Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-12
ARE BALL PLAYERS
j SALARIES TOO HIGH?
Umpire Evans Thinks They
Are Entitled to All They
Can Get.

remarked a fan one day last summer
as the Boston Americans jumped into
their taxicabs after a game and were
whisked away to their hotel.
Il should say So replied the fans
companion. a few hours work every
day. a fat salary and life Of luxurious
ease at the best hotels
why. I understand that fellow gets
$4,000 year. and lie has only been in
the big league two seasons" remarked
the enthusiast who had started the ar
gnment, as he pointed to one OF the
young Boston stars.
i wish had taken up base ball when
j went to college instead of giving so
much attention to higher mathematics,
Greek roots ana Latin verbs" answered
his partner.
Just then my car came along and
missed the rest of the debate. II s
pretty near cinch, however that the
remainder of the conversation was on
the same lines-the ease with which
the average ball PLAYER gets his money
Then again you often Hear all kinds
of remarks about this or that player
having n bad case OF the enlarged
Uranium simply because he holds out
for a bigger salary as a result of hav-
ing had an unusually successful year.
The question naturally arises. is it POI
sible TO classify the players into sepa
rate sections and settle OH q definite
sal larry for the men at various Positions
lis. il possible to fix n salary limit in
the major leagues and live UP to it?
Any close student of base ball without
the slightest hesitation would answer
no.
What, then. should be the salary of
major league ball players?
logical answer is, the players sal
airy should be Just as much IS he is
hi IN f,iC nj No
money question is matter between
player and owner, with the player try
ing TO get the very best contract pos
sihle and the owner trying to close a
bargain at the most reasonable figure
he can.
True. at a glance it may seem that
some stars are getting enormous salaries
for the short hours they have to work
during the six months of the playing sea-
son. Had these same stars. however, just
as much ability in other lines of business.
where skilled artists are at a premium,
it is almost safe to say they could cont
,nand more money than they are able to
get as ball players. Then. again, it must
be taken into consideration that there
are six months in which many of the
players do no work, and consequently
have no source of revenue. They must
live in the winter Just the same. but all
Ire expenses have to come out of the
summer salary.
The base ball business is most pre-
cariouS one.
The career of the average ball player
is exceedingly short when compared to
that of men in other professions.
Every time the ball player starts TO
game it may be his last. In order to be
a star in order to get the money, he
must show superior ability in all branches
of the sport. To be able TO accomplish
these things he must take long chances.
and each chance may end his career as
Y1fa md iY,4i al mr. i'm
from earning a good livelihood.
Some enthusiasts NAV point 10 OK
Young and his wonderful career as a
major league player to dispute these as
Sertions- There are exceptions to all
rules. and Cy Young stands out as the
one great exception 70 each and every
rule of base ball Try to name another
player who has seen the service of Cv
Young and stood the test. and you will
fail most dismaiIs in your endeavnr
There is only one CIV Young. and it's very
very doubtful if there will ever be an
other diamond hero to emulate his deeds
of prowess
ON the other hand there are hurdreds
Of players who enter the big leagues
seemingly possessing all the requisites
necessary to be stars and arDarentiy able
TO stand the wear and tear OF the bust
ness, but fail Some last ONLY a season.
others manage TO keep in the lime'ight
fer three or four years. while some of the
more favored retain their prestige much
the pace for a dozen years ard still pos
sess enough class to enable them to de-
nrand big salaries year after year are few
and far between.
Speed, speed. speed is the. cry of every
big league manager. Pitchers who have
plenty of smoke. outfields who can cover
all kinds of ground. batters who can hit
the ball ON q line. base runners who can
steal bases. catoflers who have good
OilTfielderS
ball back to the infield like a rifle shot
are always eagerly sought.
Men who fast on the bases. who
take desperate chances III order to ac-
complish their end. are liable to be spiked
or suffer a break or sprain any time
they leap into base Basemen who try
to touch them out are also in danger.
When batter steps to the plate the
pitcher tries TO outguess him. He must
ever be on the alert. for to be hit on the
head by a pitched ball Is liable to ruin
his career forever. Pitchers in the great
anxiety TO win put every ounce of energy
they have back of the ball, often some
thing snaps. the arm falls helpessly to
the side. and perhaps that ball marks
the last he will ever deliver in fast COM
pany. a liganent has been torn loose
mat puts serious kink in his ability as
a twirler .-.--.-.
a base ball player. in my humble
opinion, is entitled 10 just as big a salary
as lie can induce his employer to give
put through such deal and then lays
aside q soodly share of his earnings for
the days when he will be regarded as a
has been and unable to even command a
small salary in the bush league.
= !
Four seasons ago George Stone of the
ST. Louis American League team led
that organization in hitting. The sea
son of 1905 was an unusually successful
one Tor him in all departments of tine
game. Just what his salary was that
year is not known. but it's safe to say
that il was not commensurate with the
great work he did for the Browns
When time came for signing contracts
in the spring OK 1907. Stone returned his
unsigned at the figure offered him uy
the club. and openly announced that h,
valued his services at 5000 year. His
demand created much comment. Some
critics insisted that stone was worth tina;
amount. while others couldn't see it tha
way. Stone was determined. however
aid held out until after the team depart
ed for the south. 1t is understood tha
his demand was met by the club.
Stone followed up his great year by
two fairly successful seasons. Just VIVA
Stone received for his work last summer
is a deep. dark secret bnt it's almost
certainty thar he viii not get as muci
next year. Early in the spring Ston,
suffered an injury 10 his ankle in sidin,
which healed very slowly. When Ston,
finally got back into the game his bat
ting suffered badly because of his en-
forced absence. while his injured ankle
slowed him down considerably.
In 1907. Stone had deeds o. batting