Evening star., 1951-02-05
Anonymous Opponent
.Says2More A. |. Men
Have Changed Stand
By Joe Reichler
Associofed Press Sports Writer

NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-The ma
jor league anti-Chandler forces
have nearly twice as many votes
as they need to oust Albert B.
Chandler from the Office of COM
missioner of baseball. a club owner
claimed today.
He also said. Don't be sur
prised if we have a new commits
sioner by opening day april I'd"
The magnate, who declined use
of his name, insisted that the
seven who voted last December not
to renew the commissioners con-
tract beyond his present term, had
gained two more allies during the
past two months and now out
number the pro-Chandler group,
nine to seven. Chandler needs II
votes for reelection.
Chandler Claims 10 Votes.
On the other hand, Chandler is
certain he has 10 votes. He pri-
vately conf1ded to friends last
night that he has lost one backer
from the original nine who voted
for him at st. Petersburg, Fla, but
he has picked up two others. The
former Senator from Kentucky is
confident he can get the two more
votes he needs to win.
The Screening Committee, how
ever, continues to SIT the names
of candidates for the job. Lou
Perini of the Braves, one of the
four club owners on the commit
tee, said yesterday that "about 20
candidates were being considered"
The committee was scheduled to
convene again today. In addition
to Perini, it includes Del Webb of
the Yankees and Ellis Ryan of the
Indians. Phil Wrigley of the Cubs,
the fourth member, is Ill and can
not attend.
"The committee is doing a re-
markable job in screening the
candidates" the anonymous club
owner said. Despite what you
may hear to the contrary. we def
nitely are on the road to electing
a new commissioner long before
Chambers term expires on April
80, 1852.
"The committee at this moment
is down to 10 candidates. Follow
ing today'S meeting. it is the in
tention of the committee to call
a session of the 16 club owners in
80 days. BY then, the list of
availables probably will be down
to two or three men. Perhaps even
one"
Says Custer Is Possible.
A club owner, who is not a COM
mittee member. told the Associ-
ated Press Saturday that the list
of candidates had been trimmed
to 10 names.
Asked if it were possible to oust
Chandler before the expiration of
his term. this owner said:
''Yes. The commissioners job
can be declared vacant at any
time, if majority of the owners
are opposed to him. Under the
terms of the commissioners con-
tract, his powers cannot be di-.
minished. However, he does not
have vested powers. Which SIM
ply means they can be taken from
him and transferred to another
provided he is paid for the dura-
ton of his term"
Won't Name New "Allies."
Other than to say the two new
comers to the anti-Chandler fac
ton are American League clubs,
the owner refused to name his new
allies. Six suspected anti-Chand-
Ter votes include Bob Carpenter of
the Phillies; Bill De Witt. Browns;
Charles Comiskey, White Sox;
Fred Saigh. Cardinals. Perini and
Webb. The seventh has been
mystery from the start.
Chandler thinks he may have
lost the backing of John Galbreath
of the Pirates. But on the other
hand, he feels he has gained the
support of De Witt and Comiskey.
Galbreath. like all the other club
owners, never has made public
how he voted. He remains nom
committal. Comiskey and De Witt
said they have not changed their
original stand and will not change
their vote. However. they refuse
to reveal how they voted.