Evening star., 1914-07-30

came to Mr.. Days assistance with $1OO,
0O0 to enable his team to play out the
schedule, but they also took away his
stock. At the end of this disastrous year
,, the Brotherhood hackers, who had dis
war, threw up their hands and were glad
to consider a plan for consolidating the
rival clubs in the various cites. But
John s. Day, frozen out Of the club he
organized, was left without a dollar.
The present Federal League move
ment reminds me Of the old days. said
Mr.. Day. The players who have de-
| serted organized base ball have no griev-
ances. Neither are they grateful for the
fair treatment they have received. 1t is
case of money. not sentiment and the
hackers Of the Federal League will soon
follow the example of the men who blind
/, ~ financed the Players League nearly
twenty-five years ago. They will quit in
disgust, ready to sue for peace with the
National and American leagues.
THE Players League failed because the
public did not take stock in the players
alleged grievance. Then, again, the con
f1icting dates the wrangling in the news
papers and the contract jumping by stars
killed interest in the game. New York
fans knew that the Giants had been well
paid by me and that they had been un-
grateful.
When learned that all but three Of
my players had deserted me I was shock
ed. couldn't believe that men whom
had befriended in many ways were will
ing to turn their backs on me without
first talking it over. But 1 stuck to the
National League as a matter Of principle,
and when they asked me to join their
movement 1t was an insult pure and
simple.
IT'S an old story. but I shall never
forget It. It cut me to the quick to see
Tim Keefe, Roger Connor and others
playing for rival club. But fought the
Brotherhood as far as I was able to go
and l do not regret it.
Giants Great Players.
'The Giants were great players in those
days They were real champions but l
do not believe that they could have beat
en- some Of the teams that John McGraw
has managed in recent years. 1 think
| that base ball has become much faster.
There is more inside stuff than in my
days as magnate, I never saw Matty s
equal as q pitcher. and I've not forgotten
Calvin, Burlington, Ferguson, Baldwin,
| King. Rusie, Carruthers. Radbourne and
Sweeney.
Il think that Buck Ewing, however.
was the greatest catcher that ever lived.
He could play any position and he pitched
| several games for us. He was in the
| .3OO class each year as a hitter and no
pOdy coulo peat MN running the bases.
| His throwing was simply wonderful.
Ewing was a star in ever respect His
personality made him a card. for he was
popular with the fans in all of the Ma
| tional League cities. I have seen prac-
ucally all Of the games played at the
Polo Grounds since got out Of base ball
and no catcher. in my opinion, has equal
| ed Ewing in skill"
why do you think the Federal League
hackers will quit?'' Mr.. Day was asked
There are two reasons" replied Mr..
Day. Zone Is their inexperience and the
other is the tremendous loss Of money in
which they are involved. If they try to
go on next year interest in base ball will
somebody will go into bankruptcy. The
players in all the leagues are overpaid
now and the game cannot live unless ex-
penses are reduced. You can't very well
blame the players for getting all the
money possible. for that is human nature
But those who have broken their con-
tracts have acted foolishly.'