Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-05

| After all the midwinter rumbles as 10
the Washington players signing contracts,
the sum total is just five-McBride, WITH
erup. Blankenship. Hughes and Shipke.
! Manager Joe Cantillon returned from
his hunting camp in Kentucky earlier
| than expected and at once forwarded
the signed contracts of Mcbride. With
erup, Blankenship and Shipke TO
President Tom Moves. Mr.. Noyes was
asked if Manager Cantillon had anything
in his letter that would interest the
! Washington fans" and his reply was
| that there was no news of Importance
| to give out.
Some weeks back the papers teemed
with letters from Street, Milan. Clymer
and others to the effect that they were
pleased with the salaries offered and had
forwarded their contracts. Tom Hughes
signed his contract here and left it with
President Noyes, which, added to the
above quartet, makes five under cover.
The signing of contracts at this time
of the year is played up entirely too
strong as there are very few players
who care to place their names on the
legal document before having serious
talk with their manager. Last season a
ma jority of the Washington players did
not sign their contracts until they ar
rived in Washington after the long prac-
tice trip to Galveston Little details that
appear very large to the players are dis
cussed and quickly Strengthened out, and
then both sides to the contract are sat
isfied.
George Mcbride was given such d hand
some raise in salary that he wanted to
show his appreciation by returning the
signed contract as quick as possible
Blankenship was given exactly what he
asked for. while Witherup and Shipke
were satisfied to take Manager JOes adj
vice, and signed at once.
Five players is not very large colony
when ii Is expected that from fifteen to
eighteen players will wear Washington
uniforms throughout the season, but it
is a start. and that is everything.
There is hardly club in the country
that is not having trouble of some sort
with it's players over the salary question.
This is caused by the prosperous season
last year and the reports spread broad
cast of the large sums of money made
by the different teams. Detroit won the
pennant but had a salary list around
$4,000. and the clubs profits were COM
paratively small. AS a result almost the
entire team has signed for the coming
season. All the other clubs made good
money.
The WASHINGTON club. on account of the
lack of accommodations or perhaps being
close to the rear all season. failed to pull
off a great deal of money, but. OF course
did we'll under the circumstances. The 10
cal fans and the base ball world In
general would be greatly surprised If the
Washington clubs pay roll was made pub
lie Take any six of the Washington men
and their salaries will foot up as much as
Earl Wagner paid his entire outht In the
sos OF the eight clubs in the Amer
lean League there are not over three
whose pay rolls are larger than Washlng-
tons In addition, the other clubs have OPP
portunities TO make at least three times as
much as the local aggregation. Whether
i'm the first or second division. The play
ers should realize this and understand
that Washington is paying out salaries
plenty large enough in justice to the
stockholders.
All this tommyrot about the club being
able to pay the players whatever they ask
should be suuashed Walter Johnson will
sign at a splendid advance over last sea-
son. as his work deserves. but Messrs.
GRAY and Groom will have the time OF
their lives getting princeiy salaries when
they have yet to show Mr.. Cantlilon tnat
they can deliver the goods.
In less than two weeks several clubs OF
the American and National leagues Will
have started players toward the southern
practice grounds, and in less than montn
the Nationals will leave Chicago for Gal
weston. Time certainly flies, and 1t seems
but a very short while ago that the locals
were battling for supremacy at the hedd
of eth street. The warm weather can
come to quickly to please the average
base ball fan and as the season or 1913
promises to be a record breaker for all con-
cerned. everybody is anxious for the pat
tie to be opened The Nationals Will be In
fine fettle when they come up from the
south, and as they will start off with the
easy marks'-New York-the tribe OF
Cantillon should get a start of the rum
ming order and stay out In front Tor a