The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-06-18
HOW SOON THE BASEBALL
STAR SETS, ONCE THAT
LUSTROUS LIGHT OIMSI
Tickle Fans Forget Past Great
ness and So Do Club
Exchequers
MANY NEW PLAYERS NOW
American League Has a Host of
Youngsters Making Good
This Year
MANY NEW PLAYERS NOW
BY RALPH L. YoNKER.

BY RALPH L. YONKER.
How soon the baseball stars sets,
once his lustrous light in dimmed!
Tickle fans forget
Every time any team slumps, there
arc lessons galone for the young
baseball player who is earning a
good salary.
The lesson is: Tickle fans forget.
Not only do the fans fail 20 remem-
Der the great work of the star at his
zenith, but more important, the presl-
dents OF major league baseball teams
don't pay any salaries on the basis OF
remembrances.
While the star OF yesterday may get
some personal balm for his vanity in
seeing his name in the public prints
as the greatest hitter of his day or
the finest pitcher. he has to do day s
work to feed himself The past per-
formances OF the star are worth but
little. The pugilistic champion may
make capital OF his former greatness
but not the diamond star.
Baseball players are envied more
than bank presidents. II seems as
though they have sinecures. They
work four or five hours a day (some
days) at home and half that time on
the road during six months Of the
year and get paid five or ten times as
much as they earned as butcher,
baker or candlestick maker.
But it's little good il does most of
them TO be doing that. There aren't
so very many Ty Cobbs, Sam Craw-
fords or Dayy Joneses. There aren't
very many players who have the
sagacity to freeze their money to a
business while the coin is coming
fast, so that the capital they have in
vested may bring them a livelihood
when money ceases TO be easy.
The baseball player has no cinch.
His short hours, his good salary, his
fine physical condition, his outburst-
ing animal spirits all tend to make
him an easy spender. He is thrown
with bunch who have forgotten the
value of money He must be either a
spendthrift or a crouch. Some are
grcuches and get away with II be-
cause of their venerableness in base
bali or because OF their superiority
in the national game. Others are
just plain spendless grouches.
Fine clothes, swell hotels. private
Pullmans. theaters and social affairs
galore, all without cost-these tend
TO turn the head OF the ordinary
youngster. His spending ability grows
shortly TO that of a millionaire. His
picture in the papers; his name on the
tongues of thousands of fans, he is
likely to grow vain.
The fine time lasts few years.
His spending power has more than
equalled his earning ability He has
borrowed money of his club, of his
friends. OF his business associates.
Then his baseball playing is over. He
has shot his bolt Nothing but debts
anc the recollection of some high life
remain.
Were there more Sam Crawfords in
baseball there would be fewer bene-
fits for former stars. Were there
more Davey Joneses there would be
less wonder at the rarity Of the Cy
Youngs who can settle down on a fine
farm 10 spend their later life.
There is no player in the history of
the game who has displayed any more
shrewd business acumen than Ty
Cobb in his own peculiar way. II is
very evident that Ty Cobb realizes
two things: The first is that he will
not always be the greatest player In
the game The second is that right
now is the time to commercialize his
popularity.
Taking away his value to the Tig-
ers as a center fielder, Ty has a won.
derfui asset in his great fame through.
out the country And wise, wise Ty
is making the most Of that while ii
is greatest
There have been demands almost
innumerabe upon him for the use OF
his name for everything from cigar
cites to banks. And Ty allows his
name TO be used in the advertising
OF many things. providing 1t helps
Tvs purse. And with the money he
has earned he makes investments.
He invests in those things which his
name will help to make pay. His
taking a part ownership in the Jarvis
sporting goods store, for example.
Il may strike some as harsh that
Ty should commerclaiize his stardom.
Even our accepted professional stan