Evening star., 1954-10-28
Yanks, Orioles
Battle for Shift
To Kansas City
Senators and Tigers
Lead Fight to Accept
PhiIodeIphiuns' Bid
BY The Assoeiaisd Press

4sA1W 4OIs1At wv 90. -- IlG
American League became a
house divided today as the club
owners met for the second time
in two weeks to decide the fate
of their white elephant, the
Philadelphia Athletics.
Ostensibly the meeting was
called by Will Harridge, league
president, to vote on acceptance
or disapproval of the Athletics
sale to an eight-man PhilaGel-
phia syndicate.
It was learned, however, that
Harridge probably first would
call for vote on whether to
shift the beleaguered franchise
to Kansas City.
In Chicago October IL, the
league approved the sale to Ar
mold johnson, Chicago finan-
cier, and voted to move the
franchise to Kansas City, con-
tingent on Johnson's complet-
ing his $3.375,0 deal with Roy
Mack, executive vice president
of the Athletics.
Since then, however. the
House of Mack--Connie and his
two sons. Roy and Earle
signed papers for the sale of.
their stock to a Philadelphia
syndicate in a deal involving
approximately 81 million. Both
the Macks and the Philadelphia
group are awaiting league ap-
proval.
Mack Family Insistent.
The Mack family attended the
meeting in full force. AS they
entered the closed door session,
both Roy and Earle Mack in
sisted the ball club must stay
in Philadelphia.
After the owners had met for
an hour, Arthur Gallagher, head
of the Philadelphia syndicate,
and Arthur Rosenberg, mem
Der of the group, were called
into the conference room. They
were accompanied by their law
yer. Sam Blank.
Six of the eight clubs must
approve a new owner. ANY
three can block approval.
AS the meeting got under way,
1t was known that at least two
clubs favored the sale of the AS
to the Philadelphia group and
two wanted the Philadelphia
franchise moved to Kansas City.
Here is the way the clubs are
believed to be lined up:
Those definitely for the sale
to the Philadelphia group
Detroit and Washington.
Those probably for the sale
to the Philadelphia group
Chicago and Boston.
Those definitely for the
transfer to Kansas City-New
York and Baltimore.
On the fence-Cleveland.
On the spot-Philadelphia.
Topping Fights Philadelphia. |
Dan Topping, president of the
Yankees and leader in the
fight to shift the AS to Kansas
City, was expected to put UP a
stiff battle against the sale to
the Philadelphia group.
"The league will be making a
grave mistake If it permits the
AS to remain in Philadelphia, y
he said. 1.-THE situation as it
stands is intolerable. For the
good of the league, the club
should be transferred to another
city. On the basis of Phila-
delphia attendance figures for
1858 and 1854, a transfer would
appear to be inevitable"
Spike Briggs, head Of the
Tigers, was just as adamant to
keep the Athletics in Philadel-
phiay
81 came to this meeting to
cast my vote to keep the AS in
Philadelphia" he said. ST am
heartily in favor of the sale OF
the club to this Philadelphia
syndicate. I don't intend to have
the Yankees, with their high
handed methods. dictate to us.
Furthermore, I think the
league will approve the sale to
the Philadelphia group. In any
event, I'm sure we won't ap-
prove any deal to move the team
out Of the city. 7 know of at
least three clubs who will vote
against 1t.
"I know Washington is with
us and I have reason to believe
two other clubs are of the same
opinion"
Clark Griffith. the elder states