Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-18

Naturally the first question the base
ball fan asks himself or his neighbor
is: who is going to win the worlds
series and right on top of 1t comes
the query, How much do the players
get?' SO strongly has the dollar sign
been burned into the average Amer
lean brain that there is almost as much
interest in the concrete coin involved
in the big series as in the possession
of the abstract title for which the
Giants and Athletics are competing.
Nearly everybody has been able to
figure out in advance to his own salts
faction what chance each team has to
win the bunting emblematic of the
highest base ball honor, but a great
deal of uncertainty and misinforma-
ton exists regarding the financial emol
uments germane to the worlds series.
In general way the public knows
that the players Of the competing
teams share in the coin taken in at
the gate and the great majority of the
fans understand that the teams divide
this coin 60 per cent to the winner and
40 per cent to the loser. The same
majority believe that 1T is for the in
worlds series last as long as conven-
lent SO as to increase the size or the
melon that is cut up at it's conclusion
To combat this tendency to suspicion
on the part of the Sport-loving public, the
rules which govern the distribution OF
the money were framed SO as to give the
players no interest in the world S series
after four games have been played to a
decision The contestants share only in
the receipts Of the first four games, and,
consequently, ii is to their interest to
finish the series as soon as possible. Inc
club owners profit most when a series
lasts over four games, and there is hardly
a ball player in the country who does
not begrudge the club owner these addl-
tional profits, SO that there never would
be a series Of over four games II the
players were able to end it that way
It is seldom, however, that worlds
series extends beyond five games. so that
the players really are the greatest bene-
fciaries. Only twice in six years nave
more than five games been required TO
determine the worlds champion. In 1905
it was necessary to play six games TO
decide the pennant. and in 1913 the Dattie
lasted the full seven games.
The players do not divide all the income
from the first four games of a series.
Far from it. Their pool is made up In
this way: From the gross receipts Of
each game 10 per cent is deducted <or
the national commission, which conducts
the series. After that deduction the re-
me ming 80 per cent is divided into two
port ons Sixty per cent is put into the
into the Golfers Of the two club owners,
who split their share half and half
To illustrates: Suppose the gross re-
ceipts of the first game amount 10
$4,000. The first thing done Is to de-
duct $4,000 and hand 1T to the national
commission. That leaves $4,000, OF
which so per cent, or $10s00. goes into
the pool to be distributed among the
players. and $1,000 goes to the club
owners, each of them taking $500 for
his share. This is the method OF par
ceiling out the coin for each of the
first four games played
II the gross receipts were exactly
$4,000 for each of those days 1t can
be seen that the national commissions
share would be $4,000 for the four
games and the players pool would
amount to the sum Of $4,000. while
each club owner would get Sl4.400 IL
the series lasted only four games.
After the fourth game the split is en-
tirely different. The national COM
mission still gets its $4,000 for every
$4,000 taken in, but the club owners
divide the remaining $4,000 half and
half between them, or $4,000 apiece. 1t
is to the interest of every one except