Evening star., 1947-10-08
Weiss Takes Over Jok
As Yank Boss After
MacPhaiI 'Retires'
Pictures on Opposite Page.)
Asseeiotsd Press Sports Writer

ASSoCI0fod ETetS SE0Sn WTIfof
NEW YORK, Oct. $50 Larry
MacPhail picks up the $4,000, 900 and
goes back to his Maryland farm, and
the world champion New York YAM
KEGS start down a new road under
the direction of General Manager
George Weiss.
The era of showboat promotion
that resulted in new all-time rec
ords for baseball attendance at the
Yankee Stadium In 1946 and 1947
and a new World Series high, prob
ably will be forgotten. The turn
stiles still will whirl under the i'm
petus of a hustling ball club and
night ball, but no more pregame
archery tests.
"You can only promote 50 far"
Dan Topping, the new Yankee pres
ident, said last. night after an
nouncing that he and Del Webb,
MacPhail's former partners, had
bought up Larry's one-third share
for 100000. The official word
from Topping followed by several
minutes a telephone call to the As
sociated Press by MacPhail, who
gave out the same information.
Punched Former Associate.
So to the very end MacPhail re-
manned in character, topping his
dramatic farewell announcement
after the last out of Mondays World
Series finale by beating his partners
to the punch with the story that
he had sold out. He did not diyulge
future plans.
During the hectic 27-hour period
since the final out of the series,
MacPhail 'blackened the eye of
former associate, John Mcdonald,
who was road secretary under him
at Brooklyn. That happened lin
victory" celebration at midtown
hotel, climaxed by a number of ar
guments that Topping said were
better left unsaid."
Topping admitted one Of Mac
Phail's acts during the victory cele-
bration was to fire" Weiss, who
came with the organization in 1882
after operating minor league clubs
at New Haven, Conn, and Balti-
more. He operated the extensive
Yankee farm empire that now in
cludes Is ball clubs, seven under
direct ownership.
Harris Stays On as Manager.
Bucky Harris remains as Yankee
manager. He has a two-year con-
tract running through 1948.
An interesting sidelight was Of
fered by an authoritative source who
cannot be identified. He disclosed
that MacPhails original financial
share of the $2,900,000 January IS,
1945, deal by which the partners
acquired the Yanks was only "about
$200, ,000."
Through Topping and Webb 1t
was made possible for MacPhail
eventually to attain the status of
q one-third stockholder. His salary
as president, running through 1850
until ended by yesterdays deal,
called for $4,000 per year.
webb and I bought up Larry's
stock about week ago." Topping
said. HE would have continued
as general manager, perhaps in an
advisory capacity, until his contract
ran out, but not as president"
Too Much Promotion.
In answer to question, Topping
admitted he and Webb thought the
Yankees could have been operated
more economically"
Larry is a smart promoter" he
added, "but you can only promote
so far"
Topping said Commissioner A. B.
Chandler had been informed of the
change. but he insisted Chandler
had nothing to do with it." Some
skeptics still thought the Chan
dler-MacPhai1 conference in Gin
cinnati in early May was at least
a contributing factor.
MacPhail, now outside of base
ball, is free to discuss the matter If
he so desires.