Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-04
WHAT THE BIG GAME COSTS
Quite a Bunch of Money spent An
nually Hunting stars for Big
Leagues.

No expense has been spared by the own
ers Of the clubs in the two major leagues
to make the season one of the greatest in
the history of base ball. Before any Of the
players had started to draw his salary con-
siderably more than $685. 900 had been ex-
pended in preparing for the season The
figure will be nearer 10 81, 600 IL the re-
pairs to the ball parks and erection OF new
stands are taken into consideration.
BY far the greatest expense borne by
the owners has been the cost of the new
players, obtained in an effort TO strengthen
the teams for the present campaign. Each
OF the sixteen clubs in the big leagues
signed on an average OF twenty young
players, stars OF the minor leagues. These
players cost the owners about 10000 in
cash. this money going to the Golfers OF
the minor league owners who had the
youngsters under contract. Some of these
rising young players were sold with the
understanding that bonus should be paid
II they were retained In the service OF the
major league clubs after being tried out
The bonuses which must be paid under
these circumstances by the major leagues
amount to nearly 10000. These young
sters consequently represent an investment
OF approximately $4,000
Yet this does not begin TO cover the
total expenses Of the club owners. The
players obtained must be tried out in the
southern training camps in order that their
real worth may be discerned. While the
regular players run UP the expenses of
these camps as well as the recruits. the
latter form one of the chief concerns OF
the managers. and it has been estimated
that the club owners have expended $780,
900 in maintaining training quarters this
spring in order to find out whether the
players who cost them $4,000 are worth
anything or not. John L Taylor, president
Of the Boston Red Sox, chartered special
Pullman cars TO take his squad OF forty
odd players TO the Pacific coast and back,
at great expense. The White Sox special,
which was chartered by President Comis-
key OF the Chicago Americans. cost $4,000,
and only carried the team 10 Texas and
back, stopping over for exhibition games.
All the other clubs maintained expensive
camps IN the south.
In order TO get the most brilliant young
sters in the minor leagues every major
league club keeps two or three salaried
scouts travelling from one end OF the coun-
try to the other, going over the bush
leagues with q fine tooth comb In order
that no future great may escape. Few
there are indeed who are overlooked by
the eagle eyes OF the eleverest Judges Of
base ball players. The expense Of these
/ scouts IL charged up as well against the
recruits and would probably amount to
another 10000 for the sixteen ciubs
I In the neighborhood Of 500 900, there
fore. Il has cost the managers Of the big
/ leagues 20 look over the best base ball
talent which appeared IN the minors last
season When all ts said and done II
/ seems to be spent more 10 satisfy their
curiosity than anything else. II one or
/ two players out Of the twenty odd signed
| by a club are found worthy 20 warm the
bench on which the stars Of a team sit
a manager feels that he is fortunate in
deed The rest are turned back to the
minors and sold at a great sacrifice AS
eastoffs OF the big leagues they are not
/ considered to be worth much. and minor
league owners are not prone TO paying the
fancy prices which they demand from their
major league eompeers-
! This immense sum Is annually spent and
small is the tangible return. Very often
a major league manager will not find a
youngster whom he can keep, but, after
I all, when he knows that there Is no star
among those whom he has tried out he Is
content For It IL q defensive practice as
| well as offensive, this obtaining OF re
eruits While one manager may not need
| q brilliant infielder he likes 10 keep another
manager from getting him. The real es-
ssncs OF the matter Il nothing less than a
never eeAslng search for another Christy
/ MatheWson. another Tyrus Cobb or an
other HOnUs Wagner II ten years Of
hunting reveals a star OF this type and
nothing else. the efforts Of a manager
have been rewarded beyond price, for the
value Of such players 20 a club can hardly
Be reckoned in dollars and cents The sin
which can never be eOndOned h 70 let an
other manager obtain such = staT.-Sew
York Tribune