The Washington herald., 1921-12-01
RUTH DECISION MAY BE HELD FOR CONFERENCE
Lands Ruling Not Expected
Til After Leagues Meeting
Sentiment Now Appears to Be With Bambino.
Babe Is Sorry for His Action and Ready
To Take Consequences.

NEW YORK. Nov. sO.-According
TO dispatches from Chicago Judge
henesav Mountain Landis. commits
sioner Of baseball. purposes to hand
down his ruling on the status Of Babe
Ruth. Bob Meusel and Bill Piercy, the
three Yankee players who insisted on
transforming for a week in direct op-
position to the commissioners warn
ing. within the next day or two. 1t is
said that Judge Landis now has be-
lore him all three questionnaires he
mailed the recalcitrants several weeks
ago.
chicago writer's. however. have gone
OK halfcocked as to the Lands deci-
sion too many times already for the
news dispatches to create undue ex-
citement here. Indeed. in well posted
circles, which include National League
influences, there Is a strong belief
that Judge Lands will neither make
nor announce any decision until after
the joint meeting of the tw omajor
leagues that will be held in New York
two weeks hence
None can anticipate the ruling of
the Judge, of course; none will at
tempt to. But il is pointed out that
Judge Lands Is Of a very deliberate
character. Also he is one Of the coun-
try's greatest fans. He would hesi-
tate long to take any action that would
injure the great American summer
game. At the time the Federal League
brought suit to dissolve organized
baseball as a "trust" Judge Lands,
who heard the arguments, reserved his
decision until such time as the warning
factions got together and settled mat
ters out Of court
Sentiment Now with Babe.
Directly following his break with
Judge Lands there was some
what strong sentiment against the
champion slugger of all time. But
even then not half of the country's
fans condemned Bambino. What
condemnation there was arose more
from personal resentment at his
having played for personal gain so
soon after retiring from the world
series because of an infected ell
bow. The sporting world almost
without exception condemned the
rule which appeared to discrimi-
nate against members OF cham
plon teams.
Since he voluntarily gave W his
transforming campaign and apollo
sized publicly to Judge Lands,
Ruth has won back his position in
popular favor where he left of at
the close OF the world series. His
success in vaudeville has even
added to that popularity of the
playing field. The rank and file
which pays the way of baseball Is
very much for the catering Babe"
and this paying public must be
considered.
Students OF the politics of base
hall believe that Commissioner
Lands will consult the wishes of
the club owners before rendering
the verdict. And. they point out.
the great majority of magnates
will not be inclined to injure the
fair name of the sport. II Is real
lied that Ruth's magnetism on the
field has been largely responsible
for the revival of interest in base
ball since the war. and that fam
dom's wishes amount to something.
May Suffer Heavy Fne.
Furthermore, even National
League partisans argue, the sus-
rension of Ruth would be a blow
al Coils. Rupert and Huston, in
nocent parties. Therefore, they ar
que. the discipline is likely to take
the form of a very heavy fine, which
Ruth will be obliged to pay out of
his winter earnings.
Ruth denies that he ever encour-
aged any OF the talk one hears of
a new outlaw league. He says he
is sorry for what he has done and
ready TO take his medicine, what
ever IL may be. Outside of his
original attitude of defiance he has
acted the part OF honor and has
shown sincere interest in the future
OF the game. 1t appears his fault
was due strictly to bad advice.
OF course, Ruth must be pun
shed. He violated discipline. and
baseball could go nowhere without
discipline. Furthermore, there were
many players such as Carl Mays.
wally Schang and Artie Nehf who
cancelled remunerative engagements
order to bow to the ruling of
Judge Lands. 1t would be any
hin gbut fair to these II the Of
tenders were whitewashed.