Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-12
PLAYERS AND MAGNATES TAKE
MANY CHANCES IN BASE BALL
One to Win Games and the Other to Build
Up Successful Teams-Lots Of
Worry for Both.

Every possible treatment was tried. but
none restored the old-time strength.
Doyle never pitched another h1gh-class
game in the majors
The injury to Doyle Is but one OF many.
Addie Joss took a similar chance last
year. and is paying the penalty. All fans
are hoping he comes back as strong as
ever, for Joss is a popular favorite with
fandom all over the circuit. Harry Niles.
George Stone and others too numerous to
mention took chance In an enort 10
win, and received injuries that materially
decreased their earning capacity.
While these facts show what a great
chance the player takes. the chance is
equally fatal to the club owners. Just
imagine what crimp the loss OF GOOD
would put in the Detroit treasury. what
Pittsburg bank roll, what the passing OF
Mathewson would mean to New York,
what a loss Cleveland would suffer be-
cause Of an accident to Lajoie. In fact:
just think what the loss OF any star Dali
player means to the club owner. 1t not
only deprives his team OF the services
and strength of that player. but Incl
dentally has q decidedly shrinking effect
on the gate receipts. Lots OF fans go out
to see individual players perform. and II
they know their favorites are going to be
out OF the game because OF injuries, they
often remain away.
If stars OF the magnitude 81 johnson.
Cobb, Wagner. Lajoie, Mathewson and
others were to be placed on the base ball
market, think what fabulous sum they
would bring. Club owners realize that
the selling OF stars never helps build up
ball team, SO 1t Is practically Impossible
to ever get q player of much prominence
over the purchase route. Trades are quite
numerous. but in such cases each party
believes he is getting the best of the bar
far NJ nr he 10 (.
While club owners are always taking
chance with their regulars. they take
still greater chance each fall when they
dabble in the recruit market. During the
summer good salary Is paid one or more
base ball scouts to inspect the available
material and place the stamp of approval
or disapproval on the highly touted
youngsters. Quite often. when 1t becomes
apparent that several clubs are after q
certain player, the owner of said player
never fails to make the best OF the OPP
portunity. and often gets much more than
he would have originally taken for the
player simply because of the competition
that existed.
Last fall the sixteen clubs comprising
sands Of dollars for highly touted and
very promising youngsters. Some who
looked particularly good were purchased
for good-sized sums long before the close
Of the season Others who didn't appear
quite so classy were secured through the
medium Of the draft net. Each year the
major league clubs spend similar amounts
of money In hopes they may pick up
some high-class men who Will round
their clubs into pennant-winning aggre-
cations.
Practically all the teams are now TAX
ing spring training practice In the south.
The youngsters Of whom so much has
been said and written during the winter
are being put through the sprouts that
will decide whether or not they possess
major league class. Some fond dreams
will soon be blasted, some high ambi-
lions will be dashed to pieces. Players
who were expected to be stars will prove
d appointments, while others Of whom
not SO much was expected Will gladden.
the hearts OF the different managers.
Quite a. few air castles will be punctured
and a lot OF real good money will have
been spent for nothing. Club owners
will soon have this impressed on them,
uncertainty connected with the game
they are perfectly content to take the
risk For one good year will make up
for many q bad one.
1t is strange but true fact that often
players who brought big price fail mis-
erably. Base ball records are full OF just
such happenings. Often players who
are secured for the draft price far out
shine men who brought 5000 and over
in the base ball market.
Base ball players must take long
chances to be successful; club owners
take just as great a chance to build up a
successful team. The great old game Is
surely a wonderful institution.