Evening journal., 1909-12-22
WINTER BASEBALL
INJURIES PLAYERS.
Experts Say That Big League
Seasons Are Long Enough
for the Average Star
MANAGERS PROHIBITING IT

Playing winter baseball is a joke.
II has ruined more than one good
player-temporarily slowing him up
anyway. This time a year ago Ma
tional League players were pretty we'll
divided as TO who was the king play
er in their body OF course. Hans
Wagner polled heavy vote. How
ever Hans Lobert had many friends.
Such ar experienced baseball soul as
Billy Gilbert argued strongly I'm train
ing quarters down in Little Rock last
March that Lobert was set to have a
better season than Wagner and that
the Cincinnatian would be crowned the
National Leagues star performer at
the end Of the season. Lobert went
in for winter ball. He had fair sea-
son at best.
Addie Joss, that very efficient Cleve-
land pitcher, did some work last win
ter His record for the campaign was
14-1s. That's horribly poor for him.
Joss crowded in most Of his swell work
at Sportman's Park, but then you
know the outfit operating there last
summer wasn't such as much. George
stoval. also of the Maps, played win
ter mall on the coast a year ago. He,
too failed to play strictly class A ball
last summer, showing up overtrained
and never getting right.
Then there's the chance of injury.
Three of the Cardinals went West
with Frank Bancroft's band of All
Nationals. A good looking schedule
of frolic was built with the Athletics,
and il looked like a sure thing that
expenses anyhow would be made. Bliss
and Ellis live on the coast. so here
VISA a chance to get home for nothing
and picking mp some money on the
side. Honey had just become a bene-
| dict and he wanted the tour so as to
show Mrs. * the golden West. Well,
/ Bliss broke a leg. Say that it had
| been Honey that suffered the injury.
Poor Robinson! Poor Bresnahan The
! 1909 fortunes Of John S. G. Dovey's
/ Doves would have been a sensational
success in comparison to the Cardinals
1910 career.
Then. say something should happen
to Eddie Collins, c. Mack's star top
liner. or Bender. or Heitmuller or
Baker. or one OF his other winning
tickets 1t would kill the 1910 pen
naut-winnins chances Of this very good
looking outfit and also knock big
hole in the clubs earnings
The Brotherhood revolt was indi-
rectly the cause OF the subsequent
prosperityof the national game. Be
fore the revolt the National League
had a rule to the effect that visiting
teams could not have more than a
guarantee Of Sl25 a game. AS a re-
suit Of this measure the big clubs in
/ Chicago. New York and Boston, fol
instance were on easy street because
of the big receipts at home. while the
little clubs had a difficult task to make
ends meet. When the Brotherhood
organized the Players League. it was
stipulated that the gross gate receipts
from each game should be divided on q
so per cent basis.
The plan worked so we'll that in spite
of a disastrous season the Players
League managed to finish the cam
paign practically intact. When th'
reorganization Of the rival leagues tool
place in 1891 this equal division of gate
receipts became a permanent fixture
and clubs that would have died under
the old conditions were enabled TO meet
| expenses.