The evening world., 1912-05-20
American League Magnates
Face One of Most Serious
Problems in Baseball.
By BOZEMAN BULGER.

.HE owners Of the various clubs In
the American League who Will
4 meet In Philadelphia tomorrow
to adjust the troubles Of the Detroit
club have before them one OF the most
serious problems that has ever faced
orgrn mixed baseball. The time has come
when the power of the player as q fac
tor in the general scheme Of this dig
business, known a. baseball. must be
considered.
II the Detroit players who have gone
on Q strike are thrown out for insubor-
ddnanon the owners OF the Tigers VIII
suffer an intrinsic loss Of something
Nike t2o0. 900 In players. while the league
a. whole win suffer ~ much. II not
more. in loss Of patronage.
As president Of the league. Ban john
son has pursued . proper course 20 fa'
a. tho dignity Of his ONCE 10 concerned.
Unless his orders are obeyed he VIII
lose his srH ON the great organization
and become q hgurehead, but when
he realizes that an entire team must be
thrown out to maintain discipline he
has many things TO consider Johnson
Ia wise In not taking dennitc action un-
I'll the men whose money ID invested
have q voice In Q mater that carries
with Il the future welfare OF the league.
Thu loss to the Detroit club would be
IN securing new players-a thing almost
impossible jsut now. For months past
Jennings has been securing the WOODS
for lust one or two good youngsters
For these youngsters he or any other
manager would gladly pay as much as
s. 900 each. ANY ball players VINO can
make good in the major leagues u
worth at least 5000. Twice that mucn
has been paid for athletes who have moi
had q trial.
somErH,No LIKE TWENTY-FIVE
PLAYERS ON STRIKE.
There are something like twenty-five
p,ayers on strike. Say. for instance
that those players are worth to the ciu1
| n ooo each, which II conservative, ~
thev could be sold for that much. ina
would mean seOo,OOO. Less than monti
ago two or three owners are auo'ed a.
having said they would s'aoy sW'
s2s 600 for Cobb alone. On the ROAD ~
IL worth four times that much Q sessol
an a drawing card to the America
To replace a team Hike that woul
,ake wears Of upbuildAng as well az IN
oxnsnd,ture OF an immense amount
money. ..A
m. owners of the Detroit club ar
r,,h hut such an undertaking would AZ
most nut them out Of business
On the other hand, the league woui
lose r,,ly 500 oco Il tho Tigers were al
owea 10 go around the circuit VITA
,,..,,,, team that would not dra'
.,aa into the parks. For the pas
saw ,,cars the Detroit club has been tn
hs., drawing card or the road u an
Tam in the league. In fact. II M
made more money on the road than
nc.r,. THESE are some OF the thins
iohnson had In mind when he ordere
.ho nostponement of to-day's gam
, | a,ai,inw a general meeting OF owners
Here's the other side Of the quesuor
7, the players are permitted to win the
Amt they will have the upper mana
\ ,ne organization and the Czar-Iike pow
l srs Of the magnates viii! be gone.
OTHER PLAYERS IN sYmPATH
WITH TIGERS.
For years the players nave tahea
,s,a n,ylnp so as to enforce their right
rhsv have realized their power q
along. hut until now II has been impo
sitIe 10 get enough Of them together
,ake a definite stand. They know IN,
,hsv are the real rloney-makers In u
na,ional pastime. Without them u
Q n,aanates would amount to- nothing. Is
% thsy could 70 ahead and play ball witt
u out the niagnates. Not 30 systema
% scallv and probably. perhaps. but tn
v could do It Just the same. Tho owhe