The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-09
AFTER THE BATTLE.
Clearing Up the Ruins Wrought
by Baseball War.
FAIR TREATMENT FOR ALL.
W. l. Harris Says the National League Has
Promised to DO the Square Thing
Players Feel Blue.


again.
This remark was made to me by ball
player, who last season got s., 900 for seven
months work, working three hours a day
ard sometimes five. And this same man
In five years received about S12, coo for play
ing baseball Like most of the men who
a year ago shouted loudest about the slav-
cry Of ball players, he found that the servi-
Jude, if it was such, paid him extremely
well for his labor.
There is a wrong idea abroad among the
supporters Of the recent Players league,
and among 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 w. Thurman, of the
American association, which is pretty sure
to take its cue from the league in the mat
ter of players.
Mr.. Thurman, recently given the soubri-
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
noxious to the player must be wiped out,
and both major leagues placed Upon such
high plane that there will never again be
any excuse for brotherhood or any other
form of "desertion."
There may be expected good deal of
kicking from players who have been over
paid during the last two years because
they will have to suffer reduction of sal
airy. But this reduction will be general in
its nature and Will be only a natural and
necessary outcome Of the recent war 1t is
not likely that the club in 1891 can pay the
same salaries they did in 1890 and make a
profit, nor is it likely that any of them will
want to lose a great deal after the disGs-
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 that particu-
lar. it was determined that fancy prices
must be put on the shelf for a few years.
Existing contracts cannot be changed but
in making new contracts all outrageous
demands will be firmly resisted
In some cities t5ere will be little change
in salaries from what was paid in 1890, but
in the large majority of the teams there
viii be a reduction that viii more fully
equalize earnings Of men OF equal ability,
and stop much of the jealousy that has ex-
listed in the past, and which has always
been detriInent to discipline For in
stance, there never was any really good rea-
son why man like O'Rourke should have
received Sc, 500 in 1889 while a man Ike
Iiernan had to play for a trifle over s., eco.
Abuses of this nature grew up under the
star system, and the League viii 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 at least to
make the salaries bear no moro than fair
ratio to the income from the games This
viii be the only punishment-if it can be
ca4ed such-which will come upon the
great majority of the players as a result of
their desertion of the National league in
1890. Considering that the experiment
cost the capitalists over $500, 600, this viii
not be considered hardship, especially As
the reductions viii not be large in indi-
vidual cases with a few exceptions
Ofcourse many men who joined the Play
ers' league movement viii ind themselves
pushed down into the minor leagues; but
this viii he the result OF either personal
wishes or of 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 be satisfied, so that there
viii be no chickering's to disturb the strug-
gle for the championships. The most i'm
portant interest to satisfy Is the pu bic,
and IN this those players who are fea~Eu
that they will be given what Al johnson
expressively calls the "dinky dink" will
find 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
il Is said, by Mike Kelly, and means, as
johnson defines it, when man is thrown
down so hard that you can hear him strike
the ground two blocks away" The trouble
Is with johnson that he asked more than
will appear reasonable to most people
S35, 600. The league offered to pay him
IS, 900, which was about 81 per cent of his
losses. and Johnson refused to accept it
-Four or five days after the offer was with
drawn johnson wanted to take it, and be
cause the league doesn't hurry and pay
over the money he is shouting from tht
housetops, Pm getting the dinky dink
He is not likely now to get s29, oC9 for his
5000 worth of lumber and chairs in his
grand stand, his 81 500 invested in the Gin
cinnati club and his goodwill, but accord
ing TO the league people he will be fairly
treated, if he allows himself TO be So
Matters have not yet been closed for the
Boston aud Philadelphia 2. l.. people, but
the promises made to them will be kept
and they will not come out so badly as
some of their friends have feared. The ex
act terms of the deals with them have not
yet been given out, 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 be
heavy. The Boston men will suffer the
most, as their great team will be practical
ly dismantled, but they will be left in a
position to make money, and as they have
lost none they cannot complain.
The Philadelphia men will have 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 az.
prehension the approach of cold weathe.,
and wondering where they are to get adj
vance money to tide them over until spring.
w. l. HARRIS.
Intensely Interesting Literature.