not be in the Yankee lineup
Mt the beginning OF the season.
Ward is going so well at third base
that Baker will start the campaign
as a bench-warmer even IL he gets a
favorable decision from Judge Landis.
The Judge, 1t is believed, viii be i'm
pressed by the opinions Of many club
owners who take the attitude that no
exceptions should be made in the war
on contract jumpers. Several players
have been barred and Lands has been
told by some well-known advisers that
he should make no exception when he |
goes into the high places and stalks |
big game.
Nevertheless, a ruling that declares
Baker Ineligible will be a miscarriage
OF justice.
If Judge Lsndis is looking for big
game. why not settle the Herzog
ease?