Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-06-22
AND
LLHAYERS
IAKECHANCES
Liability of Accidents Ever
Present Menace to Both
Contracting Parties
ey cHRIsTY MATAEWsoN.


up with a broken leg, he may never
recover his speed, or II with f-ac-
tured arm his throwing value may
never return
When q club owner signs a star
player at the salaries paid the tLe
netchers now he Is running the risk
that this star may be injured in spring
prsctice or the opening game. and he
will have to pay the salary; all sum-
rner. Therefore, both the players AMI
the club owners are gambling on luck
right along. <,.....s : e.
The Cleveland club last year was
one of the classiest the American
league had developed in the west for
some seasons, and il took team OF
the smashing ability of the Athletics
C. beat ii cHt OF the pennant. Chap
man. the brilliant shortstop, was large
w instrumental In the success Of the
club, and so. when the baseball war
broke out this winter he loked for
more money. He went, TO interview
Charles Somers about his contract
with his mind made UP as to how big
a raise he exneeted to get. When he
came ont of the office all smiles some
of bis fellow players asked: !.
We'll. how did You make out?' -.
<"Got $500 more than had intended
to hit him for replied Chapman. He
asked me r. Il would be satisfied to.
PLAY for $1,000 raise before I had
a chance to tell him what ] wanted"
, In The sDrine practice. GhapmtI
broke his leg and has not PLAYED a
eame. for Cleveland this year. He is
drawing his salary at the advanced
terms In his contract, and he NAV nct
be in shape to do any work for n
months or two set. Even then. there
is no assurance that the fracture of
the leg has not slowed up Chapman
so much that much of his value To
the club will have gone when he gets
back into the .spangles."
This permanent injury to player
has happened in two cases 7 can, re-
call When Wolter of the Yankees
broke his leg he. was rated as. a star
but he was never speedy
after his long layoff Chance sent him
aack to the minors. following long
sffert to let him come back. It was
n 1911 that Gainor, the young first
basenan Of the Detroit club, who
cooked like one OF the best turned up
or years, stopped q fast ball delivered |
,y Goombs with his arm. The blow |
,rcke his arm, and when the, bone |
had knit, 1t ~ dlscoEerei GaiEofi
.ad lost his abilit 10 throw. There
ore. he was carfieds on the Detroit |
hub only as a, pinch hitter until he
vas recently sent TO Boston. !
,Wners Take Big Risks. . I
With the players salaries going up,
he club owners are taking even big
Ter risks, for injuries are becoming
more expensive at the higher salary
ates. I recently took part in a dis
ussicn of the fine showing made by
he Tigers this year.
How do you account for the big
purt ?" asked one of the party. rs 1t
Iue to the. ability of the recruits in
be lineup"
Il figure it is because the men on
he team are satisfied with what they
re being paid" was the reply. As
understand It, each player came up
o the Detroit club with his request
nd he received what he wanted"
This Is largely true of many teams
his year. The men are happy because
hose of proved. value to club got
THAT they wanted in the way of sal
ry Therefore the club owners today
re taking bigger chances on injuries
han ever before in the history of
he game -.
little Signal Stealing.
Few attempts have been made to
teal battery signs this season he
ause Of the danger in it. | under
tand that the Athletics have cut ort
tempting to steal the catcher's signs
rom the coaching lines altogether,
nd I always did believe that they did
ass of this than they were given cred
for, though realized that they liked
q have their opponents think they
Fere getting signals in order to worry
hem: But Mack decided this year
hat it was too dangerous under the 1
resent prevailing high prices for n"n
layers. Collins has told me that he !
ever took a signal from COacher,
ny way DecduSe vi IIl6 TISh IudI HS
night be set for a curve and meet !
asst one ewing to a slip in the infor-
nation supplied In that case he
you'd have trouble getting away from
t If the pitcher working had much
peed.
Several seasons ago. when | carried
mere speed than I have now, | Put
Jake" Beckley. the old Cincinnati
irst baseman, in the hospital for sew
.raISdays because he tried to get cur :,
igns and was crossed up. Jake" vas |
'eaned by fast ball when he was set
or a curve and did net have time to
get away. He was unconscious for a
lay. Jake" QUIT trying to take signs
rom the catehers after that. AMI | !,
AVE heard that Beckley tried TO do
IS much damage'to the man who gave j
lin the wrong steer when he got Gut
VI the hospital as the fast ball did I,
o his health.
Johnson Scares Batters.
In the American league all Diavars !
re afraid of being "beaned" bv Wal +
er Johnscn's fast one, and this fact |
lelns him to be the wonderful pitcher :,
10 ic DIV n