Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-20
MOuntsineers Have the Highest
Percentage of Games Won for
the Last Five Years.
EvADEs THE SALARY LIMIT
McGill Also Spends Large Sum for
Many New Players,
ALL TEAMS NOW HAVE CHANCE
More Evenly Balanced Teams should
Make the Pennant Race More
interesting and Thus In
crease Attendance.

Snce the Western league has consisted
Of the present eight cities, namely,
Omaha, Denver, Wichita, Topeka, Lin
coin. Des Moines, st. Joseph and Sioux
City. Denver has registered better av-
erage as winning ball club than any
other city A computation of the aver
ages of all clubs shows that Denver
stands far in the lead in the matter of
games won.
Denver has won three pennants in the
last five years. The mountain city has
won slxty-two more games than the next
high club and has lost fifty-five less.
The success of Denver can be attrib-
uted to but one thing. if the explanations
OF nearly every other masnate In the
circuit can be accepted as the truth, and
that is. the payment Of higher salaries
and the expenditure of more money in
purchasing players. 1t has been con-
stantly asserted that Jimmy McGiI al
ways exceeded the Western league sal
ary limit Whether he really did or not
cannot be sworn, but his success makes
it plausible, Also he has paid large
sums for athletes. That much is known
to be absolutely true.
Denver Largest City.
Denver is the biggest city in the league.
Its total attendance for a year always
has been larger than any other city.
Thus the net proceeds are greater and
McGill could always manage to cling
to the right side of the ledger even
though his expenses were heavy.
Other cities couldn't stick to the stan
dard set by Denver and the result has
been that the Grizzlies could keep up near
the top.
But now things will be far different. A
new salary limit has been declared. 1t
was not made for Denver, but for such
cities as Topeka, Wichita and Lincoln.
In the future Mr.. McGin and every
other magnate in the Western must keep
bis salary list as low as $3.50. 1t has
been declared that McGill's 1914 salary
list san over $1,000 The Sioux City list
is also declared to have been nearly that
Figure,
Next year no one may exceed $2.5oo. 1t
is thought that every city can afford to
pay 81, 500 and still declare dividends As
result all clubs will carry ball players
of practically the same value and ball
players Of the same value should be Of
practically the same skill and knowledge,
thus the 1915 race should be an even one.
With Wichita and Topeka up and fight
ing and not tagging lengths in the-rear.
and Denver and Sioux City no better than
the other clubs interest in the Western
league race should be quickly revived
next year.
should BE Better This Year.
Last summer was disastrous in this
circuit. All clubs are said to have lost
mone., the interest was slack and the
brand of ball was not up TO standard
This year it should be different.
1t is said by some pessimists who find
it pleasure to knock, that the lower
salary limit will make the brand of
ball poorer in this league, because the
athlete who has been drawing high money
will refuse to stand for a cut. The athlete
will stand for a cut or stsrve to death
and not even the temperamental athlete
who belongs to the Players fraternity
will prefer the latter course.
And another thing, the cuts will not be
so large The player limit is several play
ers shorter than last year, so the mag
mates will not pay salaries to so many
men, Thus. the salaries will be almost
equalized.
But Il will be easier to obtain players
this year. The Federals are not so hot
after talent. The Feds want stars, but
they have enough of the fairly good ball
players and a Western Lacquer would
find it hard TO break into the outlaw or
ganlzation.
All Cut Player Limit.
Every class OF league has cut its player
limit. The result will be that dozens Of
good ball players will be released from
the majors and from class AA clubs.
They will be eligible to class A clubs and
the Western towns viii get their share.
So. II anything the class of ball will
be better that last year, and, above all,
the race should be evener, and a close
race means good patronage at the games
and the Western league should get back
on its feet again and once more become
one Ef the most substantial and success
full leagues in the country.
Five-Year Averages.
The average OF Western league teams
for the last five years is: