The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17
NEW YORK ANS SAW . BASEBALL MOGULS Ball Players Are a Very
 Peculiar Lot COBB IS MAKING GOOD Some Believe Stage Will Hurt His Baseball Career-PhiladeIphia
 National Club Did Not
 Cost Cent
COBB IS MAKING GOOD
Fly MANHATTAN

though, that besides the newspaper men who had to be around there were no great mobs about the meeting place. As mat ter of fact the baseball public has very | little curiosity about the magnates and are willing to follow their games in the news papers.
 The news of what was done at the meetings has all been told, so is not in place here.
 If poor Hughey Jennings ears didn't burn 1t was not because his name was not mentioned frequently enough The scrap l py little Detroit manager is a general fay lSrite and there was not magnate or player in New York this week who did not express the deepest sympathy for him and the earnest hope that he may recover with all his faculties unimpaifed. Ball players as a whole are a popular lot. It does not do for a manager to be too familiar with them and yet it is se- l rious mistake for him to hold himself aloof. There is really more in knowing l how to handle players than to instruct them in the fine points of the game In fact, there are not many men in baseball who understand the art, which accounts for so many managerial failures. | Hal Chase, for instance, is charged with having been too easy with his players. 1 Hugh Duffy went down under similar charge and Jim Callahan, 1t is predicted, will fail because Nthe palyers claim that 1 he did not associate enough with them | as player.
 In any other walk of life such objections | would be laughed at, but in baseball they are taken most seriously. The average manager gives more thought as to how l he should conduct himself toward the va | rious players on his team than he does to the playing of the games. He realizes that to have the good will of his players is half the battle, and yet all players are not alike. Some want jollying, while oth- CTS want to be driven, while still others want to be allowed to do as they please. A troupe of soubrettes could not bring a greater strain upon their manager than does the average ball team, and this is not without a reason. To be idolized by the fans and to be the center of attrac ton wherever they go has a peculiar effect upon some young men, but it is the man in charge of the team who has to stand the brunt of their peculiarties. fTOI all accounts Iy CODD mas nldue just as much of a hit on the stage as he is really delivering the goods in a part in the College Widow" though he dis- | likes the stage and would quit it at once were it not for the fact that he is being well paid for his trouble.
 There are those who believe that Cobb | Is taking long chances of injuryng his future in baseball by his present theatrl- al ia .,P lain .Ity1at and being constantly in the limellght Is not calculated to help an athlete and Cobb may suffer as have others, notwithstand- ing the fact that he Is a young man of remarkable ability.
 The Philadelphia National League club of 1911, considered one of the strongest in the National league, did not cost the Philadelphia owners a cent. Grover Cleve- land Alexander, the Phillies' pitching sen- sation, was purchased for $500. Lobert, infielder, and Paskert, outfielder, were se- cured by Dooin from Cincinnati in his famous four-man trade. The Phillies got two pitchers besides Lobert and Paskert, and Cincinnati was given Grant, Bates and two pitchers. None of the pitchers turned out well, but Lobert and Paskars played great ball for Dooin, while Grant and Bates did little for Clark Griffith in
 
 great first baseman, from Chicago, for Foxen, who proved useless.
 Dooin then sold several young players and after deducting the $500 paid for Alexander the Philadelphia club was more than $2O00 ahead on the sale of players.
 Connie Mack, when talking baseball the other day, was asked what he thought about Garry Herrmann's scheme to cut the league schedule down to 112 games, and finish the season with each club mak- ing around the circuit of the rival leagues, said:
 T can't say that I am in favor of any such proposition as made by Mr. Herr mann. cannot see where 1t would do practicable. As I understand it. each club would play series of three games on the ground of every other club, which would mean AS games in addition to the 112 schedule, after which the three lead ing teams from each league would play off a series similar to the worlds series.
 That would run us along still later than under present conditions, and don't believe that these games would draw ex- cept for the best clubs. It would be a good thing for a team like the Athletics next year, as we would be playing against such teams as the Chicago Cubs, Pitts burg. Cincinnati and New York, but the weaker teams wouldn't gain anything from the novelty. Besides three game series would be too short to prove any, thing, as weak club could save it's star pitchers for the stronger clubs and pos sibly make great showing. No, don't believe Herrmann's idea will ever be worked out"
 Connie Mack of the Athletics Is said to be the highest salaried manager in the game. He has long term contract with the Athletic club and also owns a block of stock. For his services this year Mack Is said to have carried off $25,000 at least Mack and Jennings in this respect are far in advance of other American league man. agers. Harry Davis of the Clevelands is said to have signed three year contract at s10,00O a year. while Jake Stahl of the Red Sox and Jimmy Callahan of the White Sox will receive less than that amount.
 John McGraw of the Clans is believed to excel the other National league man. agers In receipt of salary. It is said that he draws more than s15,0O0 annually from Cubs Is a $120c0 manager, and Bresnahan of the St. Louis Cardinals has similar contract. Fred Clarke of the Pirates Is believed to be drawing about $1O,OOO each year.
 Vice President Kahn of the Shreveport club of the Texas league told a story in flaming bee of how he once offered Joe McGinnity, when the latter was in his prime, $75 per month to play with hss