The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-13
CAN PITCH hay.
Walter Johnson Does Not Have
to Play Ball.
Controversy Matter of Opinion
of Values, He Says.
CASE OF DOG EAT DOG,
Will Pay Noyes. 81, 600 Yearly
for His Release.
Organized Baseball Nice SOrt.Of
Slavery at Best.

Walter Johnson, the Kansas boy
pitching on the Washington team in
the American League, can do two
things: pitch ball and pitch hay. He
was born With Immense shoulder blades
and hands. His great virtue as a pitch
er lies in the fact that the immense
speed he can give a ball lends it
Jump" motion as it passes the batter.
The ball flies with such exceeding speed
that II packs the air into sort OF
cushion before it. AS the cushion be-
comes dense and the ball loses some of
its speed, the sphere takes a sudden
little rise, which baseball players call
shoot" Batters cannot judge this
shoot" as it also RECEIVERS its delayed
speed when released of the air pressure,
and thus fail to hit it accurately.
Johnson, who, it is reported, now has
come to terms with his club as to an
advance in salary, was in st. Louis on
his waV east.
1T is all a matter of opinion of val
ues," said johnson, speaking of the
controversy. Il think that I am worth
$500 a season to any baseball club.
can prove it. If 1 could get away from
the Washington club 1 could get more
than $500 season. If Mr.. Noyes
would consent to release me from the
option he has upon my services I would
be tempted to agree to pay him $1OOO
a year so long as am pitching major
league baseball. This should mean
$4,000 for Mr.. Noyes I would make
money by the deal for I would get
more than $500 a year.
Il am confident that Mr.. Noyes can
get S20,0 900 for the option he holds upon
my services and that the he club which
buys me will pay me 81 1900 a season.
Nov I submit that Mr.. Noyes has
entirely no argument save the one that,
owing to an agreement between base
ball clubs he alone has a baseball right
to offer me employment. Owing to this
nlQU
Washington, at its terms or not at all
This agreement was not OF my de-
Hberate making. I did not give the
Washington club a distinct claim upon
ball contract for one year there is an
automatic option, which goes with 1t
that gives the particular club you sign
with an option on your services from
year to year. It may be pleasant sort
of slavery and organized baseball might
not be able to exist without it, but it
is theoretical slavery Just the same.
81 do not make my own rating. The
press, which is the Blackstone of base
ball players, agrees that I am one OF
the two great pitchers of baseball.
Mathewson is the other. Now Mathew
son gets $4,000 sassseason from the New
York Nationals. or course, he has been
pitching for ten years, where l nave
been pitching but four years, but 1 am
asking 81, 500 a year less. Mathewson
years. So I am only asking what
Mathewson got at my age and with my
service. Walsh Of Chicago gets $1,000
a year. and his record has not been so
good as mine in the last two years.
1.-The washington club gives no rea-
son that 1 should not get what 1 ask.
Mr. Noyes says that Cobb, who gets
SO, 900 a year from Detroit, plays every
day. whereas 1 play but one game out
of every four.
"That is true. But will handle, say
$50 balls in every game, while Cobb will
handle not more than four. l may say
that 1 could go to the Detroit team,
take Cobb out of the batting order
and win a game with eight men on the
team. Cobb could not do that.
81 am not making any complaint.
This is simply the direct application of
the great Intelligent American business
principle of dog eat dog. the employer
trying to get labor for as little as ne
can. the baseball player trying to get
as much as he can for his labor