Evening star., 1951-06-07
Chandler Forecasts
Acceptance
OF Resignation Terms
BY the Associated Press

NEW YORK, June ALBERT B
(Happy) Chandler is finally ready
to bid farewell to baseball-at his
own terms.
The commissioner has promised
to resign soon" provided the
major league clubowners accept q
severance contract he proposed fo1
his protection.
In agreeing to abdicate II
months before the expiration OF
his Seven-year contract, Chandler
asked the owners to agree to the
following terms:
!. That he is to be paid in full
the balance of his $65,000 annua.
salary which does not expire until
May 80, 1852,
2. That he be indemnifieo
against financial responsibility fol
any damages assessed against Or
ganized baseball during the re-
naming year his contract has tc
run.
8. That he be relieved of all re.
SponsibilitieS such as expenses
accrued by the commissioners Of
flee for his Inflated campaign tt
succeed himself.
Even then, should the severance
pact be approved, Chandler will
still have the final say as to the
precise date when he will step out
Confident of Acceptance.
Chandler. admitting last night
he had placed his offer of reSig-
nation in the hands of the Ameri-
can and National League attor-
neys, said he was confident the
owners would accept. He ex-
planned his insistence on the
severance clauses this way:
There are several law suits
pending against organized base
ball which may take a long time
to fight.
"As soon as the new man takes
over my job. it would be only
right for him to assume response
bility in these actions. I merely
want to protect my interests"
Chandler expects to get his an
swer sometime next week. Ellis
Ryan, president of the Indians
said his Screening Committee
would probably meet again next
week in New York to assist in
picking a successor for Chandler
The committee. which will rec
ommend a number of acceptable
men to club owners, has not met
recently because Chambers resig.
nation was not final, Ryan said
Unconfrmed reports had the
meeting set for June II.
1.-THE contract is now in thu
hands of the leagues attorneys,
Chandler said. I'm certain i
will be approved. One owner, al
attorney. told me the contract wa
reasonable and he saw no reason
why it should not be approved.
Not Too Far Off, He Says.
II left a blank space for m,
resignation. However, if we com,
to terms. my resignation will b,
sometime not too far off. vii
fill in the date if, and when, the,
sign it,"
Best guesses are that the for,
mer Governor and Senator from
Kentucky will say "good-by II
baseball" some time around tn,
An-Star game July 10.
At a special meeting in ST
Petersburg, Fla, last December
the owners voted not to renew hi
contract. Chandler received onl,
nine votes, three short of tn
necessary three-fourths. At a sec
ond meeting in Miami Beach thre
months later, the owners agail
repudiated him by the same g.
vote. 1t was then that Chandle
said he would resign when a suit
able successor was named"
Chandler, visiting the three loca
clubs here, refused to comment o.
a report he would join the Mutus
Broadcasting System in an of
fetal capacity. An official of NIB
denied the report.
Before leaving for Boston wher
he intends to attend the gam
between the Braves and Pirates to
day, Happy said he had no definit
plans for the future.