Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11
Speaker, Evans Deny Receiving
Offers of Cleveland Club Jobs

RumorS, apparently origin ting In
the Western section of the American
League and spreading to the Fast
Yesterday to the effect that Iris
Speaker. centerfielder of the Nation
ais. and Bill Evans, Junior ma jor
circuit umpire. will get important
posts with the Cleveland Indians wher
the ownership of this club is trans
ferred from Mrs. James c. Dunn tc
a Cleveland syndicate, are not con
frmed by these men.
One dispatch from the West said
that Speaker would be made presi-
dent and Evans manager OF the
Indians, while another dispatch had
the player assuming the management
and the umpire the presidency.
Speaker declared emphatically that
it was all news to him. Il know
nothing more of this matter than
what | have read in the newspapers,
said the veteran outfielder when tele-
phoned at his apartment. was in
terested in the purchase of the
Indians earlier this season. but could
not make deal and since then | have
in no way been connected with the
affair. l have not been approached
with any offer either of the presi-
uCUtS vi cillSill VI lLe CIup
Evans. who is working in the series
here. also denied that any Offer of q
post had been made to him. "Why
they are picking me as next head OF
the Cleveland club do no know,
Evans remarked in the umpireS' room
at the ball park after yesterday
game. mo one with any authority
that | know of has spoken to me
about the job and ! certainly have
not asked for such a position. My
work as umpire keeps me so busy
am not putting other irons into the
fire"
So far as known Evans could readily
give up his position with the Ameri
can League umpires' staff without en-
countering any difficulty concerning
a contract, hut Speaker could not stel
out of his job with the Washington
Club without first getting the consent
of the loca' club ownership and al
other clubs in the two major leagues
However. should Speaker. who has
only a contract for this season witt
the Nationals. have an opportunity tf
procure managerial or executive
position with some other club al
teChnicalities of the reserve clause III
his contract probably would be waived
That r.. G.. Barnard. present head o.
Indians, will succeed Ban johnson
when the latter retires from the presi'
dency of the American League has
been an-~open secret for some time
Barnards name as the next president
of the junior major circuit was freely
mentioned last Winter when johnson
came TO grips with Commissioner
Lands during the controversy raging
about the Cobb-Speaker case. His
fellow executives in the American
League consider Barnard thoroughly
versed in the business end of tht
game, and it has been limited that the
American League magnates virtual,
settled upon him as Johns1n success
sor when Ban rendered his resignation
to them at the meeting held In New
York last July.
That the Cleveland club will bt
transferred from Mrs. Dunn TO new
owners within 60 days also Is generally
understood i'm big league circles. Mrs
Dunn, who maintains homes in Cleve-
land and Chicago. is anxious to re
move to California. but wants to dis
pose of all her holdings in the Indians
beforehand. For a time it was
thought that Harry FraZee, former
owner of the Red SoX, might return
to base ball as owner Of the Tribe
but lately the bidding for the club ap-
pears to have narrowed to two syndi
Gates headed by prominent Cleveland
business men. Latest reports indi