Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-22
Is YEARS OF BAN JOHNSON
BY John II. Foster.
-rll-Ar.rlean Ieasae s.erms ra..crn s..,nrhol,.

~ FSs hos..lities were not long IN
4 r.artlng after this AH.srtsr2 I
ieagnc. with Ban Johnson re-
~ rs rolthriece. declared Its tn
dependence in the Fail Of 1900
and was ract by a courter attack from
the National League. The report that
the National League planned 10 hacs:
ne. American Association in an CT
fort 80 squeich the rising young Ameri-
can League gave "A big impetus to the
latter organization, II Pat the new
league on lis mett!e Out In Chicago
Charlie ComiskcY growled that he
wo,fid show The National League some
thing Of which Ii never dreamed"
Following the National League meet
ing In November. 1860. III New York. n
meeting OF the American League was
called Before the National iseaguers
had time 10 investigate probable snuyces
0f attack. they heard that the American
League was prospecting Ia Boston where
II had previously voluntarily agreed not
10 establish club,
Flrst. the American League leaders
tried TO get the Charles River PARK In
Boston Arthur Irwin overreach@d HIM
self rs he had before. and lost out.
Then the league tried 10 &C. the park
from The company that owned IL over
TWINS head. and that. TOO. failed
Charlie Somers Did n.
Charles w. somers. vice president Of
the American League. who then WAS
furnishing tunas Tor the leagues future,
sipped into Boston and In one day had
leased II ball ground on Huntington ave-
rue, lie secured II for fave years Then
.he american League declared that nut
laio was olf 81 the circuit and Boston
IN Ihih enfaged the National League.
more than ever. but 10 nn avail
Inc american League sun was with
out ground III Philadelphia, but when
me American Association franchise
mere was awarded 10 The Athletic Club
oI Fhllhheiphia another bull m0o6e
'itofe~"tlle pfea1mahle holders of the
Ahhnciatinh franchise Lost Out, and aa
alr2 ilhd Inc only ground available IN
INC CITY, They immediately leased ii Ia
lhn American League for a period of
ten years.
Favored IN Boston and In phliadel-
phia and without opposition In nalii-
,hpie ana Washington. the American
league whA ready Ia go ahead for the
! .fafA,h 81 1901. aud did Thu lnael,e
| llah hc'h us elrcliit Ia tia East In three
~ tihMp four cltias 10 This dav without
prospect ar indication ol change Nea
YORK later replaced Baltimore Ia the
/ circuit IN the WeAt the league had
| cleveland Chicago. Milwaukee and De~
unit Luxe The East, the Yves, has had
ans substitution 1T. IAnia succeeding
htn"shhst since the Junior ma Tor CTR
cut hhally found itself.
-Four Cities Abandoned.
ban johnson aud his associates held
! = meeting for final reorganization In
January 1901, and the cities Of ikanaas
atgt Indianapolis Minneapolis and
/ bVtelh, which had been Included IN The
! original circuit 0f 1908. were formally
aphhdoned A iensysaf agreement wna
entered Into II also was agreed that
eaeh club should put 81 per cent Of It's
| Et6fh N escrow with President Jnhhaon,
| lonsiheE With an option at uniform
price IN plant and franchise no league
iiase ball
| C0miakeE sand Johnson knhw that n
nsht was looming up In organised haaa