New Britain herald., 1927-01-22
(BY NEA sERVICE)

Chicago, Jan. 22.-President B. B. Johnson of the American league, for years the dominating figure in baseball, has his back to the wall. On next Monday, at Chicago, con- fronted by Judge Landis and the eight American league magnates, he will make what may prove to be his last stand.
 If Judge Landis gains another signal victory over President John- son, in what might be called the politics of the game, he will have torn from big Ban the last frag- ments of his former power,
 Ban Johnson has made many mis- takes. Big men with the corage of their convictions always do. Johnson has been no exception. Yet. even the severest enemies of the American league president admit that he, more than any other one person, has been responsible for the progress baseball has made and the prestige it has attained as sport.
 It was Ban Johnson who formed the American league to give battle to the well established National. Base ball men ridiculed the idea, said Johnson was a dreamer, argued there was no room for two leagues, and that capital would laugh at the picture Johnson was painting,
 Johnson's dream came true. Since that time he has been the prime mover in most of the reforms that have made baseball. Without doubt he is the outstanding figure in the game. That is admitted by friends and enemies. The latter. however. insist that he is now passe.
 Who is Ban Johnson and how did he come to do these things for base ball? The younger generation of fans may ask.
 Ban Johnson is a big man, figura- lively and literally. He is born fighter. Just past the three score mark, he may lack some of the fire and vigor that characterized his earlier struggles, but the strong chin and determined mouth still suggest the old fighting spirit.
 As sporting editor of the Cincin- natl Commercial-Gazett Ban John son laid the basis of a strong base ball foundation that later was to prove worthwhile. It has endured these many years.
 Nearly 30 years ago. as president of the eastern league, Ban Johnson decided that baseball would be bet ter if there were more competition. He believed a second major league would offer that very thing and thereby stimulate interest.
 For several years he quietly worked on his project, interesting several wealthy men in the venture. which was scoffed at when first brought to the attention of the Ma tional league owners.
 In 1900, the American league was launched. Many of it's players were recruited from the National league. At that time there was salary limit in the National and by offering salaries in advance of the limit, it was possible to wean many stars from the senior organization.
 Two years after starting the American league, Johnson decided to invade New York, dropping Bal timore for that city. In an effort to thwart him, the National league se- cured options on every piece of ground in New York on which it was believed a ball park might be built.
 Finding a spot at 16Sth street which was largely rock Johnson visualized a ball park. It is Q mat ter of record that the original American league park in New York was made by filling in enough dirt to take care of the regulation field.
 This bit of enterprise, breaking into New York and building a ball park when it was believed there was no spot in all New York that hadn't been tied up to prevent the coming of the American league, caused the National to get panicky.
 Peace overtures were offered by the National The two leagues got together and drew up working code known as the National Agree ment, which governed baseball until the coming of Judge Landis.
 Tn 1919, the baseball scandal, in- volving the Chicago Americans, caused the two leagues to do away with the National Commission, a body of three men, and elect Judge Landis as the High Commissioner of Baseball.
 Since that time a constant fued has existed between Johnson and