The Detroit times., 1911-02-07
|BONUssYsIEM.
BRING REDs0|
D|sAsIER
John ]. Taylor Signs Up ~
Team To Good 1shayIs1
Clauses and Nay
Regret II.
jealousy Has Been the Invarin>
suit of Such Plans IN III
Years and VIII Always III

Ii there Is one team IN the =
can league which, on the dope,
to be especially disappointing
clientele--and mighty De-
clientele 1t Is too--that team
Boston Redsox.
Every member OF the ~
pride will start the season G.
dissatisfied with his job and -
with his employer over the matt
salary.
The cause OF the lack OF h1r
between playing and controlling
is the existence In every one q
Boston contracts, OF bonus e.
which sets aside certain SUI
money to be handed to the play>
case, through the season OF 1911
adheres TO the training regime
scribed, fields up TO the satisfq4
mark, bats what he should, and
some, or. II pitcher, wins CT
enough to make him deserving.
Contrary to the usual plan, q
Boston bonuses are not additions
the salary, which the player ~
have received anyhow. They ar0,
stead, deductions from that sum
allow the management Of the ciuD
exercise a fining power at the end
the season, for which the pl1y/
contract signature gives Consent
TAYLOR Bonuses Misnamed.
Bonuses in the past has ~
regarded as promises Of sun
mentary and additional reu1
The misnamed bonuses Of
John I. Taylor plan are merely thr<l
to ensure good behavior. Az on@
Taylor,s players has expressed 4
it's a case of heads l win, tails s.
don't lose anything. Players who ri
coed In getting those bonuses q
end OF the season win get appTcx
ately the salaries at which they NJ
have been signed, were the 81
bonus eliminated from the dl<1
airy and the system Of added rov1.
unknown. Players who don't lan6 4
bonus will find they are $500 shcr<
the final pay day.
Much has been written and SAL
garding the advisability OF boz
In baseball contracts. In general, q
magnates have fought shy OF the RI
excepting only those who find Il a.
sary to insert good-behavi0r CT
in the contracts OF some OF G.
men. To sign up an entire tear
good behavior clause contracts
something new. But It's novelty ~ 4
parently nothing TO alarm the intrc
son OF a rich parent who pilots
eaters of beans. All his stars
Catcher Carrigan have signed, tho
their protests were long and stride
Detroit made one essay at the boz
system when, In 1907, the mana
ment of the club offered bonuses
all his pitchers who should succ<
In winning 20 or more games 4
scheme worked TO perfection, to
appearances, as Detroit surprised 1
other league teams and, In fact,
entire world of baseball, by wtnuI
its first major-league pennant IN
years OF endeavor.
Navin Abandons Bonuses
But the plan was not considerod
success by President Navfn who alb
doned the idea after one years tn
This looked like a dangerous mo
but ii was one which seemed to va
out well, as the Tiger pitchers tw|
cd their team into another champi(
ship and, in 1909. made 1t thu
straight.
President Navin, OF the Tigers
lieves that the harm done by bon
system Is far more apparent than
good. He found that one OF his pitt
ers got to sulking when faced
dangerous opponents and that all
stan showed yearning desire to ri
OF the easy teams. III feeling regal
ing the assignments was several tim
on the verge OF cropping out
In general, this jealousy which
invariably the result OF a bonus q
tenn. is the principal argument again
the use OF the system. And It IL
condition which appears Just as res
larry In the other departments OF 3
game, as among the hurlers.
In one experiment. with the bon
system, Mr.. Navin paid all his pitt
ers, whether they had qualified q
der the letter OF the rule or not Sin
that time he has signed all his men
one player only excepted--to straigl
out-and-out contracts. There has be-
one good-behavior contract sent o
from the local once this year. The
was one last year and its existen'
in the players contract did not det
him from violating Its provisions.
this case the bonus was withheld. ~
the player made no protest.