Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-31
UPShND DOWNSOF
JOSEPH F. TINKER
Former Cub Is Having Real
Hard Time of Forbidden
to Better Himself.

New York. Dec. 3l.-JOSephus FaVer-
sham Tinker was the manager of the
Cincinnati Reds-or. TO qualify that
statement. let US say that he was as
much manager OF the Cincinnati Reds
as any manager is ever manager Of
thai director-pestered outfit
He was fired from his job. in accord
ance with the quaint and time-honored
Cincinnati custom in the matter OF
managers. and he was subsequently
sold by the Cincinnati club. which con
tinued 10 own him as a ball player
even after it mad fired him as manager
10 Charles Hercules Ebbets of the
Brooklyn Dodgers.
The price paid was supposed TO be
So. 900. but after a lot OF publicity
had been derived from the statement
that this was the amount involved Mr..
Ebbets and the Cincinnati ball club
began n series of dickers back and
fOrtr until il finally developed that
Mr. Ebbcts was paying $4,000 for
Tinker. less one or two of the noughts,
and maybe minus the five. for all we
know
il was stated that Ebbets would pay
Tinker a bonus of $4,000 when he
signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
and. rs we understand il, the whole
deal depended upon what Tinker de-
cided TO do. Josephus refused TO sign
with Ebbets- II is said he wanted a
salary of $500 a year which was the
amount he drew as manager in Cincin-
Eati-this being perhaps the real tipoff
on Cincinnati managers-but Ebbets
thought $4,000 was the right figure.
Forbidden to Better Himself.
The upshot of the whole proposition
is. Tinker is said to have signed with
the Federal league TO manage the Chi
cago team al salary said TO be S12,-
900 a year. and the Brooklyn manage
ment talks of enjOining him.
Why? Because. dear reader. this
young man seems to be earnestly en-
deavoring 10 better himself in a finan-
cha! way. He was kicked out of his
job in acknowledgements that
and he was not offered another job as
manager by organized ball. He was
offered job as a private in the ranks,
and because he does not see fit TO
accept it they speak of having the
law Oh him Such Is the way of or
cauized baseball.
= p
a department store and were uncere-
mouiousIy canned with mighty brief ,
notice They offered you a job as
iauitor az less money than you we're
getting Along comes a rival concern
and tenders a position As manager !
with even more money attached TO it /
than you were getting as manager in I
the first instance. And supposing the
and said You must either work for il
as janitor or il would get out war
rants and attachments and such like I
against you. Would you be sore?
Publicity Worth $4,000. /
Reader. We fear you would. We fear
your eNasperated squawks would .
arouse the neighbors for miles and .
miles around. And yet. in a way. that's
about what they are handing 10 Jo-
sephus Faversham Tinker. Such is
the way OF organized baseball. Such
Is the way OF the reserve clause, writ
ten into all baseball players contracts.
Organized ball has already drawn
lnon Joe Tinker for more publicity
-ian several times $4,000 would buy
ORGANIZED ball being that great amuse-
meut trust that has control over our
national obsessiOn. and so called to
distinguish IL from OUTLAW" ball.
,yhich is baseball committed without
regard TO Messrs. Garry Hermann.
Ban Johnson ct al.
Considering his long and honorable
service 10 organized ball as player.
YOU might think il would be glad 10
see Joe Tinker do better for himself
IL the evening OF his playing years.
- 10 speak. for Tinker is veteran,
without much further TO go. You
might think that as long as IL is not
ibie 10 offer him a managerial posi-
ion. or even a position as private (
n the ranks at a salary he can com
uand elsewhere. organized ball would !
,ay 70 Tinker: Go. and good luck be (
With you--But such is not the way OF l
organized ball.