The San Francisco call., 1909-01-10

..- -..They lead
such a ter
-ible life, Compared to the hardships
q high class ball player has TO suffer.
that little stunt of Jean Vatican, prowl-
ing around in q galley. eating salt
horse and black bread, was a Dutch
plcnickers midsummer's day dream.
Just think of the terrible travail ball
players have to undergo nowadays.
IheE nave 70 stop at the very best
hotels in all the land They are CO.
creed even compelled TO accept salaries
that the ordinary bank president would
not snim al. When they travel, the
simon Legrees who own the baseball
clubs compel the pu-poor little play
ers TO ride in Pullman palace cars, with
feeders attached where the pu-poor
little players can go TO the trough
ana gorge themselves with pOrterhouSe
steaks and spring onions until their
tummy tums are as tight as bass
drum.
And the pu-poor little fellows have
10 work all Of about two hours a day.
Amt IL awful, Mabel2 Can you blame
these little fellows VINO could earn ali
eL leNen dollars a week driving
dray, or being first assistant TO the
managing editor OF a boiler plant from
following like Balaam's ass when they
have 10 play ball about two hours
day six or seven months in the veal
Honest, Alyce. can you blame them2
Then. TOO. they are compelled TO live
Up 10 the rules Of the game and obey
that black assassin, the umpire. Every
umpire is a black assassin. Never was
one that wasn't II you don't believe
Then you'll be convinced. Ball players
have only about from Is TO 20 hours
or their own time each day TO do just
what their sweet viii suggests. Just
think Of that. N'outrage, amt it? And
~ The winter, when their discomfort is
most discontented. they only have p
hours time TO themselves each day.
can you blame these pu-pOOr little
n-layers for being discontented?
haven't they2 And what's the use in
being star II you can't worry the
management? Primmy donnies do it,
dom they; And what are baseball
stars but outdoor primmy dOnnies2
And as we started out 10 say, now
IS the winter of the players discon-
tent. and what is more feasible sea- !
sCnt Isn't this the winter? Plenty of /
these stars who earn from $4,000 TO
Sax monlhs now nave the grouches-
The bigger the star the heftier the
Crouch Nearly ali the major league
lwinklers are suffering with the
ErOuchitis- Nike DOnlin has il. So
has Hans Wagner MOrdecai Brown
has IL in three OF the fingers OF his
pitching hand. If he had FIVE fingers
he might have IL in them all. Johnny
Evers is sufferer. SOS Johnny King,
and they DO say Lou Criger is sadly
afflicted while Fielder Jones is beyond
king Of Chicago. the best back stop
In America. wants more coin for his
season
get II he says il VIII be au revoir for
MIN SO far as Chicago is concerned.
King has TO work for the piffiing sum
. of about $4,000 for six months Al
most @ thou a month. Tough shooting.
Mordecai Brown gets at least as
much IS King, but ii is limited that
some OF his fellow players. Mordy was
well brought up in his youth Comes
from indianny. AOu know a fellows
got TO be exclusive il he comes from
me
on the Cubs to suit little Mordy
Hans Wagner is sore because the
fans Of Pirtsburg do not break the
Welkin cheering for him every time
DE makes an error or strikes out They
only cheer Wagner in Smoke Town
when he makes q hit or a good stop.
Pu-pOOr little Hans is sensitive
soul. You wouldn't guess it TO look
at him Hes six feet. weighs 200
pounds has been known TO carry a
trolleycar for block on his hack. and
has a phiz that looks like living ad
Tor now brand of imported WI1rz-
berger. but he's sensitive. Big enough
fp be. And IL rattles his esthetic soul
20 have anyone critcise him. Besides,
Hans draws only about $4,000 q year
and has accumulated 2 fortune OF about
S5e.NOo playing baseball. Also Wagner
kes 10 DO the Adeiina Patti act every
winter
Frank Chance also SAYS he is through
with the game. Fresno Frank does not
ike the way O. Webb Murphy runs the
ubs. and besides Frank made only
about sI2,5o0 for his bit last summer
Inance says he is through with the
game. He has an orange grove and is
going 10 grow golden oranges. It's
easier watching oranges grow than to
5000 per month.
Johnny Evers, who has played a
sturdy game at second base for Chi
cago for about five years. says he is
through. too. Johnny lives in Troy
n y and likes the town better than
chicago Tough on poor old Chi. Be-
To- Fr "a raaLy g If -
toInl4s sporung editor OF Troy
paper. or superintendent of a shoe en-
porium, Lucrative jobs these. Evers
only cOllects about $1,000 for his ability
as second baseman and general good
scout in a ball game. Can't afford to
waste his talents. probably, for such a
Ty Cobb. star sluggist Of the Amer
ican league. is also thinking Of sheath
tng MS good Hillerich. Ty is a south
ern gentleman and ne doesn't fancy the
sdea Of allowing 'cullud gemmen" into
the ball yards TO see him play, even II
they pay good money for their seats.
Fielder Jones. the big gun OF the Chi
so Americans, has given out his word
that he Is through with the diamond
lie has vast business interests in Port
land. and $4,000 Tor six months toll on
the ball field doesn't look handsome to
Jones. or at least he says il doesn't
ABOUT me only payer OF note who
that he was through with the game is
George Edward Waddell, OF Butler. Pa.
sometimes 9CltpL lNuDSs ana ABOUT the
only reason that Rube has not emitted
the loud spark is that he is probably
afraid that II he let the roar the club
owner for whom he works. or whom he
works would call his bluff and pay him
good coin Of the realm. even in new
trouseretted gold coins, to make good
his threat
But for all this crouch business on
the part OF star diamond performers.
dear Alyce. they'll all be back at the
old stands again next season, notwith-
standing the sings and arrows of the
fans, and most tickled TO death to be
on The job.