Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-31
WHO ARE HIGHEST
SA[AR|ED PLAYERS?
Chance and Clarke Said to Be
Leaders, With Wagner and
Lajoie Close Up.

NEW YORK. July 3O.-The fan is al
ways deeply interested in the salaries
paid base ball players, and the estimates
made usually are above the actual fig
ures. The higher figures sound better.
AS matter Of fact, club owners are
loath to mention the actual amounts paid,
not SO much because they do not wish
the public to know-unless, perchance,
the figures are niggardly-but because of
the dissatisfaction that might follow
among the other members of the team.
OF all the men actually playing the
game, eliminating Connie Mack. manager
of the Athletics. who owns stock in the
club, Frank Chance, manager of the Cubs,
is considered to be far and away above
all other active players in his earnings
from base ball. This, too, is because
Chance also is a stockholder in the Chi
cago club owning a one-tenth interest
Prior to the season of 1909 Chance re-
ceived q salary Of $1,000 a year, which
was augmented by his dividends and the
share of one player in post-season and
exhibition game receipts. Chance then
year. but a dispute arose between him
and Charlie Murphy. president of the
club, and he announced that he would
not play with the Cubs.
Chicago man was sent to California
to arrange a truce between Chance and
Murphy. One of the conditions of the
truce was that no party to 1t should ever
reveal the salary part of the deal, wheth-
er raised or continued the same. But
with his dividends on his one-tenth In
terest Chance earns between $4,000 and
$50 900 a year, probably $4,000 year on
an average.
This one-tenth interest was obtained
for Chance in the same manner in which
Charles P. Taft. brother of President
Taft, loaned money to Murphy and
Chance to buy the club, which was sold
at the bargain price of $1,000 in 1905,
figure so small that several persons to
whom the franchise was offered thought
something was wrong and refused to con-
slider it.
Because of the national commission de-
cision in his case, sentencing him to play
for his contract salary it is known that
Johnny King signed a three-year con-
tract for $500. To this, of course, must
be added what the players get from the
post-season series. which when the
worlds championship games are PLAYED.
Overall, Tinker and Evers probably re-
ceive amounts varying from $4,000 to
So, 600
Fred Clarke of the worlds champion Pr
rates is reputed to receive $4,000 an
nually for services as player and man.
ager, while Wagner is called a $4,000
beauty, although it is not likely that
figure is correct Ty Cobb of Detroit,
whom Charles A. Comiskey recently
picked as the greatest ball player of all
time was reported to receive 5000 a
year Probably some salt can be placed
on this estimate, also.
The average player of experience on
winning club considers himself as worth
from $500 to $1,000, while one with pre-
tensions to being a star estimates himself
as worth from 5000 to 5000, depending
on the club and his ability. This is good
money for seven months of work. including
the training season: more. probably, than
the same players could average in other
lines Of endeavor. But the life Of a ball
player is short, club owners with winning
teams are raking in enormous profits and
of sentiment there is little.
1t is pretty safe to say that the players
earn all they get.