Show I GREATEST FIGURE RETIRES t s cj iS i'S e I 1 By hg BILLY EVANS E 0 Jan Baseballs Baseball's 29 Baseballs Baseball's C most dominant figure B D D 13 Johnson passes from the tho major league cuo picture Tho The American league given hint him a sick leave IN on full pa pay It was waa the kindliest manner pos pos- possible tibia pos I sible to bring brin about t a II se erance of his bis relations as president of the organization organization- B D B D Johnson There Thero Is some some- somethIng some thIng synonymous between the tho inItials IL B B D and aud the part Mr 11 Johnson ha has played In la baseball Over a period of snore more mor than A quarter of a century he be h has lias been the Big BIg Ban Dan of Baseball Johnson created the American n league His ImaginatIon Inspire inspired It his ability to mon mon- monI moneyed onon- onon moneyed I eyed men of o the tho of IL a second l major league m do in do It pos pos- possible pos possible sible The Ban lIsa Johnson w wh wl pulsed passed from Irom the baseball stage at the meetIng In Chicago was Vas a a far different figure from the th man who back In la 1900 HOO made mad first page copy by his very audacIty In expressing tho belief that there theN was room for tor a t second big Me league Icarus A powerful six er a big bigman I man literally and ely Johnson first amused the Na- Na NaI NatIonal National Na National I league by his plan to com coin compete compete pete with that organization It was too ridiculous to even con con- contemplate contemplate con contemplate template Inside ot of two years year Johnson had llad made such Inroads on the personnel of the National league and had built up such a n power power- powerful powerful powerful ful organization that the th senior league sued fer for peace which the tho American let league dominated by Dan Ban Johnson dictated Twenty five years ears have hav brought about aboul a tragic change chance In B B Johnson Till The fighter tighter of ot 1900 the man who ho knew no quarter passes Into baseballs baseball's ob obscurity curlly a amer amere amere mere mer wreck ot of his former forcer self seH He Ho arose arcs from his chair with great effort momentarily tottered and almost almost almost fell tell then ran his hand band along aloni the wall as u it If for sur support port His lila logs legs lee seemed 1 to sag beneath him as he h fairy fairly slum slum- stumbled stumbled bled out of 01 the th room That Is the th picture one on ot of the tIte AmerIcan league magnates mag paint paint- painted painted ed cit ot or Johnsons Johnson's withdrawal from the conference at tho the request t of 01 the th club owners It probably marked his last IlISt stand Hand It was tho end of the trail for forD torB Ii D B Johnson Like Lika all cham chain champions r lons B B Johnson champion of practically ever every reform that th has hll made the tb game fame passes p on Ue lie took the th count still till fighting No o one on individual has done don so much for or the th national pastime as Big Dan Ban When ho he made mad his en- en entry entry en entry try into the til game came rough stuff pre predominated list flet fights were a 1 common occurrence and most moat players believed pro profanity a most n necessary cessar part of ot th their lr con con- con the th umpire being th the target for mo most t of or It 11 A strict disciplinarian Johnson Issued an ultimatum that the rough stuff was WuI taboo Ha TIe so In- In Instructed In Instructed his umpires and nd then proceeded to back them rp up For a long lone time the tho club own own- owners owners ers era yelled murder at his hla hi policy of sure stiff fines floes and long lone suspensions but eventually they agreed with hL hll reforms and gave pavo blot hIl their staunch st support The Th Na- Na Na National league also fell foil In line with Hh hi his up the theory thory and immediately the th game cam be- be began be ran be-ran gait gan to 10 get somewhere put put When Johnson put over the American league lea ue wooden elands housed all tIe the tie major league leacu clubs club Today wonderful concrete eta sta- stadiums sta stadiums take tak care of the th big bif league fans The Yankee stadium la In laNew New York built at a cost of close cloe to best attests attest the tho pat that has played h baseballs baseball's progress Ban Johnson Johnsons baseball are career r dates b back ck to hi lit his days day as a a n sports editor of o a Cincinnati paper H- H H went H from baseball writer to toI I league pre president In 1893 If 3 he ho became leader l ier of t the Western stern league Seven yea years rs later ho he vIsualized visualize a II second m ma- ma major ma major jor league learue the th American bee became me Its ita president and for 27 7 yeas yea's baa presided over the destinies of f hIs child for Indeed l the Ameri Amen American American canVas can was Vas such Baseball OWN owes owe much to lan Johnson on Ho TIo was a two fisted two fighter always a square lie made man many mistakes mistake but si al ways l-ways ways had tho th courage of hIs hi con con- convictions con convictions lIe H made mad baseball lI Like Liko all 1111 great men his rea real worth will bo be appreciated In later years |