Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-12-07

and anon the players too, that the old
employers, now that they have again
got control Of baseball, will proceed
to revenge themselves upon the play
ers. This Is absurd. In the first place the
National league could not afford to do any
thing Of the kind, and SO far as ! can learn
from personal conversations with nearly
all the leaders Of the league there is no dis
position in the organization to treat the
players in any other than a fair way. That
this is so is proved by the remarks made
by President Allan ". Thurman, OF the
American association, which is pretty sure
TO take its che from the league in the mat
ter of players.
Mr.. Thurman, recently given the soubri-
quet of "White Wings" for his successful
efforts in the line Of peacemaking, says:
Nobody will be turned down unless dis
sipation or inferiority in his work makes
it absolutely necessary" Mr.. Thurman
further says that certain legislation OBJ
n~oXious TO the player must he wiped out,
and both major leagues placed upon such
a high plane that there will never again he
any excuse for brotherhood or any other
form of ''desertion."
lltIt nltl bt tNltiAtu ~ EOfu utdl VI
kicking from players who have been over
paid during the last two years because
they will AVE to suffer a reduction of sal.
airy. But this reduction will he general in
its nature and will be only n natural aud
necessary outcome Of the recent war. Ii is
not likely that the club in 1901 can pay the
same salaries they did in ISL and make "A
profit, nor is il likely that aEy of them will
want To lose a great deal after the disas.
trous season just closed. While it was de-
cided at the recent meeting not To adopt
any general rule in regard To salaries and
to let each club suit itself in hat particu.
lar. it was determined that fancy prices
must be put on the shelf for a few years.
Existing contracts cannot be changed, hut
in making new contracts all outrageous
demands will be firmly resisted.
In some cities there will be little change
in salaries from what was paid in 1890, but
in the large majority of the teams there
will be a reduction that will more fully
equalize earnings Of men Of equal ability,
and stop much Of the jealousy hat has ex.
isted in the past, and which has always
been "A dctrimeut to discipline. For in.
stance, there never was any really good rea.
son why a man like O'Rourke should have
received $500 in 1889 while a man like
Herman had to play for a triile over s22,OOo.
Abuses Of this nature grew up under the
star system, and the League will make an
effort to reform all such cases.
During the last three years over half of
the clubs in this country have paid to
their players more money in salaries than
they have received in gate receipts. An
attempt will be made next year ut least to
make the salaries bear no more than a fair
ratio To the income from the games. This
will DE the only punishment-if it can be
called ~such-which will come upon the
great majority Of the players rs a result of
their desertion Of the National league in
1880. Considering that the experiment
cost the capitalists over SJ00,OOO, this will
hot be considered II hardship, especially as
the reductions will not be large in indi
yidual clses with "A few exceptions.
OF o many men who Joined the Play
ers' league movement will lind themselves
pushed down into the minor leagues; but
this will be the result Of either personal
wishes or Of "A loss of value as players.
II is the desire Of the National league
TO settle all the questions pertaining to
the game with fairness to all, and when
the season Of 1891 opens the league desires
everybody TO he satisfied, 80 that there
will be no chickering's to disturb the strug-
gle for the championships. The most i'm
portant interest to satisfy is the public,
and in this those players who are fearful
that they will he given what Al johnson
expressively calls the ''dinky dink" will
lind in this fact their greatest protection.
johnson is already claiming that he has
received the ''dinky dink," which, by the
way, is the latest baseball slang, invented,
it is said, by Mike Kelly, and means, rs
johnson defines il, when a man is thrown
down so bard that you can hear him strike
the ground two blocks away" The trouble
Is with johnson that he asked more than
will appear reasonable 10 most people
$4,000. The league offered To pay him
t29,OOO, which was about "a per cent. Of his
losses, and johnson refused TO accept il.
Four or five days after the offer was with
drawn Johnson wanted 10 take it, and lie.
cause the league doesn't hurry and pay
over the money he il shouting from the
housetops, I'm getting the dinky dink."
He is not likely now 10 get S22J,OOO for his
5000 worth Of lumber and chairs in his
grand stand, his 81 800 invested in the Gin.
cinnati club and his goodwill, but accord
ing to the league people he will he fairly
treated, IL he allows himself TO he so.
Matters have not yet been closed for the
Boston aud Philadelphia L. l.. people, but
the promises made 10 them will be kept
and they will not come out so badly rs
some Of their friends have feared. The ex-
act terms Of the deals with them have NOS
yet been given cut, but when they are
made public it will be found that beyond
being deprived Of the services Of some OF
their star players their losses will not DO
heavy. The Boston men will suffer the
most, as their great team will be practical
ly d~ismantled, but they will be left In a
position to make money, and a. they have
lost none they cannot complain.
The Philadelphia men will nave a chance
TO recoup their losses in the American asso-
citation, and can easily spare the players
which will be required Of them.
Meanwhile, pending final settlements,
players all over the country who have not
got "A goodly portion Of their last years
salary in the bank are viewing with ap-
p~rehension the approach Of cold weather.
and wondering where they are TO get ad-
vance mo~ey to tide them over until spring.
| w. l. HARRIB.