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Show PRESIDENT JOHNSON PREDICTS BIG YEAR Chief Executive of Junior Organization Organ-ization Is Optimistic. Says Baseball Never Was in Such Condition Con-dition and Expects to See Attendance Attend-ance Figures Largest Ever Recorded. Byron Bancroft Johnson, president of the American league in speaking of the outlook for baseball this season, said that baseball never was in such a good condition. lie declared that already the total attendance throughout through-out the league was greater than in 1010 at this time of the year, and that there was every indication that the figures of 1913, baseball's high-water year, would be eclipsed. "Basehall has come back completely," complete-ly," said Big Ban. "Throughout the entire en-tire circuit the crowds have supported the sport in most loyal style, and the good old game is on the road to even greater heights than it readied in the days before the world war. In a statement state-ment which I sent out today to the various var-ious club owners I said that the attendance attend-ance figures were already ahead of those at a corresponding time in 1916, which was the second greatest year In American league baseball." In discussing the plan to send the American and National league pennant - v Ay A 4 A - A V i v - v y ' ' " - ! President Ban Johnson. winning teams to France to play a series of games at the close of the season. sea-son. Mr. Johnson said : "I just thought it would he a great thing for American soldiers, provided there are a lot of them over there next fall, to have two major league champions champ-ions go over nnd play a series of games- . for their benefit. "Now whether the two champion teams go over depends entirely on the report of conditions by Bill Lange, star National league player 20 years ngo, who has been over there investigating. If he thinks such a venture would- be cold and uninteresting, it will not be carried out." , |