Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-17
BY the Associated Press.

Chicago Tribune today said
- that Ban Johnson. president
of the American League
openly charged that Base Ball
Commissioner lands was responsible
for tarring the regulations OF ITS
Speaker and Ty Cobb.
breaking a silence that began last
September when directors OF the
American League. meeting in Chicago,
voted TO give unconditional releases to
Cobb and Speaker, President johnson
declared that neither of the two would
ever again manage or play on an
American League Club, although ne
paid a high tribute TO the former De
troit manager,
johnson, the Tribune said, declared
he had accepted the implied chai'
lenge" of Commissioner Lands TO
bare all the facts in the Cobb-Speakef
base bali drama. and would take the
stand next Monday at the speciai
American League meeting called ny
the base ball head. He said his testi-
mony at that meeting would prove the
American League acted to protect
Cobb and Speaker and that Lands,
alone, was to blame for the cloud OF
rumors about their names.
al don't believe Ty Cobb ever played
a dishonest game in his life. john
son said "Tf that's the eXonerauon ne
seeks ! gladly give ii 10 him. But II
is from lands Cobb should demand
an explana ton. The American League
ousted Cobb. but it was Lands who
broadcast the story of his mistakes.
Thinks Cobb Honest.
az love Ty Cobb. I never knew a
finer PLAYER. l don't think he's been
a good manager and l have had to
strap him as father straps an unruly
boy. But I know Ty Cobh's not
crooked player.
1--WE let him go because he had
written a peculiar letter about bet
ting deal that he couldn't explain and
because felt that he had violated a
position Of trust
Iris Speaker is q different type of
fellow. For want of a better word
I'd call Iris cute He knows why he
was forced out Of the managership Of
the Cleveland Club. If he wants me
to tell him I'll meet him in a court Of
Law and tell him the facts under
oath.
The American League is a bust
ness. When our directors found two
employees who they didn't think were
serving them right. they had to let
them 60. Now isn't that enough? As
long as I'm president of the American
League neither one Of them will man.
age or play on our teams.
johnson then told the whole story
OF his investigation of the Cobb and
Speaker case. relating why the sub
stance Of that investigation had been
turned ever to Lands and why the
base ball commissioner did not know
the whole tale.
Ban Employed Detectives.
81 have men working for me, on my
personal pay roll" Johnson said,
whose business If IL to report on the
conduct Of our ball players. We don't
want players betting on horse races
or base ball games while they're play
ing. We don't want players who are
willing TO lay down TO another team
either for friendship or money. That's
why get these reports. I'll @ @
This data belongs to me md not
Il lands. The American League
gave Lands enough to show why
Cobb and Speaker were no longer
10 give him. / have reports on
Speaker whcih Lands will never get
unless we go to court"
Johnson's statement was made after
he had read the summons sent out by
Lands. The commissioner said a
newspaper had printed an interview
with "a leader In base BALI and that
he was calling a meeting to get all
the facts in the Cobb and Speaker
case
Judge lands need not worry over
the correctness of that interview, the
American League prexy said. II made
that statement then, I'm making il
again, and IN make 1t when he calls
me Monday
II only hope he holds an open meet
ing. / want the public TO know what
the American League did and what
Lands did.
Indians Were Tabled.
"I sent a detective to watch the
conduct Of the Cleveland club two
years ago. l learned from him when
and by whom bets were made on horse
races and ball games. ] learned who
was taking the money for the bets. l
learned the names of the bookmakers
who accepted the wagers and how
much the betters made. l was gath
ering evidence.
"Now | watched Ty Cobb, too, ]
watched him not because thought he
was crooked, but because | thought
he was q poor manager. Frequently
/ have called him down.
az gave Ty an interview just before
he went on his hunting trip last Fall.
HE was heartbroken and maintain
ed his innocence in that alleged betting
deal which his letter tells about. /
told him that whether guilty or not
he was through in the American
League l didn't think he had played
fair with his employers, or with me.
''rhe actual facts which caused this
whole explosion came to me early last
Summer.
dutch Leonard had claim
against the Detroit club. He threaten
ed 10 sue for damages. He asserted
that he had sworn statements of five
men stating that Cobb had declared
he would drive Leonard out of base
ball.
Letter Hurt Ty.
"Ty always has been violent in his
likes and dislikes. Those statements
OF his if carried to court would have
been damaging TO the Detroit club
Frank Navin. the owner, also faced
the possibility that should he refuse
10 settle with Leonard the latter
would sell two letters, one, Of course,
was that one written by Cobb and the
other was that letter Of Joe Woods.
Both indicate knowledge on the
part Of the writer's of plan TO bet on
q framed ball game. Cobb denied nc
bet, ana ! don MINK ne olu' bu'
as he couldn't explain the letter salts
factorily 1t was q damaging document
so on that letter alone the Ameri
can League was forced to let Cobb go
Now Speaker was implicated in the
deal by statement of Leonard. Also
had the data of my detectives.
81 called meeting of the director:
of my league. We met September
in a prominent Chicago club. Anc
80