Chandler Hints Job With U of Kentucky: Intends to Announce Date Of Retirement Next Week; Does Not Know Successor, Daily Racing Form, 1951-06-16

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Chandler Hints Job With Upf Kentucky Intends to Announce Date Of Retirement Next Week; Does Not Know Successor By JULIAN GRANGER United Press Sports Writer KNOXVILLE, Term., June 15. — Baseball Commissioner A. B. Chandler hinted today that he may take a sports position with the University of Kentucky when he quits as commissioner, probably after the AU-Star game in Detroit July 10. Speaking at a Civitan Club luncheon here, Chandler referred to the long and bitter athletic rivalry between Kentucky and Tennessee and said: "Im just about between baseball and something else. Ive got some plans for next year. . .when you come up there to Kentucky-next year your going to see some things." Kentucky, which hasnt won a football game from Tennessee in ages, meets the Volunteers at Lexington, Ky., on November 24. Chandler declined after his speech to discuss the statement to any decree. He will announce at Cincinnati next week when he will step down as commissioner at the instigation of major league club owners who have agreed to grant him certain concessions in return for his quitting immediately. Chandler told the Civitans he knew of no one who would "want" to succeed him, or of anyone the club owners were considering as a possible successor. He indicated that they wanted none. Dosent Know of Successor "They didnt want Landis either," said Chandler, referring to his predecessor, the late Kenesav/ Mountain Landis. "These fellows seem to want to run their own affairs. Thats all right, but the American people have always felt that they owned a share in baseball." Chandler said his "principal job" as commissioner had been to "keep the confidence of the American people in baseball" and expressed fear that baseball might become tagged as "big business." As such, he said, baseball might lose popular confidence. "In the ast seven years, I dont know of any instance that would cause the people to forfeit their confidence in baseball," he said. "I havent felt it necessary to apologize to the baseball owners. . .the game has not suffered for anything I have done or not done." Chandler lavished praise on Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who has been mentioned for his job, but who has declined so far to discuss the reports. "General MacArthur is probably the outstanding military genius this country has produced," he said, but acknowledged that President Truman had a right to fire the Far Eastern commander. * "He handled the Japanese- situation so that out of 80,000,000 enemies we got 80,-000,000 friends." The President, he said, has 120,000,000 people "against" him. Chandler was introduced as "The man who has done more for baseball than any other man." Chandler ,and Warren Giles, president of the Cincinnati Reds, agreed during a morning telephone conversation that they would announce jointly next week when Chandler will resign.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1951061601/drf1951061601_2_5
Local Identifier: drf1951061601_2_5
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800