The Detroit times., 1913-04-24
BALL PLAYER
SHOULD SAVE
$4,000 BONES
This Is the Opinion of James
McAleer, Who Saved Some
and Made Some More
MAN SHOULD BE BEST
BETWEEN 30 AND 35
Great Many of the Present Stars
Are About That Age
Tigers Have Some

"A baseball player should be at his
best between 80 and 49," says James
X. McAleer, and he should save $780,
900 while In baseball"
The author OF the aforesaid ought
to be some authority on the subject,
because he was playing the game
about that age. Moreover, being CHIEF
mogul OF the champions Of the world,
his observations concerning diamond
athletics ought to carry some weight
Ir McAleer's remark Is actually
true. then baseball IL unQuestionably
the best Of all outdoor sports, so far
as the players thereof are concerned.
In no other branch Of athletics can a
man, as q rule, stand the strain after,
say 81 or 28, and nearly all OF them
begin to 20 back at about 80. And
how many men have saved $4,000 at
the age Of IS?
"Of course q man isn't SO fast after
80 as he was before added the Red
Sox president. But he has learned
to think by that time. and he should
be more valuable to his club after 30
than before--always provided he has
taken care OF himself"
As evidence McAleer might men,
ton Jimmy Archer, the Cub premier
catcher, who IL regarded as one Of the
best there IL, and Is 80 this summer;
CHIEF Bender, who will be 80 next
May, and who Is still some chief;
AL Bridwell. who Is 80; Mordecai
Brown, 80 even; Jimmy Callahan, 80;
Frank Chance. "a; Hal Chase, 80;
Fred Clarke. Al, and who was playing
manager OF the Pirates until after he
was 80: elf Cravath. 81: Sam
Crawford, SO; Birdie Cree, 81: Har-
ry Davis, who has just gone back to
help put the Athletics on their feet
again at 40; Red Doom, 33; Pat
Dougherty, who was doing things at
49, Kid Elberfeld, who Is $37; Johnny
Evers, 80; Russell Ford, 30; Artie
Hoffman, 81: Hughie Jennings. AZ;
Johnny King. IS: Tommy Leach. 36;
Lefty Leifield, 30 Larry Lajoie. 3S;
Christy Mathewson, who pitched the
best game In his career last October,
when he was just past 80; Mcbride,
81: Matty Mcintyre, 32; Mike Nit
chell, 30: Earl Moore, "a; Mike
Mowrey. 80: George Mullin. 30; Ed
die Plank, 80; Ed Reulbach, 81; JIM
ME Sheckard, credited with "a years,
but who. they say, Is two years older;
Gabby Street, 80: Jake Stahl. "a: Ira
Thomas, 32; Joe Tinker, 80; Honus
Wagner. SO.
McAleer might mention these. but
he would Immediately start a dispute
II he did-4-a dispute rs, to whether
all or the most OF these, were not bet
ter before 80 than after. and whether.
after 80. they were not %going back
In fact II IL very likely that. with
out mentioning names. McAleer has
started a winter dispute already. Let's
see what happens now that he has
opened little argument for the
fans"
rs a baseball player at his best
between 80 and 35?''
The Sox president made this re-
mark during a conversation In which
he was asked how much he thought
a big league baseball player ought to
save during his career on the dia.
mond. McAleer put the figure at some
$4,000. The average life of ball
player. who takes care OF himself, In
the big league, Is not much more than
10 years. Most of them enter about
% and few survive beyond 80 or
whereabouts. A good player ought to
make about $500 year; an excep-
$4,000 to 1000 or $S.0O0-after he be.
comes q star. There are many frugal
ball players and McAleers ngures
must be based upon the ability OF
those fellows to save two-thirds or
three-fourths of their baseball sal
aries, earning enough In winter to
make up the balance Of the cost OF
living.
A hustling ball player-one OF the
kind who gets into the big leagues
and sticks--ought to make $4,000 or
$4,000 during his career. even II he
never participates In any worlds
series. and never becomes a star. Nc.
Aleer's belief that he can save $4,000
10 based upon the fact that a players
necessary expenses are slight In the
playing season, and he ought TO be
able to make enough during the six
months layoff to allow him to save
two-thirds or three-fourths OF his
sA1ary