The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-15
INDIVIDUAL STARS
VERY
CIV. A. Collins

New York, March 15.-Thc man
who marks it an epoch in his life ev-
cry time he secs a thousand dollar bill
has some reason to be amazed at the
enormous salaries being dealt out to
star ball players and managers. But
amazed or not. the game has crept
into the class of high finance and 1t
has become fashionable To pay out
large stipends. The pay rolls of club
owners have been increasing until
they look like the daily balance of Il
bank. lIughey Jennings recently sign
ed ii contract calling for $4,000 per
year.
However. back of this seeming rock
less abandon With which the m"guls
of the game part with their none is
Il good old-faSlioncd business reason.
For before any club owner sets the
seal of approval to IA set of figures he
feels pretty sure that the said player
will draw it back into the box office
with interest.
Cobb Il Great Drawing Card.
Stars arc as essential 10 baseball as
tights To Il chorus girl. The Detroit
club. for instacr, without Ty Cobb
would be like a circus without an ele-
phant. Pittsburg could i'll afford to
lose Hans Wagner. and the Giants
minus MathcWson would lose their
prestige at h gate to Il large extent.
lhcSr thrc" stars alone nave proved
tho value of ono man to 81 club.
Last season while the Athletics
looked all over Il winner of the Ameri-
can league race tho Detroit club was
outdrawing them in every town on the
circuit except at home. This populari-
tN was II almost entirely to Cobb.
Tie is the most talked-of ball player in
the game. His name and playing abil-
ltN has spread to every habitation be-
\ Va. tt., ava -n, 80 A.1 l--,. L. -
III town people want to see him play.
They want to see the man who can
slam out Il hit nearly every time he
nm to bat. They want to sec him
do his famous nook slide and outwit
pitchers and catchers on the bases.
And the best part OF it is that Cobb
seldom fails to entertain as per sched-
,'lt' for he is q star who. much as has
been said of him, is not ovcrrated.
Detroit Club big Winner.
1t Was significant hat at American
League park last season Detroit drew
the largest crowds of any visiting club
the season through. the champion
Athletics not excepted. Connie Mack's
club as Il whole is probably as good
Il baseball machine AS was ever put
together. but ii had no individuals that
stood out like Cobb.
Cohb's salary is $4,000 a year. This
arrangement was mad in the form of
Il ~thrc"-Near contract. calling for s27,-
100. That contract expires at the close
OF the coming season, and If Cobb ran
continue his past form il is predicted
that he can ask $4,000 for the same
period and get it.
PittShurg has always been one of
the best drawing cards on the road in
the National league, owing to the wide
popularity of Hans Wagner. Not to
have seen Wagner perform with the
ash is to have missed one of the treats
of tho paStimc. Hans has a style of
playing ball as inimitablc as Shakes
pcare's literature. At the bat he is
hnWlcldN, almost awkward. hut he
cracks tho ball and lays it safe lust
out of some ticldor's reach. He is the
best f~rec-f"r-all hitter tina eve stood
at ON plate. He only asks that the
pitcher hro the ball in his direction.
He is not particular about it being
near the plate. Wagner is distinctly
different from Cobb i'm every phase of
his playing. But hc is Il big drawing
card and Barney Dreyfuss never he
grudges his shortstor the $4,000. Hans
is rcputed to he pulling. down. Nag
ncr has reported himself as being in
good shape for the coming season, and
despite the fact that the hard lines are
beginning to show on his face. he en-
poets to he slamining them out again
in April. He will I've able to slam them
just us long, rs he is able tt carry "A