New Britain herald., 1927-02-04
BIG UPHEAVAL IN
 AMERICAN LEAGUE.
J0hnSOn'S Retirement Climax to
 Downfall Of Managers

Chicago, Feb. 4 Pl-The greatest
 upheaval in the 27 years existence of the American league swept through the organization this winter. Ban Johnson, the patriarch of the league.
 was placed ''on leave" to recover his health. and the executive authority
 turned over to Frank Navin, league
 vice president and owner of the Detroit club. 1 JohnSon's retirement was the climax to the downfall of a process sion of club managers unprecedent- ed in major league history. Five new pilots will be at the helms this year, the only holdovers being the 1 perennial Connie Mack of the Ath- letics, Bucky Harris with Washing l ton and M Ter Higgins with the Yankees.
 Torn by stories of scandals all 1 winter, the club owners finally man. aged to end the discord and then 1 1 turned to bid against each other for | the services of Ty Cobb and Iris l Speaker the storm centers of one of the chief disputes of the Stove ! 1 league season. Speaker finally chose to sign with Washington, after con- sideriug and rejecting offers from New York and Philadelphia. Cobb | is still d'ckering. with the St. Louis | Browns apparently having the in- side track. The places they vacated as man.
 
 filled by George Moriarty and Jack ! McAllister. Dan Howley succeeded l George Sisler as manager of the St. l Louis Browns. Bill Carrigan, who i led the Boston Red Sox to their l series of successes 10 years ago, was l persuaded to come back and get | | them out of the cellar. Eddie Col l llns gave up the management of l the White Sox to return to his first 1 leader. Connie Mack, and Ray ! Schalk. premier backstop of the l American league, was named man. | ager. I With such a series Of managerial ] appointments, the club owners seemed 10 have little time left to 1 swap and purchase players, but the | | White Sox and Yankees completed | one deal, and the Detroit and st. l Louis clubs made another important | i trade. ] In their first American league | | trade in many years the White Sox | obtained Aaron Ward to fill the sec ond base vacancy, and Detroit got |. 1 Marty McManus, the Browns short i stop. The White Sox also paid one of the top prices of the winter to 1 1 the Toledo association club, s50.0oo l and two players for Shortstop El- ! wood English. ' Outside these few outstanding | deals, the winter player market was
 largely matter of changing trading material or untried players. The
 winning Yankees got some
 pitching talent for their excess in < fielder, Ward, and St. Louis got southpaw and two likely infelders | for it's star shortstop. 1 Eddie Collins return to second base with the Athletics was the out : standing change Mack made for his
 pennant chase. aside from his pro-
 position to Speaker. ! Bill Carrigan was the only man. ager not seeking either Of the two veteran outfleld stars He announced he was building up club Of young stcrs.
 Phil Ball, owner of the St Louis Browns, is the leading bidder for Cobb. The Georgia peach told his friends he wanted to play but one more year in the majors to vindcate both his honesty and ability. and then looked forward to a long rest and tour Of Europe.
 If there is any truth in the old adage that a new broom sweeps clean. the five new broom wieders in the American league this year should create lot of dust from the
 tim" the signal is given April 12.