The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-25
Chandler Reserves Decision Until Friday.
In Durocher-- M PhaI Defamation CHARGES
Commissioner Grills Wit.
nesses For Over Five
Hours AT Hearing

SARASOTA, Fla, March "a
W.R-Commissioner A. B. Chandler
grilled witnesses for almost five
hours today on charges that
threatened the baseball careers of
half a dozen men, including him
self, but announced he would re-
serve decision until after a second
hearing Friday.
At the second conference, to be
held in st. Petersburg, Chandler
will question only President Larry
MacPhail of the New York Yam
KEGS, author of Detrimental Con-
duct charges against three Dodg-
er officials, and Dodgers presi-
dent Branch Hickey, n of those
named by MacPhail.
Hickey was unable to testify to-
day because he not arrived back
in Florida after attending a rela-
tive's funeral in Ohio. After the
Friday session, Chandler said, he
will return to his office in Cincin-
natl, review all the evidence and
announce his decision there.
Due to the copious airing of the
charges and counter-charges in
recent days the hearing today was
baseball's biggest show since the
world series-but it unreeled be-
hind close doors.
Closeted with his witnesses in a
sultry Sarasota Hotel, Chandler
who seldom has lived up to his
Happy" nickname in his tenure
at the helm of organized baseball
was himself at the crossroads of
his diamond career.
The witnesses appeared before
Chandler in the order of their
Importance and the length of
their stay with him followed the
same pattern. Dapper Leo Du-
rocher, brought to the carpet on
MacPhail's charges along with
Hickey and Dodger road secretary
Harold PARROT, went in first. Mac
Phail said they had accused him
of consorting with gamblers in
Havana.
Durocher held up the whole pro-
ceedings, by flying in As minutes
late from Havana with his bride,
actress LARAMIE Day. He answer
ed Chambers questions almost
two hours. Then followed Yankee
Coach Charley Dresser, the al
legged firebrand of the whole con-
troversy; Parrot, former Dodger
star Augie Galan; former Dodger
scout Ted McGrew, and John
(Red) Corriden, who was a Dodger
scout along with Dresser last
year.
Chandler, former Kentucky Gov
ernor and U. S. Senator, faced a
personal showdown on whether he
would WELD the mailed fist in the
manner of his predecessor, the
late Kenesaw M. Lands.
MacPhail, the loquacious red
head who touched off baseball's
biggest rhubarb since the word
was coined in Brooklyn, insisted
on the hearing after the Dodger
heads accused him of entertaining
two gamblers in his box at a
lDodger-Yankee exhibition game in
Havana.
If Chandler-who largely owes
his job to MacPhail-upholds the
charges against the trio, their
penalty could be expulsion from
baseball. But also deeply involved
in the case were MacPhail him
self and Dresser, the stocky coach
who Jumped" from Dodgers to
the Yankees.
Durocher emerged from his ses-
sion with Chandler dapper and
natty as usual but-unusual for
him-said only mo comment"
When pressed he added: 1T have
no comment to make on my mo
comment" The other witnesses
were equally tight-lipped when
they came out.
MacPhail and Walter O'Malley,
secretary-treasurer of the Dodg-
ers, clashed as Chandler sat down
with the parties concerned.
MacPhail had asserted previous
lily that O'Malley gave him per-
mission to contact Durocher in an
attempt to hire the aggressive
manager to lead the Yankees. AS
the parties involved met, O'Malley
denied this before Chandler In q
heated exchange of words.
Sitting in constantly as the
CLOSED conference proceeded were
Twill Harridge, president Of the
american League, Walter Mulbry
secretary to Chandler, MacPhail
p~art-owner Dan Topping of the
Yankees, O'Malley, Arthur Mann
of the Dodgers, Branch Hickey
Jr., and George H. Williams, E
lawyer friend of the elder Hickey
Other witnesses in addition tt
jDurocher were Charles (Chuck.
dresser, former Dodger coach VIII
Jumped to the Yankees, PARROT
Ted McGrew, former Dodger scou
now with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Augie Galan, one-time Dodger sta
now with the Cincinnati Reds
Arthur Red Patterson, Yanke