Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-12
~ YOU ARE A GOOD MANAGER,
YOU GET NEARLY A. MUCH
As PRESIDENT TAFT.
hans wagner CHEAP ONCE
Louisville Offered Him Once for $500
. Everybody Connected With
Game II Making Money

/
the Tulsa High school. IKE John
Young, VIII be worth. as players, In
few years to come? No ne knows
Twenty-Five years ago Chris Won
der Abe, owner Of the pennant-win-
ming Browns of st. Louis had u
| chance to buy Hans Wagner from the
Louisville club for $500, To-day Wag-
ner draws a salary of $4,000 a
year, ana could not he bought from
the Pirates at any price.
Wagner's salary By no means tops
the list. although 1t is probably the
highest paid TO any player who takes
no part in the management and train
ing of the team. II Is believed that
John J. McGraw, manager of the
New York Giants, derives not less
than $4,000 annually from baseball
This includes his salary and share
of the profits.
Frank lie Roy Chance, veteran first
baseman and Peerless Leader Of
the Chicago Cubs, probably gets $2O-
600 year. This, Of course, is an APP
proXlmation, but 1t appears that moth
ing less than such "A salary would be
an adequate reward for the man who
built the team that took four National
league pennants TO Chicago and twice
won the baseball championship Of
the world His salary may be even
larger than published figures indi-
cate, as the Cubs have the reputa-
ton of being the highest salaried
club in the league. There is now
some doubt on this point, however,
Fred Clarke, outfelder and man
arer of the Pirates, makes 10000 a
year from baseball, if we may believe
reports. Our own Roger Bresnahan,
on whom we are relying for pen
nant In some happy season not far
away. recently renewed his contract
as manager Of the Cardinals at a
salary estimated at $4,000 year.
The rewards Of playing good base
ball, whether one is manager or not
are greater perhaps than those OF
any other profession except aviation.
Following Wagner on the "noncom-
missioned' salary list is Tyrus Cobb,
OF the Detroit Tigers. For devoting
himself TO baseball few months in
each year he gets $4,000 salary
that does not seem excessive when il
is known that Cobb is the greatest all
around baseball player in the world
and that he Is only 24-years- old.
Hal Chase, manager and first base
man for the New York Yankees, gets
$4,000 a year. Pittsburgh pays S.
600 a year to Tommy Leach, an out
fielder. Rhoderick j. Wallace gets
$500 year as manager ana short
stop for the Browns Russell Ford,
pitcher for the Yankees. receives $5,-
900 for seasons work. Cy Young,
after playing professional baseball
twenty three years, still gets $4,000 a
year.
There Is little reason for believing
salaries in baseball will decline. The
Darwinian theory works well in base
ball. Only the fit survive; only the
of play consequently must go higher
as the process of selection goes on
and the higher the standard goes, the
better will salaries become.
Oyerproductlon is hardly probable.
Development of the nation, increase
in population, the building of big
cities where now there are only
towns, will keep up the demand. The
more players we have the better will
the fttest be, and If the history Of
baseball in America is reliable basis
for prophecy the fittest will be paid In
direct ratio to the increase of ability
and skill.
twenty-five years ago Won der
Abe bought whole baseball team
from Bay City. Mich. for 10000
Just few weeks ago the Pittsburgh
club of the National teague laid
st. Paul S22,5O0 for Marty O'Toole,
a pitcher.
That such enormous prices can be
paid for men. solely on the hope
that they will develop into stars, is
evidence of the wonderful profits in
baseball. The purchase price of great
players suggest investments In ex-
pensive and delicate machines, which
may be wrecked by the slightest ac-
cident. Here are a few valuations in
trades made in the major leagues
or from the minors to the majors:
''Lefy" Russell $4,000: "Rube"
Marquard, $1,000: Mike Kelly, $10,-
600: Theodore Breltensteln, $4,000;
Ty Young, $4,000; Spike" Shannon.
s1O000 Fred Hunter. $500 Ward
Miller $4,000 lin money and play
ers); Rolla Zeider. $4,000; "Bill"
Kelly, $1,000 and George Mcconnell
$500.
Yet in spite Of all the heavy losses
and expenses that would appall II
II arrayed collectively, baseball clubs
continue to make money franchises
continue to Increase in value. and
salaries grow bigger year by year.
What will the end be?