New Britain Herald Newspaper, June 2, 1916, Page 13

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Photos by American Press Association. 1.—Eddie Collins of Chicago White Sox. 2~—Walter Johnson of the Washing- ton Americans. 3.—Ty Cobb of De- troit Tigers. 4.—Tris Speaker of Boston Red Sox. 5.—Christy Math- ewson of New York Giants. 6.—Home * Run Baker of New York Americans. HAT has happened to the big baseball salary bubble in the major leagues? Has it burst? Judging from information at hand it has. Big salaries in the majors are now a thing of the past. In fact, the average pay of big ball players is smaller today than it has been for many years. This time last year players were talking of the fabulous pay they were receiving for their performances on the diamond. Men in the American and National could tell their managers and the latter in turn would inform the owner that like Ty Cobb or Christy Mathewson are receiving the same salaries as they did a year ago and probably never will receive a cut in wages as long as they deliver the goods. | The club owners have had to swal- | | low a bitter pill for two years, and now | it is their turn to administer what they had to take and a little more. War in that time was to them what Sherman | said it was, and now predictions are that they are planning to make the high salaried athletes come down to where they want them. Immediately after the Federal league came on the scene the monthly sti- pends of the players jumned, some of | them sky high. Club owncrs held their | heads and lost many a night's sleep, | but were game enough to take it and g0 along as best they could. Now they | will ascertain whether the men who caused them so much worry will have the courage to stand for what was | suaded not renew that agreement, for he said before the world's series last season that his salary list must come down, as he paid most of his profits to his players. He said the world’s series was a life saver for him ‘Walter Johnson, the star American league twirler, is due to have his fur rubbed the wrong way when his con- tract with the Washington team ex- pires. He was signed with the Federal league and had accepted $6,000 of the league's money. Then he was -per- to return to the Washington team. He sent back the check to the Federal league people and later signed with the Senators at a salary of $16,- 000. Now that the war is over he will not be paid any such exorbitant sum if he desires to remain within the ranks of organized baseball. There are a great many of the play- ers who jumped to the Federal league who have had to stand for a cut in handed them soon as the war bro 50 and so had received a big offer from a Federal league club and that if his | club did not come pretty near meeting #he terms offered he would jump. In most cases these demands were met, but now the worm has turned. It's a case of accept what is offered or quit | baseball. Instead of big salaries being offered a moderate pay is given and a bonus for certain work. Of course this new ruling of the club | owners does not affect the great stars _who have been loyal to their clubs. Men Tris Speaker of the Boston Red Sox | is one of the most prominent ball pla ers who felt the effects of the peac agreement. He virtually held up Presi- dent Lannin for an enormous contract last year. He we t by the Fed- eral league and used that as a wellge to get a big stipend from the Red Sox owner. Considerable negotiating before Speaker came to terms, and when he did the figures inscribed in the document were $17,000. Lannin did was done their salaries. Those with long con- tracts are in the “soft seat” until they expire, and then the money offered them will not be anything like it was when the war was on. Salaries will go back to where they were before and| probably lower. It is the scheme of the magnates to retrieve what they lost. It is interesting to note the salaries the big stars receive for a season's work. Ty Cobb, it is said, gets $12,000 a year. Tris Speaker had his salary cut this season, but receives around $10,000 from the Boston American league club. Home Run Baker's pay | from the New York club this year will| amount to about $7,500. Eddie Col-| lins pulls down at least $8,000 from the Chicago Americans. Hans probably gets around $10,000 from the Pittsburgh club. Some Ball Players Who Pull Down Big Salaries (has been receiving annually in the ‘Wagner | neighborhood of $10,000 a season. These players are the real stars of Christy Mathewson |the big leagues and are worth every' i ANY MAJOR LEAGUE BALL PLAYERS HAVE HAD THEIR SALARIES CLIPPED THIS SEASUN | dollar they recefve. | big drawing cards, and thousands o | fans pay their way into ball parks td see these individuals play, but the av \ | | They stand out ag erage player’s salary in the big majo: leagues does not amount to more thaiy $3,500. CRAWFORD WELL FIXED; NEEQ NOT FEAR RETIRING. JF _Sam Crawford of the Detro | Tigers should be forced to bow t | Father Time he would have nothing | worry about. His contract, quite gen| { erally belleved to call for a salary o | $7,500 a year, is of the so called iro: | clad kind and does not expire until th| end of the 1917 season. ‘When he returned to New York fro: the trip around the world with t White Sox two years ago he was m at the dock by Federal league mag] nates. He was offered a big salary i crease if he would join their rank: it has been said. Crawford is considered one of t most popular players who has evd donned a Detroit uniform. His screec ing drives to the right field bleache and into and over it have made mu | history. He always has been know as a steady, quiet, unassuming playe| and his passing from the lair of ti Tigers, which may not be for sever: years, will probably cause as mud genuine regret as did the passing another hero of halcyon days—Wil Bill Donovan. 'EUROPEAN WAR HELPS J RACING IN AMERICA | RACIXG in England and France at present is at a standstill, a condi- tion which has been brought about by >the war. Nevertheless, the thorough- bred breeding industry in these coun- irles has been affected but little. In 'act, in a roundabout way the war has helped the breeding industry and has Indirectly benefited racing in the Unit- ed States. The recent arrival of so many young thoroughbreds in this country is ex- pected to have a strong influence on the American turf, as it will mean the infusion of new blood, which will nat- urally stimulate the interest in racing ind be of benefit to those who are loo! ng for high class young sires and suit- able mares for breeding purposes. These statements were made recently by Edward Johnson, the English and the time the afternoon’s program would start under normal conditions. This | rule has been made to enable the spec- tators to return to their homes before sunset, as, since the Zeppelin raids, motors and other conveyances are al- [ lowed to carry on its are pensable to s , and this law is | st rigidly enforced. “It is only under t that the governmen in gland. Just before 1 I was informed by the man, M. Cheri Halbro early next year scve breeders and racing men would attempt to give private meetir from which | the public would be would be no betting. be simply to test the ts of thorougnbreds for brecding purposes, and those t were unfit to produce se stringent rules Vi that 1 al of the ese races Zimmerman to Shun Umps New War Caddies In London A new solution of the caddie problem is being tried out at the Walton Heath Here the aged are given precedence over links in Great Britain. and infirm boys who ought to be in school or casu- al loafers. It is hoped that many sol- diers who are partially incapacitated by the war will be able to earn a living by this method. The old men are guaran- teed a minimum sum of 10 shillings a week and are allowed to keep every- thing they earn in excess of this amount. Provided that the weather is even moderately good, the club is seldom called upon to pay the caddies the mini- mum wage, for all old men are sent out | coming of Walter Johnson to the Wash- | kid right away I will t before the boys are given work. In re- 'T'HE real story of how the Washing- ton club obtained Walter Johnson, recognized as the greatest pitcher in the game today, has never really been told. There have been stories that CIiff Blankenship discovered him out Weiser, Ida., after watching him pitch Another story was to the effect that Joe Cantillon had a friend who tipped jhim off, but during the recent American league meeting in New York President Ben Minor related the true facts of the | ington club in 1907. Mr. Minor had a HOW WASHINGTON CLUB LANDED PITCHER JOHNSO them to Joe Cantillon, then nanager the team. Joe naturally was amused | the record, and he figured that so | time he would take it up with so one and have the boy looked over. | There the matter stood for seve: | weeks, when McCoy again dropped on Minor and asked if anything h [ been done about getting Johnson. F | was told that there had not. and the he said, “Look here, Ben; Joun I Ta: lor of the Boston club is & pretty go | friend of mine, and unless you get thi nim o sel then iind | out for him.” There and turn for this consideration the men are | friend who was interested in mines in|got into communication with Cantille required to report at the clubhouse at a certain hour in the morning and must not leave until the day is over. So far | the west. He is a native Washingto- | | nian, but was living in New York. His | name is John McCoy. He made fre- | | Blankenship had hurt could not play, so Mi he be sent to Weiser his finger a or insisted thd nd bring Joh the only drawback to this scheme 1s the | quent trips to Idaho, where he had in-|son to Washington, where he could Y fact that the old men have a hard time | terests, and cne day saw Walter John- | looked over ‘Within ten days Blanken ship returned with Johnson. To Yho » French trainer, who, althouzh a native finding lodgings near the course, as all| son pitching for his team. He was im- tock would born American, spent eighteen years abroad. He is now in this coun- try on a visit. Johnson s conditioned and bred horses for a number of wealthy Americans, including the late William C. Whitney, Wadsworth Ros- ors, H. K. Vinguet and Ralph Ellis, but nis greatest success has been with horoughbreds owned by Engli and 3 sportsmen, among them the Count le Marois, “While there are no government strictions against racing in France the present time” said Mr. John “the various thoroughbred orga tions have ceased to hold races in def- erence to public opinion. The French masses, which virtually uphold the sport in that ntry, do not think it right that men and women should look for recreation and div »n while their rs are fighting in of the nation. “The same feeling prevails land, but here racing ha stricted and may only be held in stric accordance with the rules I down by the government. Racing on the flat has stopped entirely, but short steeple- chase meetings are being held under rather trying conditions. “For instance, no one is allowed to go to these races by train. The only w: the public can get to the variou courses, which are from twenty-five to fifty miles outside of London, is by motor or private omnibus. One buys his ticket of admission at the place of starting, as no money is permitted to be taken in at the gates of the co The charge is $6, but a rebate of $ re- el fense in E been is 4 racing be handed over to the military authorities for the bene- fit of the remount service, and thus the general regularity of the breeding in- dustry would be preserved War Helps Smali Breedsr. “Indirectly the has helped the small breeder in England. Owing to the financial strain on the coun- T n the owners of the fash- ble staliions have reduced the sub- scriptions and placed service fees with- in reach of poorer horsemen, so as not to interfere in any way with the pro- duction of good thoroughbreds and at the time to make it possible for nom to the best stallions to be made the > as usual. the mar! speculation, but I profitable to weed out occ | mare d them to t and hunter: while their get is half {bred, it is 2 rviceable and makes | the best of hunters and fine horses for | the remount servi “The horses from America which have raced in England and France have size and bone, but they are coars- er than the European thoroughbreds and lack stamina. This no doubt is due to the popu demand for short distance races, which is so great here, but is diametrically obposed to the the- ory of French and English breeding, ere evervthing consistent with speed s sacrificed to stamina and staying qualities. “I am a’great b in the small breeder and think everything should be done in this coun to encourage the war great AT quite a have always found it onally the 1, eliever s is allowed the purchaser by the as ciation on p ion of ticket. This is to de aveling expenses, The government the 1 ent his also says st | ency farmer inobtaining thoroughbred mares, | This would not only help to improve his own & but it would have a te to the value of horse-| Photo by American Press Association. star infielder, declares he is going to let treet and he'll take the other in order ast year he was put out of many games felt. Every effort will be JEINIE ZIMMERMAN, the Cubs’ the umpir have one side of the avoid any hostilities this se n. I ccause of disputes, and his absence was keenly g hold him in check the land available is given up to expen- sive villas and residences, ATTELL ORIGINATOR OF BOW- KNOT TRICK. ABE ATTELL was the originator the “bowknot trick” him through many a crisis. He used it only when in trouble, and no oppo nent found it out until Frankie White detected the scheme. ) The former champion wculd have his gloves tied on to his hands with a knot such as cowboys use with their neck- ties. He would be fighting until an op- ponent drove him into a tight place. Then, while feinting and without any body noticing, he would pull the string and the glove would almost fall off. Naturally the bout would have to stop until the referee tied the glove back, and this gave Attell time to get his breath and resume his composure. He tried it on Frankie White and the latter called him for it. Abe then ad- mitted the trick and said it was the first occasion he had ever been picked up on it. MAKES TENNIS HISTORY. OBERT LINDLEY MURRAY of Palo Alto, who recently won the eastern indoor lawn tennis champion- ship in New York, captured the honor without the loss of a single set. It was the first time a western player won the championship. STAR ATHLETES IN WAR., BOBBY champion in 190 sprint ; Longhoat, the Indian Marathon ru nd Dick Grant, former Harvard miler, Tom | dian agmy forces, among Tecent recruits to the Cana. i pressed with the youngster, and, stop- | that Johnson was a wise busineed ma ping off at Washington en route east, |even at that time, he insisted & bei | he dropped in to see Mr. Minor and told | guaranteed transportation back to h | him of Johnson. Men in baseball al-| home in California if he did not mak KERR, Olympic 200 meter| nner, | ways get a lot of tips on phenoms, and that carried | not give Walter Johnson serious thought | se: | at the time. In a month or so McCoy | again stopped off in Washington and brought clippings showing that Johnson | had struck out twenty-two men at Wei- | ser. This of course interested Minor, | who took the clippings and handed | Fighter Rodel Has 'O be a real soldier in the Boer war, | a scholar in English schools, a star football player and heavyweight boxer are the distinctions that belong | to George Rodel. There is quite a bit of history to this Rodel fellow. To be- gin with, he is a real Boer, but he talks | fine English. He is a student and po: sesses much refinement, and, judging | from his past work in the ring, he is to | be judged a fairly good fighter. When he was fifteen years of age Rodel stole away from his home in Johannesburg, South Africa, and after some difficulty enlisted in the Boer war. Bent upon an education, he went to England and attended school. Thi was, of course, after the war. He was an apt scholar, big and strong, with plenty of nerve. He made a hit with his fellow students because of his love for athletics and because of his| strength. His wonderful athletic abil- | ity mained him a place on the football | cleven. It was due to the football | game that Rodel became a boxer. | In certain game there was one rough player —the usual tale. Of a good. He proved he had the raaking of | Mr. Minor of the Washington club did |a great pitcher then, and when t n was over he called attention § the agreement as to his transportatfo making the point that if the club w4 willing to pay it in the event he ha failed it surely should be willing to 4 S0 seeing that it had decided to keel him, and he carried his point. Interesting Caree the game, and after the gridiron gam the Boer repeated the performance real fistic fashion. He displayed much skill that fellow students p: dicted a fine career In the squared cis cle for him. But it took considerab persuasion to make Rodel believe was a boxer. There were the usug tryouts, and the Boer made good. The) he came to this country. GREAT WESTERN TROT DATES. PURSES aggregating $250,000 will b offered at race meetings of t Great Western Trotting circuit ne: season. The schedule follows: July 17, North Randall, O.; 24, De| troit; 31, Peoria; Aug. 7, Galesburg; 1 Burlington; Omaha; 28, De) Moines; Sept. 4, Hamline, Minn.; 1 Milwaukee; 18, Springfield, IIL; 2§ Sedalia; Oct. 23, Albuquerque, N. M, 30, Phoenix, Ariz The schedule was adopted by th delegat The list of purses include| each, offered by thi two of $32,000 Lcourse Rodel gave him a whipping in North Randall and Detroit meetings,

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