Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-11-19
GOOSE
THAT'SLAYING
THE GOLDEN EGG
IBy Latest MALL

fo- White S0x manager anu now teau
| er OF the st. Louis Feds, is one OF the
busiest men in Jim Gilmore's organi
zation. He planned to &C back home
soon after the DaseDaH season closed
but Is still in this part of the country
scouting for players. He has talked IL
many, but has found It no easy snap te
sign them, as most Of them seem to
be inclined toward organized ranks
Several are dickering with him, but
according to a report from st. Louis
he Is not sure OF * ting them.
"lf the ball payers would meet us
half way this fight would be settled
in jiffy.' said Jones in the st. Louis
Republic. "The bis hitch is the play
ers themselves. They are playing
both ends against the middle. Natural
ly there Is a limit TO everything and
, when peace comes the players will
find themselves up against 1t. If the
Federal league could have started off
with ID. Al. Fletcher's contracts the
fight would have been won In six
months time. )
Fletcher Is the Cincinnati man who
signed 1877 big league stars to reason
able contracts a few years ago. He
rounded up men like Ty Cobb and Ed
die Collins, real stars of the game
Fletcher did all this without single
ball park. The players flocked to him
like sheep. He figured on raising cap
ital to finance his league after he Sc
cured the players Organized ball saw
what was coming and ridded itself Of
Fletcher in a manner known only to
insiders. Fletcher dropped out OF the
limelight and his 127 contracts went
up In smoke. Gee, what a conflagra,
tioh there would have been II the
Feds had only had these documents.
Players 4StaIl.s
I've had some peculiar experiences
with players" continued Jones. take
the Pittsburg Nationals, for instance.
! dickered with Jimmy Viox. the Pi.
rates smuggling second sacker. and
Claude Cooper, Barney Dreyfuss' star
southpaw. / spent an evening with
the two players At the Planters hotel.
Viox asked for $1,000 and Cooper said
he would sign for $4,000.
: 4 All right said l. Here's the docu,
Hents; iii In your salary figures and
sign up.
Cooper said he would have to thiak
II over again and Yiox said Come
around In the morning and I'll probab-
" do business with YOU Next morn
ing they started to STALL knew what
was up. They were using me to
squeeze Dreyfuss for more money. so
I called off the deal. Cooper and viox
aren't the kind OF men want on my
bah club. / had the same experience
with Finn Beck OF the Cards. He
sought berth with the st. Louis Feds.
said the Cards paid him chicken feed
money in 1914 and that he was tired
OF putting up big league ball for a
minor league stipend.
That's the way like to hear a
man talk, said !. How much do you
want to work for me!'
Beck named price. said 1t was
satisfactory and Beck made an APP
pointment to come down to the hotel
and sign. never saw him again.
He stood me up. Guess he thinks he
turned clever trick getting q raise
out Of me and then forcing Britton to
meet II. But I'm glad he didn't sign
with me. This may sound like sour
grapes. but here are the facts:
never saw Beck in action till he
played the series with the Browns. He
isn't any style OF ball player. He
can't run the sacks and is too stiff
around the bag: doesn't put the ball on
q runner correctly. l don't want any
gun shy guys In my infield. like
Becks work at the plate He waited
out the pitcher nicely. =
James 20 Stick.
Jones says Bill James OF Boston,
whom he considers the best pitcher in
the National league. Is signed to a
Boston contract that has two more
years to run. 1t calls for $45Ogsper
annum.
That isn't a whole lot of money.
considering the way baseball values
have jumped lately" said Jones, .'but
James figures that with Boston's
chances Of repeating as pennant win.
Eer, he would be foolish TO jump. L
guess he's right.