Evening star., 1954-10-21
Athletics Syndicate
threatened With Bio
Lawsuit by Johnson
sy msAssoeiatsd Pres.

Cf14CAI1C, OCL. ll----Iue
stock-buying syndicate Of the
Philadelphia Athletics, sweating
out word of an American League
blessing that would make its
deal official and keep the club In
Philadelphia, today was threat
ened with q Dig damage suit by
Arnold johnson.
The Chicago financier declared
he felt .wronged by the Ptila-
delphia group who so suddenly
appeared on the scene" and has
placed the matter in the hands
of q Philadelphia law firm to
study the adyisability Of filing
suit.
IN view of the indicated ad-
vance ticket sale Tin Kansas
City of almost So million, the
measure of my damages should
be substantial" johnson said.
1.-The suit would be not only for
the cash damages sustained by
me, but also on the grounds that
this group Joined together to
induce breach of the contract
which I made in good faith for
the purchase of the AS.
In a Chicago meeting nine
days ago, American League club
owners voted to shift the AS
franchise from Philadelphia to
Kansas City.
Agreed Without EquivOcati0n.'
Roy Mack at that time agreed
without equivocation to sell the
team to me for transfer to Kan
sas City," Johnson said in a
statement. 1T never was con-
templated that Mr.. Mack would
be given an opportunity to look
for other purchasers, or to do
anything except to talk to his
family.
at seems unbelievable to me
that the agreement with me
made in good faith -. has now
been violated"
At the Chicago meeting, Roy
Mack was given until last Mon
day to sell his stock to johnson
and thus complete deal OF
nearly 81 million that would
wipe out the Athletics indebt-
edness and send them to an en-
thusiastic Kansas City.
Roy's brother, Earle, and
father, the venerable Connie
Mack, long had pressed for the
sale of Johnson, but it was only
at the Chicago session of club
owners that Roy apparently gave
in.
Before last Mondays dead
lire, a group of eight Philadel-
phia men bought the stock from
the Macks and announced they
had saved the AS for their own
city, where the club has been
for 81 years
johnson was left holding the
bag. But the American League
vote needed to approve the, sale
to the syndicate has not been
forthcoming thus far.
Will Harridge, league presi-
dent, has had only one COM.
ment:: There will be no state
ment until the final papers have
been signed for the purchase of
the Philadelphia Athletics"
In the meantime, the would
be owners in Philadelphia can do
little but mark time.
Willing to Go Limit.
Johnson, his dander up, said:
"This is apt to be long and
expensive litigation, but with the
amount I have invested in this
matter I am willing to go the
limit.
81 am going to be just as per-
sistent and tenacious in this liti-
CATION as have previously been
in reaching an agreement for the
purchase of the AS.
johnson stressed that "this ac-
ton is not directed in any man
ner' against the American League
or any of the CLUB owners, all of
whom in my opinion have acted
in good faith, as have I. through
out this entire transaction
johnson also said that his
agreement with Roy Mack was
verbal-"but it stood with me as
something unbreakable, and it is
part of the minutes of the Amer
lean League meeting"
Art Gallagher, a member of
the syndicate, said in Philadel-
phia that he considers Johnson's
statement zen tirely unwar-
ranted."
"As I recall it, the last thing
Roy said before he left Chicago
was that his final decision de-
pended upon what his family
wanted him to do" Gallagher
said. "And it is clear from his
transaction with our group that
his family prevailed upon him to
keep the AS in Philadelphia
where they belong"
Friends 120-Pounder Nets