The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-18
MAGNATE WHO SELLS STAR
MAKES BUT LITTLE MONEY
Brokerage Business in Baseball
Rightfully Resented by Patrons
of the Game.
BUT ONE RECENT DEAL

ST. LOUIS. April 17-Not since 1895. when
Chris Won der Abe sold Theodore Breiten-
stien to Cincinnati for $500. has the brok-
erage business in the baseball world been
at all lively until the recent sale of Red
john Powell by the st. Louis Americans
to Tammany for $780, with a second-grade
player thrown in to complete the bar
gain.
There have been dozens of sales each cam
paign ever since baseball was professionally
organized, but this is the first really i'm
portant brokerage stunt in ten years.
The sale of players is always resented by
patrons not only on account of the loss OF
favorites, but as evidence of the predomin-
ance of commercialism over the sporting
spirit in the club owner.
a good baseball player should be price
less. That is what the fans think, and
if it were not for them there wouldn't be
any baseball Hence their wishes should
be respected.
From a dollar-and- standpoint,
Hedges and Adkins made smart sale
in realizing 5000 for Powell $1,000 pitcher
In addition they got New York to toss in a
player who doesn't rank many notches re-
moved from Red JOHN in fact, one who
went better than the big fellow in 1908.
However, for all that the teams last
chance 70 run one. two three. four in the
coming race, unless, of course, the unex-
pected is registered, went a-glimmering
with the sale of the buxom Powell to New
York.
The Wagners, ]. Earl and George the
wealthy Philadelphia butchers who bobbed
up the year of the brotherhood and moved
on TO Washington when the twelve-club
league was formed, and Chris Won der Abe
are the most noted of the baseball brok-
erS.
And where are they now?
Divorced from the game, with no chance
to re-enter it.
The Wagners were very wealthy prob
ably richer than half of their associates;
still they only developed good player to
Hence their Senators each campaign
would wind up twelfth or thereabouts
Won der Abe coined money when he kept
his stars When he started disposing of
them his troubles began.
No man in baseball ever prospered more
than der boss" when he had his old
Browns intact. He was winning pennants
and his profits each summer-and Chris
never kept books-amounted in the neigh
borhood of $1,000
Chriss troubles began when he became a
diamond merchant
In 1888 he busted up his four-time champs
He sold Bobby Carruthers the late Dave
Fortz and Doc Bushong to BROOKLYN and
'Brudder Bill Gleason and Curt WEIGH to
Brooklyn.
This proved to be the undoing of the
| Teuton. His teams were champions no
| longer and in the place of goodly profits
each summer came losses.
Year after year Chris would sell his men
| His last disposal gave Cincinnati Theodore
| Breitenstein. the king of all lefthanders
in his day and Vondys lone valuable asset
in the declining years of his professional
| career.
The sale of the big Four~-white
/ Rowe. Brouthers and Internationally Ruf
| falo TO Detroit in 1885 for $1,000 was the
| first important sale.
At that time ii was considered marvel
Gus to raise that amount on four ballplav
crs.
Following Detroit's disposal of the ..Bie
Four came Chicagos sale to Boston of RI,
| late Mike Kelly, the greatest catcher anr
| all-round performer of his time
He brought $4,000 and for a year wa.
| known as the $4,000 beauty"
The following year John GARRISON III.
famous pitcher, kelly's battery mate !,
/ Chicago through many campaigns. was mr.
chased by Boston for a like amount
| AS the $4,000 battery" they were base
| balls most famous characters in the los
several years previous to the formation y
| the brotherhood.
| In 1889 Boston continued its sensationa
purchases by buying Brouthers. Richard
| son, CAMEL and Bennett from Detroit TN
| price paid was $1,000.