New-York tribune., 1910-10-23
WAR PENDING
PLAYERS Warned to Look Well
Before They Leap Far.
THE BAIT LOOKS ALlURlNG
Plan Suggested for Angels
Who "Just Can't Make Their
Money Behave"

AS told I'm The Tribune last Tuesday ID.
A. Fletcher backed by TEX" Rickard ana
Jack Gleason, has declared that ne VIII
open permanent offices In this city on NO
vernber for the purpose of carrying out
his plan to organize a third major league
and so bring about a baseball war
This news was not welcome TO those who
bava the best interests of the sport a'
heart. i'm spite of the fact that few wei NJ,
formed baseball men accept Fletcher anu
his plans seriously. Frank D. at Iei'
Arthur Irwin, John T. Brush, Cnarley E1O
bets and others closely allied 10 the spoi'
60 only ruin ahead for those who make
the venture. but the fact remains that a
q SDaIding took the threatened invasion
with enough seriousness to come OUT WIN
n strong statement decrying what IN MS
oririon would mean a baseball war that
would cost between 100000 and $SVV'Vo'.
One of the leading players on team III
this CITY. who has been approached Oy
Fletcher and offered one OF the "hDeral
contracts prepared, was outspoken yes
tar1av in a warning to his fellow players
not to swallow the aIIuring bait dahgiihs
before their eyes. He said:
promises are one thing, but before
nIaver cuts loose from organized DaseDaii
he must consider the future and not the
nresent. Under the plan of the men pio-
noting the new enterprise some elehIS
pIavers in the -wo big leagues have Deeh
e,fserad contracts at stated salaries for a
perfod of five years, with cash bonus Ioi
.i,,rrnina, of $1,000 The contract con-
tains no renewal or reserve clause so tiidt
at tts expiration the player will be a free
agent
"A contract so worded is bound TO be a'-
tractfve. but what guarantee has player
got if the bubble bursts and the fans ran
10 support the enterprise? Even with base
ball as popular as it is, some CLUBS IN the
National and American leagues are LOSING
n,ouey. while others are barely making ends
moot. so what could be expected OF ne"
orga nization. irving TO fight its way INTO
the favor Of the fckle baseball public! Inc
nlsvers would have their bonus, or pur-
chase price, of $4,000. but they would soon
be out of a Job and outlawed by the Ma
tionaI Commission, if the new league
proved the failure that it is almost sure 10
he Th, players who are now earning sOou
money in organized baseball. more than
they could in nine out Of ten cases IN any
other line, would do well 10 look sharply
before they leap. or they may find them
selves scrambling about in a bad nuu
hole"
II is said that the promoters are planning
to invest some 100000 in the new league
bv putting clubs in New York. Plttsourg'
Chicago. Washington, Louisville. Deuolt'
Philadelphia and Boston. but this amount
big as it is will not go far toward Duliu-
ing stands, laying out grounds paying rent
al and satisfying the players.
James A Hart, a former president Oh tlis
C,bicaoo Baseball club and a shrewd stu
dent Of the sport has the fohoWIhS u soy
ON the subject in THE Chicago Tribune
1t probably will be set out in the ,t,se pros
nectris of the proposed third major league
tbst 70 make 10 per cent on S2OO,OCO re-
0uires a profit of only S2OVO per an an. IIa
and attention will be called 10 IIle & laC' aS
NIITrrFv Coniskey, Shibe. DreyIuSS anu dLu
T{ruth have made money. But Will II men
tIon the fact that these men nave Adu "
have winning teams IN oIueg Tost,,,a ~ contain
nothing but pennant winning teams 80 49,
the prospectus mention the SAD hnahCIaL I
ending OF HenTy '. A. t1uT@f IobnSon and other
basebaU angels who lost fortunes IN tne
promotion of the great and glorious game:
I Then again, how much OF the inFeSt
uent will be charged off for yearly de-
Dreciation2 You must understand the con-
tracts render the players aoSOiuLely ~ - - t o.
the end of five years. nenCe y per CSh1
annual depreciation will not be too great
Now as TO operattn expense ana PdttIon t
age. new league must OF neceSslty Ha aoe y,
larger expenses than the present cluoSr aS
PLAYERS Will demand increased saIarles, an an
why should a new club expect lncredse15
patronage as compared with the present.
RaSehaII is now at its height and has been
made so by good government Ihe pro
posed plans do not promise good govern
| ment hence it follows that there VIII oe
less attractive games and consequently de-
creased revenue at the gates Players are
human and will not RG{I1 put f9TTn a. for sfas fSa
wears ahead. as under present conditions.
| But if there are capitalists who Just
can't make their money behave and whose
skins are cracking to take cnance IN tIe
baseball lottery, why don't they go ABOUT
IL in what would seem to me more sa1e
and sane policy-that is to say, get the
Sanction Of the National Commission to
come in under the provision and prOteCuon
" that bulwark Of professional basebaI.
the National agreement, which provides
protection for the patron. the player. the
owner and, above all. for the game Itself.
which though considered a Gibraltar OF
strength. is really puny If unfairly imposed
mon? Form league composed Of the fol-
Pittsburg. Buffalo. Cleveland. Detroit.
Cincinnati. Columbus, Indianapolis and
or drop any of these and supply Toledo
or Louisville. Or, if to be more nearly ma
tional in scope, though not so desirable Tor
permanency, take these cities:
Brooklyn. Baltimore, Washington, ProVl-
dence Buffalo, Pittsburg, CINCINNATI ana
You ASK. Where are the players to come
from? Go out and buy their releases, just
as is done now Each big league club Is
carving too many players They could
easily snare four each, or Sixty-tOuT in the
aggregate; then the other stxty-four play
erS making sixteen for each team, could be
secured by purchase of their releases from
minor leagues.
! Parks would cost less, both in rental and
eouipment in this league. Discipline would
he preserved and there would be a more
than fair chance for permanent success:
If the National Commission and the exist
ing powers should decline to entertain a
proposition of this kind for protection and
/ co-operatfOn there yet would remain plenty
/ Of time for war. and in the language Of
Z the revered and hOnOred sherman. War
/ il hell He no doubt meant bloody war.
/ hut baseball war, simply for SpOtls, is worse
/ than ordinary war. inasmuch as 1t usually
has nothing to recommend 1t and benefits
. nobody but instead leaves a path OF ruin
aud desOlatiOn. metaphOriCally speaking,
/ " Which takes years to repair
/ our dear old national game SAOuld be
Ffostered and protected to the limit. and not
/ tortured and tormented to possible death.
/ Selah / have spoken
! CORBETT'S EYE Is KEEN