The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-31

1c" OhhJ aug oo-OIgdulHeu
nj baseball seems TO be on the
verge OF losing its last yestige
of sport for sport sake. The
commercial end OF the enterprise over.
shadows all else. The magnates are out
for the money and make no bones OF
the fact, The lust for gold is as deep
ly rooted in tho minor leagues as in the
major organizations.
The two big circuits depend upon
patronage for financial gains. Because
Of this it is necessary for them to get
the very best talent to display before
the public. Thousands upon thousands
of dollars are expended every season
by each club in the National and Amer
can leagues for the sole purpose OF
fortifying for the future. Every club
owner has several highly paid scouts
beating all about the country in search
of likely looking "bush' - timber. Some
have as many as six sleuths under
salary.
Besides these, there is a grand army
of amateur sharps who do business On
commission basis. This policy OF near
extravaganza is all well enough fol-
first division aggregations; the end
more than justihes the means. But II
is a serious drain upon the pocketbook
Of the unfortunate holders OF second
division franchises.
Because of their weakness, second di.
vision clubs in the major leagues cal
for the greatest expenditures. This
makes their lot all the more severe
The money is put up on gamble, be
cause club away down IN the race is
lucky to make interest on investment;
The leading teams, which might well
afford to speculate in talent, have
not the same crying need TO do so. But
those leaders usually string along in
sort of ''dog In the manger fashion,
and often corral most promising talent
which they cannot possibly use, Just to
keep it away from some lowly rival
that might utilize it to the dlsad-
vantage of the strong
Frank Chance could not get any as.
sistance from his colleagues, many Of
whom had bench warmers who would
have been of the greatest assistance
to New York 1t took him couple OF
months to get Shortstop PecklnPaugh
from Cleveland. Birmingham had no
use for this player. He wished TO turn
him back to Toledo, the farm OF the
Maps, When Chances outfield was
performing in a most piriful manner
Connie Mack was carrying SIX garden-
ers, any Of them superior 10 the best
the Peerless leader could show.
There was a time when the MAJOR
leagues, by Juggling the market, conld
maintain a self-supporting recruiting
institution. Undesirable talent snatchea
from the "brush' could often be
turned back at profit. But that time
is pnst. The minors-former prey
have become the close-fstGd bargain
drivers. elf you desire our good men
you must pay dearly enough for tne
castoffs,
The minor leagues depend to a very
great extent upon the sale OF piayers
for self maintenance, and can not pe
blamed for getting back at the big Iei
lows on every possible occasion MAJOR
league magnates, who display cold III,
difference among themselves, deserve 10
pity when minor league promoters pu'
on the screws.
The major leagues themselves nre
responsible for most of the present-day
commercialism Of tho game Always
has their attitude been the most exact
ing and the most grasping. As tn'G
sport has gradually become, more ahu
more of show business, the methous
of the show have attached themselves. %
The power of publicity has Appealed "
the club owners, who now take ever
means Of boosting their own Eano
through press agent stuff Ever sinse
the big leagpeS HeuS 20 WRx a9l2Ileo