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• Chandler Promises To Resign July 15 Club Owners Begin Seeking New Commissioner; Several Being Considered for Post CINCINNATI, Ohio, June 21 UP.— Baseball Commissioner A. B. Chandler announced today that he is resigning effective July 15 after a stormy six-year reign and plans to "go fishing." The commissioner, twice repudiated by the major league club owners, took the final action in his severence by inserting the effective date of his resignation in a meeting with Warren Giles, president of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of baseballs executive council. Giles was the only council representative at the meeting. Giles said the executive council intended to maintain the commissioners office here "with as many of the present staff as wish to stay on, at least until a new commissioner is elected and decided where he wishes to locate the office." Denying that he would join the Mutual Broadcasting System "or any other radio organization" after leaving office. Chandler said he planned to do a lot of fishing after July 15. "No radio organization has made me any sort of an offer for employment nor have I heard that any has any intentions of doing so," the former Kentucky senator and governor said. "After July 15, Im going to do a lot of fishing for small-mouth bass in my native Kentucky," he smiled. "Ill fish wherever they are biting." Contract Expires April 30, 1952 Chandler, whose contract does not expire until midnight, April 30, 1952. was permitted to set the date he would resign. The club owners refused to renew his contract last December at meetings in St. Petersburg, Fla. The date set thus will enable Chandler to fulfill his wish of still being in office for the All-Star game in Detroit, July 10. The former Kentucky politician will get none of the concessions he requested from the club owners until he officially leaves his job. The owners agreed to give him a full years salary of 5,000, exempt him from any liability for lawsuits now pending against organized baseball and several lesser items. The terms of the severence contract were drawn, with effective dates left blank as a concession to Chandler, by the executive council. The council is composed of Presidents William Harridge of the American League and Ford Frick of the National, Tom Yawkey, president of the Boston Red Sox, and Giles of the Reds. The next important job facing the council will be that of selecting Chandlers successor. The council was expected to start screening candidates between now and the All-Star game. Among the leading candidates was George Trautman, president of the minor leagues. He attended the council meeting in New York, but it was emphasized that his presence had no connection with Chandlers job. Lausche Candidate Another top candidate was Gov. Frank J. Lausche of Ohio. The Democratic governor, a former baseball player and an extremely popular, man at the ballot box, has not indicated what action he would take if offered the job. Trautman, contacted at his headquarters in Columbus, said he had "no comment on any phase of the situation." "Thats up to the major leagues," he said. Lausche also refused comment in Columbus. Chandler said previously that he was "parting on the best of terms." But he scored the council, charging that "I am convinced they the council dont want a real commissioner." "They dont have any agreement among themselves about a commissioner, except that they dont want anybody who will step in and take charge," said the man who has often declared that he "loves baseball." After first being repudiated for his job by the owners at St. Petersburg, Fla., the league officials again rejected him in another meeting in Miami Beach, Fla., last March. Chandler, who took over as commissioner in 1945, refused to disclose his future plans. "I am a candidate for unemployment after next year," he said. . The commissioner, a former Kentucky senator and governor, denied that he plans to re-enter politics immediately. "I am not a candidate for office at the moment," the resident of Versailles, Ky., said. Mrs. Eunice Morris, Chandlers personal secretary for years before he entered baseball, said she will leave with Chandler July 15.
