Evening star., 1943-02-21
Awesome as BoseboIrs Boss, Lands at Heart
Is Genial Personality, Co|orfuI Yarn Spinner

leg. I've got the cannon ball in the
desk In my Office now
We asked Lands what the boys
called him back in his schooldays
at Millvale, Ken or Kenny or some
thing like that?
Shaking his shaggy white head,
he barked, They called me every
damn thing they could think of"
The use of one m in Lands first
name instead of the double N" in
Kennesaw Mountain apparently was
misspelling originating at his
christening.
Keen, Alert at IS.
Although rs and plagued by the
physical failings of his years, Lands
mentally is as alert as ever and
except for the watchful eye of his
wife. probably would make few con-
cessions to his health.
When here for the base ball writ
ers' dinner he appeared more robust
than in many years. He laughed
when we recalled a previous visit at
time when baseball's other famous
hite-haired landmark, Connie
Mack, had been in uncertain health
Lands had inquired about the Phil
adelphia sachem and was told Mack
was getting around again.
Isn't it wonderful" exclaimed
Lands, "how that old man keeps
going?" Mack is four years older
than Lands.
Ordinarily at this time of year
Lands would be summing himself on
the golf links of the Bellevue Hotel
at Clearwater, Fla, but he is staying
North this winter to brave the same
rigors that he has imposed on the
base ball clubs.
He lives modestly in a hotel
apartment in Chicago and when he
feels we'll goes to his skyscraper
Office seven days a week.
Il don't have to-" he explained
Superfuously, but I just like to go
down to the Office on Sundays"
Judge Is Natural Actor.
His office is a big room cluttered
with pictures and mementoes of
baseball, and the cannon ball, of
course. He frequently brings along
container of milk and sandwich
in brown paper bag and keeps an
enormous salt shaker in an upper
drawer of his desk. While at work
he wears decrepit old sweater of a
vintage more ancient than his sag
ging felt hat.
Lands is one Of the greatest
actors who ever escaped the stage
Like his words, his postures are
magnetic. They attract attention,
no matter where he is or who else
is present. At a ball game he
habitually crouches with his chin
draped over the railing of his box.
At a speakers table he usually sits
with his head in his hands. In the
privacy of his hotel rooms or his
office he sprawls his gaunt frame
in the biggest chair available.
To emphasize any point in a dis
cussion he comes close to a person
and pokes a bony finger into the
shoulder with unbelievable force.
Some major league club owners
claim to have received bruises In
conferences with him.
Won't Give Up Baseball.
Lands often waves away pho
tographers with the same brusque-
ness he gives autograph seekers,
but never fails to relent under per-
suasion. Once when he assumed a
requested pose for pictures he ex-
planned to baseball men with him.
Gentlemen, this is for posterity."
While here the commissioner ex-
pressed himself eloquently on his
conception of baseball's place in
wartime.
Unless some sort Of rule or law
is passed making it impossible to
put nine men on the field. baseball
is not dead. We do not want base
ball in America exempt from the
liabilities Of common life in Amer
lea. We want the same rules ap-
piled and enforced to us that are
applied and enforced to everyone
else in the country.
Il take the responsibility for this
position. I have been tied up in
this game for some 20 years and
am pretty satisfied with it's record.
AS for the question: of whether
baseball is going to die or whether
it's going to go on living-well, I've
got in the habit of living
Lands, 1t may be inferred, also
intends to remain on baseball's
throne as long as be is living