The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-04
FEDS INVASION
KEEPS PAY HIGH
Major League Clubs Pay Roll
Top Heavy for Some
Years.
FAVOR LONG CONTRACTS
When War Ends Players Will Suffer
Decrease. But These Are the
Palmy Days.
FAVOR LONG CONTRACTS
ciaI to The Washington Herald.

STecial TO The Washington Herald
New York, May 3-NO matter what
the outcome of the Federal invasion
will be. IL is a certainty that most OF
the organized major league clubs will
have to struggle along under top
heavy pay roll for two or three years
longer.
when the Feds were flirting so out
rageously with the organized baseball
stars late in the winter the org6 nized
magna;es got busy and tried to out
hire the Feds. In other words. they
met the big offer of the Feds. and in
some cases went even higher, and then
signed their men up for two three. and
four years.
Practically every player in organized
baseball whose contract expired last
season signed up one Of those long
term contracts. And the magnates.
hoping TO back the Federals at the end
Of L is season. got many Of the players
whose contracts do not expire until
the end Of the 1914 season TO sign up
new contracts that carried them along
for two or three years in addition
This was the case with the Brooklyn
Dodgers the Giants. the Boston Braves.
the PhiIlies. Red SON- Maps. and prac-
tically all the other major league clubs.
Those contracts are legal. and bind
the magnate TO pay the big salaries
they call for The maEnate cannot
duck" the obligation. And because he
can't, it's certain that until those con-
tracts eNpire-whiCh won't be until
1916 and 1917. he's got 10 pay out each
year in salaries from $4,000 to $4,000
more year than he ever paid before.
Have whip Hand.
During the period of Federal activity
the PLAYERS held the whip hand" says
Chance. Many players worth only 500
a year at the most. held up their cLun
owners for $4,000 and $500. They got
more money than they were worth be
cause the owners felt it was a safe plan
to agree TO this unjust demand than to
let them go 20 the Federdls.
But the day OF reckoning for the play
ers is coming. When the baseball war
ends and the existing contracts have eN-
pired. salaries will 90 down with bump.
They have reached the crcst-the very
highest in history. And this condition
is almost ruinous to the club owners
But the club owners will have their day.
too. just like the players are having l:
now
The era OF high sals ries for ball play
ers soon must come to an end. When
it does YOU can depend On il that players
who are drawing S'.hN ana Sh,"' tHtS
year won't set anything like that figure.
They'll he lucky to get $500 The mag
mates must retrieve the losses that have
been oCca stoned by the Federal wa
and YOU may depend on 1t that when
they instead Of the players. are once
again in control Of the situation. they
will do the retrieving with vengeance.
There is no doubt hut what Chance
knows whereof he articulater When
the macnatrs get control Of the situa-
ton once again they'll even things up
for the hold-up game that most OF the
ball PLAYERS played last winter.
But that won't prevent the majority
Of the players from having lifelong
laugh. Al last 81 Ter cent Of the play
ers who were parties in the hold-up
came will be ready fnr the discard when
their long term contracts "NPire-ev"n
before And they'll always h" able TO
chuCkle over the fact that in the
winter Of 1917 when they had begun
to fear terrific cut in their 1911
salary. or even being shovel on !"
the minors. they were able Z" shake
down their employers for \ salary almost
double that which they ever had received
before.