Evening star., 1944-11-25
Lands
Continued From First Page)

IO0OIS
Continued From First Page)
18th birthday anniversary last Mon.
day.
Mrs. Lands, who also had beer
confined to the hospital after having
recently suffered a fractured wrist;
his son, Col. Reed Gresham Lands
an aviation ace in the World War;
his daughter, Mrs. Richard w
Phillips, and Leslie M. O'Connor, his
secretary, were at his bedside when
the end came.
Mr.. O'Connor announced that in
compliance with Judge Lands
wishes, no funeral service will be
held, and the body will be cremated
Ruled With Iron Hand.
Physicians explained his physical
setback as the result of hours o1
hard labor in a Victory garden and
in the spacious yards at a new home
he purchased for his family last
summer. They said he was work.
ing too hard" and when he con.
tracted a cold prevailed on him te
enter hospital for rest.
But even hospitalized, he coulc
not miss the 1914 World Series, anc
a radio was by his bedside as the
Browns and Cardinals fought fol
the world title.
Judge Lands came under fire be-
cause of his iron-handed rule at the
major league all-star game in Pitts
burgh July II, 1914. But major
league club owners paid no atten-
ton to rumors circulating of his
possible end as baseball's high COM
missioner.
Instead, they appointed a COM
mittee to meet on baseball policy
IN Chicago November IT. 1914, and
it was then that they gave him a
vote of confidence by recommend
ing his reelection.
Their recommendation virtually
assured that Judge Lands would be
returned for another term.
Ford Frick Saddened.
In New York, Ford Frick, presi-
dent of the National League, said
of his death:
1T Is great shock to me-"
Mr.. Frick, former newspaperman
was closely associated with Judge
Lands for many years.
William Harridge, president of the
American League and associated
with the league for more than IS
years, said:
His death comes as a terrible
shock to me. The baseball world
will miss him, for it owes him a
great debt of gratitude for his guild
ance."
Judge Lands came to baseball in
its darkest hour, and, with the
prestige of his name and the same
toughness of mind that he had ex-
hibited on the Federal bench for II
years, rescued the sport from the
disrepute that shadowed its exist
ence, and preserved confidence in its
integrity.
1t was the Chicago White Sox
scandal of 1919 that brought "the
judge" into baseball, and from the
time he took over as high commits
sioner, until his last illness, there
ne'ser was any doubt as to who was
! JSs.
The great Babe Ruth knew his
wrath; club owners, big and little
were put in their place when they
happened to run afoul of regula-
tions promulgated by the commits
sioner. On a few occasions after
the 1919 scandal had been cleaned
up in its major aspects prominent
names were dropped from baseball's s
roster.
The public first became we'll ac-
quainted with Judge Lands in 1907
two years after he had gone to the
bench in Northesn District Court OF
Illinois, when he fined the Standard
Oil Co. of Indiana $29, ,240, 900 in q
freight rate case. The decision later
was reversed and the fine was not
paid.
Again he was heralded in World
War days when prison sentence o1
20 years drove big Bill" Haywood
from this country and did much tx
break up the I. w. w. His sentenc'
ing to prison of Victor Berger, So
cialist member of Congress from
Milwaukee, was another sensation
even though this conviction was no
upheld by the Supreme Court. Boil
men were charged with obstructin,
the country's war program.
Then came his entry into baseball
Omcials of the major leagues per
suaded Judge Lands to take over a
q time when grave doubts were beinl
Expressed as to the ability of tn
game to survive what actually wa
Its first scandal of any moment.
The committee of baseball mag
mates. who came to offer the juris
the commissionership were KEEP
waiting in an anteroom IS minute
while he completed his days worl
| In the court. Then he accepted, bu
with the provisio that the 5000
salary offered be decreased by tn
!; 1880 received as salary on tn
bench.
i From that day on, the gaunt
wtite-haired Judge Lands, with hi
battered hat, was the hallmark 0
baseball.
He met his first important tes
firmly. The eight stars of the Whit
Sox who were accused Of throwing
| games in the World Series won b,
Cincinnati In 1919, were indicted
tried and acquitted.
They sought reinstatement, and
there was q certain amount Of pub.
lie sympathy for them, despite thu
evidence against them. But Judge
Lands ruled that they had for.
feited their place In baseball, and
the ruling stuck.
: The collision with Babs Ruth