Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-20

" everyday level of
judges, bank cash.
>NS iers and travelling
salesmen in their use of money. During
the last week l have learned that which
makes it safe to announce as fact that
the National league clubs will next year
pay out not much more, if any more, than
half as much in salaries as was paid this
year.
AS an instance, this years Brooklyn
players cost the club only a little less than
$4,000 The club officials declare they
will not pay one cent over $4,000 next
year. and the sum ray be nearer sos, ,00O
The St. Louis team If 1892 cost Won der
Abe over $4,000. He has promised that
his next seasons team shall not cost
$4,000 and may be kept down to S1S,000
The New York team, though big failure,
was expensive, and over S45, 900 was paid
by the club in salaries. There may be less
cut in the sum total of this clubs next sea-
sons salaries than in any other of the
twelve, because it is necessary tostrengthen
the team from outside sources, and that
can only be done by a liberalty in salaries
for new players which will not be granted
to the reserved players. The Bostons will
probably not get their sum total for 1893
upon this matter of salary reductions was
had at the late New York conference. The
magnates then and there solemnly pledged
themselves to stand firmly by their reduc-
tion figures till the last horn blows or the
cows come home, as it were.
Only one or two clubs have lost over
$4,000 this season. and there will not be
one of the twelve clubs which next year
will pay within that sum as much in sal
aries as it paid this year. Hence the argu-
ment that even if there be no revival of in
terest in the game for 1893 there will be
no losses and nearly all the clubs will come
out winners financially. Such are the
dreams with which the magnateS are going
to while away the winter nights.
1t has not been many years ago since, at
about this season, the professionals were
organizing, ION their own hook" to go to
California, Cuba. New Orleans or Florida
on winter expeditions. 1t paid the players
then. Such trips now would probably be
expensive indulgences, and in anticipation
of next summers frosts the boys are taking
no chances with their small surplus this
winter The Brotherhood revolt knocked
all the gloss off the baseball heroes and
stars The public no longer falls down
and kisses the beautiful feet of the dia-
mond kings; there are no diamond kings,
and there is now no patient awaiting on
the Pacific coast for the eastern heroes
winter visit to the western slope.
There was little earlier in the year
some talk of organizing team for visit
to Cuba But the report that bull fight
ing on the island is not so popular as it was
last year scared off the hackers OF the en-
terprise, for when there is slump in bull
fighting at Havana baseball has no show.
The Clevelands had planned a joint trip
to California with the Bostons. The latter
demanded guarantee of railroad fares
both ways. The Clevelands grumbled, but
granted the guarantee. Then the Bostons
backed out. That was before the finals
were played. Now the Clevelands look
upon this back down of the Bostons as the
only real good luck they have had.
The New Yorks need second baseman.
Anson's team is weak at that point The
Bostons want better man than Quinn
for their nine. But second basemen of the
Al brand are scarce. 1t is the hardest
place on nine to fill acceptably. The
New Yorks would like to get McPhee or
Richardson, and it is almost a sure thing
that they will get one or the other. Pfef-
fer is likely to leave Louisville next year
Boston would pay handsomely for Pfeffer's
services.
The Brooklyns' lease on their old home
Washington park-eXpires with this
year. and the noted playground will next
year be cut up into building lots. 1t is
famous as having been the location of
Washington's headquarters at one period
during the Revolutionary war, and the old
stone house from which he at that time
issued his orders is still standing. 1t was
used by the players as a clubhouse. The
old edifce will now be razed
Another baseball park which will be
given up to the stride of building improve
ments is Sportsmen's park, the present
home of the St. Louis club 1t has been a
baseball ground since 1858, and is by far
the Oldest diamond in the United States.
1t is also probable that the Louisvilles will,
by provision in their lease, be compelled
to abandon their own grounds to the city
government next year. If so, the recent
destruction of their grand stand by fire will
turn out to be good luck.
To all of these departing Fairgrounds
must be added the Chicago's West Side
home, abandoned last season. If all the
ground occupied by professional baseball
clubs during the last twenty-five years
were assessed at their present value, the
sum total would be large enough to stock
half dozen national banks
The rumor which started in Louisville
recently that another players league was
secretly organized and would be launched
next year with enthusiastic hackers and
"slathers" of capital came seven months
too late and five months too soon for an
April fool joke. When any more capital
seeks investment by starting up another
independent baseball circuit, money will be
found on the streets and in the corn fields.
Why, it is just like paying taxes to get
money now to cover the legitimate ex-
pelses of established clubs. The days of
rainbow chasing in baseball have gone by.
They will come back again when we burn
witches and return to tallow candles and
dip lamps for household illumination.
o. p. CAYLoR. I
Bryan z. Lynn, in answer to Xavier Or