Читать книгу No Money, No Beer, No Pennants. The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Great Depression онлайн

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It is interesting to reflect on whether Mrs. Dunn was giving the company line to the press or was truly supportive of Speaker. She could not know how the proceedings in Chicago would turn out. A guilty verdict might do the franchise some irreparable damage, particularly with the stockholders. What about the player in question? Did he truly retire to save the Cleveland organization some real embarrassment or was he simply trying to save his own reputation? The assumption can be made that all this negative attention may have been too much for Jim Dunn’s widow to deal with. For many years she had had great faith in Speaker, in his ability both as a player and as leader of her team. The allegations no doubt shook her belief and may have led her to a pivotal decision. Within a year she would sell the team.

Besides the Speaker-Cobb investigation there were other matters being dealt with by the Cleveland front office. Ban Johnson’s lengthy reign as American League president was indeed about to come to an end. For various reasons at least half of the American League owners now wanted him out. Commissioner Landis had never seen eye to eye with Johnson and completely welcomed the uprising. The two men had had hard feelings ever since the Black Sox scandal of 1919. Johnson’s recent handling of Speaker and Cobb infuriated Landis to the point of no return. The judge had spent too many years presiding over cases of ballplayers gambling and fixing games. Just when he thought all that had passed, Johnson brought forth the 1926 allegations, forcing Landis to convene hearings again.