The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-10-24
SPALD|NC RELATES
BASEBALL HISTORY
Veteran Magnate Tells How
Kelly Became First
$50, 900 Beauty
Continued From Preceding Page)

reason, | suppose. for / knew that such
changes usually benefited club and
player alike. The newspapers had made
much ado about the arbitrary authority
given TO managers along this line. 1t
mad been quite generally denounced by
the press, and the public, Influenced. no
Goubr' by the changes runG on such head,
Player Sold etc. had come to.resard the
practice as awful.
THE facts leading TO my personal in
PRODUCTION TO the system arc as follows:
The White Stockings were repeating In
Chicago the history OF Boston's first pro-
fcssional club. The players were so ca
pablo that they were expected 10 Win
sible for them 10 lose. Twice In success
sion they had captured the championship
pennant; the prowess oi the team was
known throughout the land, and praises
son. Kelly, Flint, Williamson. Dalrymple;
Gore. Clarkson. Pfeffer Mccormick and
Sunday were on overyboys lips
Now experience had shown that tns ,as.
keeping of the same players togethcr ior
too long time is prciudtcal TO the inter
ests OF the game | had learned 'hat
lesson in my. notice Of the effect OF me
four years Of successive championship
victories gained by tho Boston team. and
felt that the time had come for a change
In the personnel Of the Chicago nine.
was we'll aware that patrons, whiie ap-
prcciatinc good players. do tire oi see
ing the same faces year after year. and
do enjoy the introduction OF new blood
into the team And so ] decided to let
some players go But What ones? mat
was not so easy TO decide,
"f dciheratcd on the matter for some
days. and finally persuaded myself that
King Kelly was tho man To sell. in Az
rving al this conclusion, | was not led
10 the determination entirely by the ccr,
talnty that Kelly would bring the most
money knew, Of course. that he was as
popular abroad as he was AZ home, and
f., It 4, llS T,s1 =
aware that there would BE sad. sad
wall when IL was made public that the
King was to go, But there were i'm
perative reasons prompting his disposal.
So one day preached the subject Of the
proposed change 20 Captain Anson. asking
him II he could spare Kelly.
"'spare him? Sure. Spare anybody
was tho reply.
Il then cautioned Anson 10 say noth-
Ing. as I felt that this matter was one
which would have TO be handled with
gloves. So | sent for Kelly and asked
"'Kely, how would you like 10 20 TO
Boston 10 PLAY?
"T don't want any Boston in mine;
| Chica COS good enough for me.
We'll, you're good enough for Chicaa
go, too ! said. But II there should
he something nice in ii for you. would
YOU object? Wouldn't YOU Ike more
Wouldn't Kelly like more salary?
| Well. | guess.
what salary would YOU go TO Bos-
| ton for? I continued.
"He thought a moment, then said; AL
most as II ashamed 10 ask II. -Four
| thousand dollars
He, was receiving $4,000 at Chicago
which was the limit in those days.
81 think I can get You $1,000, said l.
'Hc beamsd ali over at the prospect
Now. Mike | said, you don't care
| how much We get for your rcleaSc2
"1f YOU get me $4,000 don't care If
~ GcII fpr hnnirc1 thousand
"'AI right. Now, keep mum ana let
me conduct negotiations; and remember
! it YOU get "A letter from Boston asking
| your terms. it's $4,000 not $4,000
! II took the matter up with tho man
acer of the Boston club, telling him that
| King Kelly might possibly be secured
He bit, In a few days I got a letter
asking the price, | replied that $4,000
! would purchase the King. lie couldn't
wait to write He wired me- Terms for
Kelly accepted and the sale was made. v