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Show BAN JOHNSON BEHIND PLATE Chief Executive of American League Once Caught Game for Semi-Professional Semi-Professional Team. To look at Big Ban Johnson today one would not believe that somewhere back in dark ages the American league president was a ball player and a catcher at that. Ban can remember the time when all ball players were looked upon i" S - V Ban B. Johnson. with suspicion. His parents objected to his indulging in tlie pastime, but he nevertheless did catch for his college col-lege team. One day a semi-pro team in his town needed a catcher badly. Its regular backstop had been injured and Ban sneaked out of the house to help his friends. Everything was lovely until a foul tip broke one of his fingers. He Joined the ranks of the voluntarily retired players then and there. |