The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-19

ON PROBATION SYSN
FUTURE STAR MUST BE cow
WITH SLIGHT INGREASi8 4
IN PAY UNTIL NE
MAKES GOOD.
By SID MERCER.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1s.-The
stationary" contract for young
players on trial In the major t.
is to get it's first test this yS1Is
was adopted as part of the 'syN
recently at Cincinnati. when the
ers of organized baseball fixed
new working agreement.
First suggested by the NAe
League in session last Decemb0xs
new style of contract-makine -.
most important development foks5
player. and it ought to save the
league clubs from many salary n
ments.
To get down to plain talk, the
dictionary contract Is nothing I
than a special. separate coHSf
covering the training sea son--~N]
a player draws no salary--and -.
Ave days of the playing season. ID
No club can otter n new plays
greater increase than q per cent Z
the salary he received In the MIL
in rendering the first or ''probAa1
ary" contract. hut after month";
a half In the big league the n1N
can he signed to regular cOnS@
for any sum he may get.
Minor League Stars.
a great problem in signing M
league stars has been the diflIc
In holding them to moderate salx
until they have proved their W41
Very often n lad who has MAJ
great reputation in small league
mands from a big league cluA
salary as large as that of m
league veteran.
No club objects to slipping
money to sure enough star. but
the spring the "bushers' ara
second Ty Cobhs' or better q
Matty when he started" Before
club owners stand a big ante 4
want the player to make good.
The principal objection to par
a big salary to a youngster on i,
liz the difficulty In tiispesing OF
IL he fails to stick in fast compM
No minor league club cares to Ii
player with a major league -
and doubtful ability ASSIGNED ~!
care. Therefore, young players q
the minors are asked to sign
I, small salaries.
Have Exaggerated Ideas.
| Coming into the big show
| exaggerated ideas of easy money
are stunned when they get conty1
/ for sums rating from 5000 to w
! for the season. Very often thG
! less money than player has @
! In the minor league, and he III
nantly refuses to sign---at first.
! 1t IL then explained to him
! t,n !, ~ OF Tat .
| team that he will get q subAtA
/ raise Otherwise he must retukN
! the minors. and the salary WITH
| in his contract will not seem 10 !
!, then,
1t must be kept down to maks
a marketable commodity. And ~
probationary contract has been
signed to oil this ilifltting cog Of
| chinery of baseball law. ThA 4
per cent" rule prevents demandn
recruits for big salaries. At the r.
time no player can be asked tn
for less money than he received.
! the minors unless that sum II IN
than 81 500 o. ~
Can Get New Contract.
| At the end of forty-five days tn
majors young player can ask 81
new contract. II he Is held beyond
| time he has made good to an
I tents and purposes and shoul&s
| raised. II a raise is refused. am
| Is not sent back TO the minOros
| can appeal to the leagues boar
| directors. Then II he can prove
! he was induced to sign at q ~
league salary to cover his prnDAA1
| airy term. he stands an excGN
| chance of having his services
| praised by experts and his 81
| raised.
| This system should he a great
| TO minor league clubs In 49,
players who come back TO them 4
I the big show. - ''' 4 .a7sfs'ss d