Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29
BARNARD, JOHNSON
POWERFUL FORCES
Dead Presidents Had Maus
American League Strong
Organization.
BY CHARLES DUNKLEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

OdSc pal GREATEST leaQeTS,
~ Byron Bancroft Johnson
and Ernest Sargent Barn
ard, have marched on to etera~
ity within less than 16 hours OF
each other.
The end of the trail came at
last for these powerful forces Of
the American League by a drarl.
attic coincidence between the
hours of darkness last night and
shortly after dawn today.
Barnard, president Of the league,
succumbed Unexpectedly at 4:50 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon In a hospital at
Rochester. Mimi; Johnson. founder ct
the organization, passed on at $40 am.
in st. Louis hospital today jllst a.
newsboys in st. Louis shouted news Of
the death of the man who had succeed
ed him as president Of the American
League.
Base ball was stunned and saddened
by Barnard's death, which was SO sud-
den that few Of his intimate friends
even knew he was Ill; base ball was
saddened, but not shocked, by Johnson's
passing, as Johnson, the storm center
Of base ball since its elevation to the
realm Of big business, had been at
deaths door for almost year.
The deaths left the American League
club owners not only shocked and daZed,
but also robbed them, with two quick
strokes, Of the only two leaders they
have ever known-Johnson, founder OF
the league, and Barnard, the president.
No Guess as to Successor.
Tonight not one Of the club owners
would even hazard a guess as to who
the new chief of the younger major
league circuit would be, although specu-
lation ranged the nominations from
Frank J. Navin, president of the Detroit
club and present vice president of the
league; Connie Mack, 68-year- man
ager Of the Philadelphia Athletics; Billy
Evans. general manager Of Barnard's
old club, the Cleveland Indians, and
Joseph Carr, an official of the Columbus
club Of the American Association.
Also included in the list of presiden-
tial possibilities was John Edward Wray,
sports editor Of the st. Louis POST
Dispatch and longtime friend of
Johnsons.
Nothing, however, win be done over
the task Of choosing a successor until
after Barnard's funeral at Cleveland
Tuesday at IL am, when the club
owners may hold an impromptu con-
ference to arrange a date for q formal
meeting to select the new leader.
OF Different Types.
Barnard. who was Sc years old, and
Johnson, who was 81, were as different
IN their characteristics as they were in
their opinions. Barnard was g quiet.
unaSsuming diplomat. but firm in his
convictions, while johnson was q fiery.
explosive leader, who for ~ years was
the GEAR" of the American League,
ruling 1t with an iron hand.
Johnson YVES the builder of base
Dali, taking it from its cradle DAYS.
He net only brought it to its great
est popularity, but to its biggest
financial aspect as well. He left be-
nlnd him many contributions to the
sport, among them the world series.
which he originated. He was the one
to conceive the idea of massive stadia.
and to raise finances to construct
them.
Under Johnscn's leadership. the
value of franchise in the American
League arose from something like $780,
600 to more than 81 900, 900, and In this
surprising growth Johnson, as one of
the three members of the National
Base Ball Commission, was the donni.
mating power.
At the time the club owners of the
american League virtually ouSted him
from ONCE IN 1927. after his explosive
quarrels with KeneSaw Mountain Lam
dis, commissioner of base ball, John.
son refused $4,000 when his resigna-
ton was demanded. The club owners
had proposed to pay him SO, 900 for
eight yearS-the duration Of his term
as president, but johnson spurned It.
Johnsons fiery crusade against the
Natlona! and Federal Leagues were
overshadcWed by his personal uuarrels
with Charles A. ComiSkey owner of the
Chicago White Sox, the man who had
put him into the game, and still later
by his outburst against Lands, the man
who had succeeded him as car OF base
ball, following the crooked world series
between the White Sox and Cincinnati
in 1919.
JOhnSOn's Funeral Wednesday.
By the Associated Press
ut. LOUIS, March 26.-The body
of Byron Bancroft johnson,
founder Of the American League,
and its president for ~ years,
lay in state here tonight, preparatory
to its removal to Spencer, Ind, where
funeral services viii be held wednes-
day.
Although his death was expected for
weeks, Johnson's rugged constitution
fought of the combined attacks of
diabetes and infection, and he survived
by 16 hours President Ernest s. Bar
nard Of the American League, Johnson's
successor in ONCE, who died late yester-
day.
johnson, who was 81 years old had
been in Ill health for years, ever since
his retirement as president of the Amer
lean League, in 1927. He was a pa
tient in st. Louis hospitals since last
October, except for q short time in
January, when he recovered sufficient
ly to visit Hot Springs, Ark. He suf-
fered a relapse and was returned to st.
Johns Hospital, where the end came
today at $40 am.
A month ago an operation was per-
formed, surgeons removing q toe be-
cause of infection. Later they told him
1t would be necessary to remove his
right leg, but he refused to submit, and
the infection spread into his left leg.
The body viii be placed In a SIS, 900
mauSoleum in Spencer johnson built
there several years ago.
Tributes frcm friends and acQuaint-
ances of the former car Of base ball
began arriving today from all over the
son, was en- route to St. Louis tonight
from her home in Spencer, Ind.
With johnson when he died this
were his physician, Dr. Robert
Hyland, and a nurse. DR.. Hyland said
the dead base ball leader had been in
a coma for "a hours preceding h S death.
Although he made good fight" DR..