Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-06
S2,500,000 YEAR
FOR BASEBALL
SALARIES
Wy THEN professional baseball
wv players make up their

w players make up their
minds to concertedly de-
mand bigger salaries, as they pos
sbly may some time through the
newly organized Players fraternity,
it would be well for them to study
some of the financial statistics of
organized baseball and get some
idea of how much money is now
being handed out for players sal
aries
1t is possible that the figures
would make a most effective strike
breaker. They will give a stagger,
anyhow.
According to Secretary Heydler's
records. 2S3 players took part in
National league games last season.
A conservative average of salary
for each player would be $4,000,
probably it is nearer $4,000. But
taking the lesser amount, the
amount for salaries alone paid out
by, the parent organization was
$707,5O0.
$t,414,500 Big Leagues Salaries.
The American league can be put
down as paying out to players
fully as much as the National, This
brings the salary list of the two big
leagues up to the astounding fig
ures of $1,414, 800, nearly a million
and a half, and without the latter
amount is reached
But those are not all the figures
by long shot. The report of Sec
rotary Farrell, presented at the re-
cent meeting Of the National AssO-
citation of Minor Leagues, showed
that 1897 600, only a shade less than
a full million dollars, was paid out
by the minor baseball leagues
throughout the country in salaries.
Now, taking this million with the
nearly a million and a half the two
big leagues dispense for playing
talent, it will be seen that the pro-
fessional players throughout the
land are receiving $2,500,000 in
round numbers annually.
This shows that the club owners
are doing something toward the
uplifting of the "doWntrod," and
many Of the minor league mag
mates are "over their heads" in
their endeayors to keep above
water and pay salaries.
Few Clubs Make Big Money.
The first three clubs in either the
American or National league and
possibly a like number in the Glass
AA. make big money and the two
clubs that are fortunate in having
teams that contest for the worlds
championship make bigger money
but in the long run when profit and
losses are averaged up. it win be
found that the salaries of the play
ers forms the kitty" where the
most of the money finally drifts.
To enable the clubs of the Ma
tional and American leagues to pay
the salaries of their players they
must average $500 per game for the
ia games scheduled. But salaries,
NNllt loIIHluS al DIE item, are only
one of the many expensive ones the
club owners have to face.
Nothing can perhaps show better
the wonderful growth of the ma
tional game than the enormous
amount paid for salaries, but it also
proves that the msgnates are not
'hogging it all" as some players Of
the past did foolishly believe to
their sorrow, and some of the play
ers of the present imagine just as
ridiculous things. And possibly it
may be to their sorrow too.
There are individual cases where
certain deserving players have been
'underpaid. but the great big ma
jority of the capable ones are paid
according TO their abilities and
theil salaries raised IN accordance
with the Improvement they show
ahd their Increased value 20 thci
cuuns