The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-03

iklN Sues ana ut
each end. Ergo there will be several hun
dred new operators in the commercial
field in the Worlds fair year, or about
that many liars. l am inclined to take
hold of the last named end of the alterna-
tive.
In an experience of seventeen years rs an
observer of and writer on baseball have
heard this song of ''going into business"
sung every fall and spring by players who
rebel against what the gods (magnates)
provide in the way of salaries, but only
about 10 per cent. of the songstcrs ever put
into practice what they sing, and of these
probably 0per cent ''shoot their bolt" the
first year and return to their old calling.
baseball players as rule never make
good business men. In the first place most
of them begin playing ball young-before
they have had any opportunity to learn
commercial ways and means-very sud-
denly jump from state Of no income what
ever into the possession of salaries equal
to those which are drawn by Judges or
earned by bank officials. Like ali men
who fall into fortunes, or who suddenly
find themselves in possession of a great
deal of money, these ball players show that
they have no idea of moneys worth. 1t
comes easy and it goes easy.
No business on earth is so dcmoraliZing
to young mans future as professional
baseball playing. He enters the profes
sion without any education in business
ways, and once he has tasted of the luxuries
and extravagancics of n baseball life he
can never afterward bring himself to n tie
down; to the eXactions of an instruction in
business ut moderate salary. The lazy
idle life he leads as Il professional, as well
as the possession of immense salaries,
wholly disar1ns him for the real battle If
ifn ,ipI, Nft
metcoric fame OF the ball field has flashed
and died away.
Another reason why so few cx-ball play
ers ever make themselves felt in business
circles is the lamcntablc fact that the vast
majority arc poorly educated and are
wholly unfit for positions which require any
reasonable amount of trained intelligence
For this reason probably so per cent of ali
ball players who "go into business do it
by opening II saloon or by putting money
in that particular field with belief that
their supposed great popularity will draw
them n fortune making patronage This
belief in the great personal paving popu-
larity of the baseball star some few wears
ago was entertained also by the nonprofes-
SIGNALS in the saloon business, and caused
many iiattcrinS offers of partnership to he
made to notable ball players. Among in
stances of this kind are the cases of Kelly.
Gore, Flint, Calvin, Mullanc, Latham.
O'Bricn, Lynch, Gerhardt and Pfcfrcr.
More could be named, and every one of
them met with bitter failure Their popu-
larty on the diamond seemed to be con-
fined to the Enclosures of the ball fields.
y very small percentage of eX-baseball
players have made a success in business.
or thai the most notable examples are 4.
G.. Spalding, Albert Reach and George
isrh
fortune in the learned professions after n
few years on the diamond. but they came
from the college class.
If baseball players could be taught the
value of money and could he induced TO
save largely of their incomes there would
be Il much greater percentage of them
heard from in business circles in after
years.
The above thoughts and facts have been
drawn out by the "chcstnutish" threats
of men like Pfeirer, Bcckley, Baldwin and
Bierbaucr that they will next year retire
from baseball playing and go into bust
ness rather than submit to Il cut in salary.
The threat is an innocent one The winter
will be of the usual length, the weather
may be II little colder than the average.
while the smell of violets and the demands
of creditors next spring will be quite as
strong rs ever. Therefore we need not
worry for fear that sudden rush of base.
ball players into the whrligig of trade
may upset the commercial equilibrium
BY the way, the Pittsburgs are the very
first of the twelve League clubs to set up a
salary m assure for next season. They are
signing all their "a /" men of this years
team mt n regular salary of s., 400 for next
year. This is II cut of from 80 to 10 per
cent. The second and third class players
will receive from 1900 to 81, These
figures may be taken as about the regular
rates to be paid next year. 1t is pretty
hard for star who drew 81, 900 or 81. 600
this year to bring himself down to s., 400
next year Yet there will be about 500. coo
men i'll the United States next year strug-
Cling for $4,000 federal appointments, aver
aging salaries much less in size and cover
ing twice the amount of time should
there possibly be u change in the admins.
tration of government at Washington.
The ttsburgs are the first TO make
the cut in reality, although they are the
first to report II gain or a profit ON the re-
cent seasons play.
1t is announced by President Young that
there will be but one set of official averages
this year in spite of the two championships
The decision is n wise one. 1t will avoid
confusion and will give far the better salts
t"Se'oii' fAnu' ny inc way, people should
bear in mind that all so called averages
compiled from newspaper scores are us
worthless as wildcat money This fact is
made plain by comparing the various tn
blcs recently published, which show the
widest Kind of discrepancies. Scoring I'M
der the present rules is to Il great extent
q matter OF personal opinion, and scores
have differed this year more radically than
ever before. Therefore as records none is
of any value whatever save those which
will be compiled officially by President
Young from his official scores received
from cVnrY Icannn city c hn nloro 1 -.