Perry had one big year, for the last-place 1918 Athletics, winning 21 with league highs in innings, starts, complete games, hits, and losses (19). His success reminded the Boston Braves that they had a technical claim to him. The National Commission agreed, but Connie Mack, with Ban Johnson‘s backing, went to court to retain Perry. The uproar weakened the Commission’s authority and fostered the owner hostility that led to Johnson’s downfall. Ultimately, the Braves accepted a cash settlement, and Mack kept Perry, who then went 4-17, lost a league-high 25 in 1920, and departed in 1921.
