The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-22
SALARY LIMIT TALK
MAKES FANS LAUGH
League Magnates Will Decide What Is to Bel
Done When Meeting Is Held-Question Of
Salaries NO Joke, but Business Proposition.

full seekers after fame, a salary limit
II was devised. intended for and Is the
means of making organized baseball a
business possibility in leagues com
posed OF cities with a small popula
ton. Practically every minor league,
outside the American Associa ton and
the Eastern League. is composed OF
large and small cities. and the salary
limit adopted is always such as will
make baseball profitable in the smalle.
places.
Other Leagues Do Not Affect Virginia
The fact that in some leagues com
posed OF cities With less aggregate
population than the cities In the Vir-
ginia League have larger salary limits
than has the Virginia League is not
argument IN favor of increa sing or
diminishing the salary limit In this
league. The Virginia League must be
guided by what it can afford to pay.
II 1t is possible TO make, baseball profit
able in the Virginia League under an
increased salary limit. then Increase it;
II 1t will not be profitable, Judging by
past experiences, then 1t should remain
as 1t is.
The people of Virginia want baseball,
and they want the best baseball pos
sible within tho limit that can be al
fordcd The people Of Virginia realize
that baseball is out OF the college SEN
iimental class and that 1t Is u business
proposition, and they would rather have
a little lower grade of baseball, which
gives tho men who have put up tho
q n 10 eraf
the investment, than to have no base
pail at all. Nor do the people Of Vir-
ginia expect to see big league bali with
minor league incomes.
\ How Much VIII You GIvce
Naturally there are few persons.
greatly impressed with their own im2
portance, who are crying down the
baseball which the Virginia League will
give for $1,000. To those people ]
should say. II I were the owner Of a
franchise In the Virginia League: How
mucn money VIII you invest in ball
club i'll any Of the cities in the Vir-
ginia League outside OF Richmond, If
the salary limit is raised to meet your
standard Of what baseball should be? o.
Ihat is the final test. Talking never
paid bills The common sense of 1t all
is that old saw about cutting your gar
ment according TO your cloth.
To talk Of Richmond being alone BEN
Gifted by incrca sing the salary limit is
FOOLISH, Richmond would be no more
benefited than would any other town.
The only thing that can be said in this
regard is that Richmond could prob
ably afford a higher salary limit than
any other city in the league. But 1t
is not question OF what city or cities
VIII be benefited. 1t Is q question Of
expectancy, entirely up to the league
directors. who, with all of the data
as to past experiences before them,
VIII be able 10 vote intclligeutly on
the matter when II Is brought up at tho
ieasue meeting, ii 1t Is brought up.
There is Just one other thing in this
connection which suggests itself, and
nat IS the matter OF preiud ging the
class of ball PLAYERS which will be
brought to the Virginia League. TO
pro1udge these men is absolutely IN
ar Give them chance. Let them
snow what they car do, and then. ii
me goods are not delivered condemn.
fhats the dope. And IL you condemn,
then talk of raising the limit.