Salt Lake Telegram | 1927-01-16 | Page 10 | League Club Owners to Discuss Cobb Speaker Case

RICAN LEAGUE CLUB OWNERS TO SPEAKER CASE Newspaper Article to Be Be Thrashed Out Ot at Meeting Landis Calls Johnson and Magnates Together for Session January 13 CHICAGO Jan 15 AP-A AP showdown involving the status of Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker was demanded tonight by Kenesaw Mountain Landis baseball commissioner of President Ban Johnson of the American Amer Amer- ican league and the American league club owners Landis andis requested President Johnson and the club owners to meet him at the Congress hotel here January 24 for the pUrpose ofas- ofas what basis 1 If any there is for the publication or of a story here last Thursday relatIve to the former leaders of the Tigers and Cle Cand clubs The story credited to an Unnamed Un- Un n- n named American league official said that neither Speaker n nor r Cobb ever could play ball or manage manage man man- age an American league club The commissioners commissioner's request to- to Johnson followed a conference Landis Lan Lan- dis held here today with Judge J. J O. O Murfin of Detroit counsel for Cobb In his tight fight for vindication Indication or of charges that he was Involved with Speaker in a conspiracy to fix a Detroit Cleveland ot of games in 1919 to clean up a betting bet bet- ting Ung coup Landis invited Murfin and W. W it H. Bo Boyd d or of Cleveland an attorn attorney C representing representing rep rep- resenting Speaker to attend the meeting The commissioners commissioner's communication tion to Johnson and the club owners own own- ers era revealed that a secret meeting or of the board or of directors or of the I AmerIcan league had been held in Chicago on September 9 at which time all the evidence In regard to Cobb and Speaker had been turned over to Landis by President Ban Johnson LEONARD TO TOI I G GET ET Both Speaker and Cobb resigned their managerIal berths shortly arter art aft or er the close or of the 1926 season and anda a few tew weeks later clouds o of sus- sus enveloped them as a result of the letters Dutch Leonard former former for for- mer Tiger pitcher turned over to the American league for a sum reported reported re- re ported to be Commissioner Landis In lila conference con con- ference with Cobbs Cobb's attorney today todar said he was unable to advise him himas himas as to the truth or of the stories published published pub pub- here that Cobb and Speaker had been under Investigation for two years ears However he told Judge Murfin that it was his understanding that the American league began about June 13 13 1926 and also that all the evidence so far as he was concerned had been published and that Landis holds no other date In this case except a a. communication tion to Which the author neglected to his his' signature Beyond that Landis said laid I 1 could sa say nothing regarding the iii- iii assertions b by an organized baseball leader header who refuses to allow allow al- al low his name to be used at this time but the facts will be ac- ac The newspaper article which JUdge Murfin brought to the attention attention atten- atten tion of Commissioner Landis today to- to toI to I day said that Cobb nd Speaker had been given positions ns o ot trust that they railed failed to keep that trust that they had been public hearings and each had declined and that no matter what Landis ruled the American league would not have them The article said that the Amerl- Amerl can leagues league's Investigation or of the conduct of Cobb and Speaker began two years ago and that the results results' of this Investigation never had been publIshed also that the two wo letters letters let let- turned over by Dutch Leonard and the statements which Leonard made to Landis form fonn only a small part o of the data held by organized baseball in the case All this was published quoting aleader ea a leader or of organized baseball making mak- mak lag ing the first statement that has been made or of the American league attitude toward Its two mana ex-mana- gels gers but who refused to allow his name to be used in connection with the article at this time What basis J if an any there Was forthe for the foregoing article will be ascertained as- as Landis asserted at the th meeting requested by him SPEAKER DECLINES TO CONFIRM STORY CLEVELAND 0 Jan 15 CAP CAP- Tx-Is Tx Speaker former manager or of Cf the Cleveland Indians tonight do dined to comment on the announcement announcement announce announce- ment or of Kenesaw M. M f Landis baseball base base- ball commissioner that a hearing Is to be held to determine the s nd lag Ing ot of Ty Cobb and Speaker accused accused ac- ac or of fixing a Detroit Clove land game I want to talk to my attorney v. v H H. Boyd Speaker Speake said before beron beronI t I make any statement Boyd could not be reached to- to nl night ht Speaker declined to affirm a. a pub pub- story that he and Cobb had been under investigation by Amerl- Amerl can league officials for tor some time or to comment on who the leader or of organized baseball who declared de- de dared they were banned from b baseball base base- s ball might be