Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-30
LOOP IN NO HURRY
TO PICK PRESIDENT
Many American League Men
Mentioned as Successor
to Barnard.
BY FRANCIS J. POWERS.

- HICAGO, March 30.-American
League club owners viii be In
no especial rush to select q
president to succeed z. s. Bar
nard, who will be buried In Cleveland
Tuesday. The field Of candidates for
the position is so severely limited that
it is probable the magnates viii want
to do considerable shopping before
choosing new executive.
The American League has been gov
erned by only two men during its 81
year history. When Ban B. johnson,
its organizer, resigned after ~ years in
the executive chair, Barnard, with an
unequaled knowledge OF base ball law
and a quarter of q century's practical
service in the business end of the game,
was the unanimous choice to succeed
him. The American League is not again
fortunate enough to have a ready-made
leader to follow Barnard
The names of Frank Navin and Clark
Griffith, owners Of the Detroit and
Washington clubs; Connie Mack, man
ager OF the Philadelphia Athletics; Billy
Evans, general manager of Cleveland,
and Ed Barrow, secretary of the New
York Yankees, have been mentioned.
All OF those men have the necessary
background to fulfill the duties Of the
ONCE. but 1t is unlikely any Of them
would sever their present connections.
Harridge Qualified.
Will Harridge. secretary and treas
urer Of the American League, Is a def
mite possibility. Harridge has been con-
nected with the league for many years:
flrst as private secretary to Ban john
son. During the interim between john
sons retirement and the election Of
Barnard, in 1927, Harridge was virtual
head Of the American League, and while
lacking any extensive executive expert
ence has an intimate knowledge Of the
organizations affairs and is highly re-
garded by all the club owners. Har.
ridge may be chosen to serve as presi-
dent for the remainder of the fiscal
base ball year, or the league may elect
to function with Vice President Frank
Navin and Harridge both in charge.
The minors offer no executives likely
to be considered for graduation when
Barnard'S successor is named. One
club owner informed the writer that it
may be necessary to go outside Of base
ball for new president. The position
demands first Of all man Of outstand-
ing business ability. knowledge Of
base ball law and history Is desirable,
but not absolutely essential.
All of the American League mag
mates will be present at Barnard's flu
neral tomorrow and most Of them will
attend the Ban johnson services In
Spencer, Ind, Wednesday. Several
American League teams will cancel ex-
hibition games scheduled for Tuesday
and Wednesday and all of them will
make some expression Of respect for the
deceased leaders.
Careers Parallel.
The careers of Johnson and Barnard
ran strangely parallel in many details.
Both came into base ball from sports
editors desks after graduation from
small Ohio colleges; both filed the same
high position and died within Q few
hours Of each other.
Johnson always was q great admirer
OF Barnard and was instrumental in
keeping him in base bah at a time when
the finances Of the Cleveland club were
very low.
Johnson's close friends during his
days as a reporter in Cincinnati were
James M. Cox. Dayton, Ohio, publisher
and Democratic candidate for President
in 1920, and Charles Webb Murphy,
who ran a Shoestring into a million as
owner of the Chicago Cubs, many years
ago.