Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-06
JOHNSON MOST
VALUABLE MAN
IN BASE B Al |
FederaIs Rank Jackson Next to
Washington TwirIer and Place
Ty Cobb Third,
By Bill Bailey.

~HCAGO, Feb. e-The Federal
Leaguers figure that Walter
Johnson, the Washington twirl-
er. is the most valuable man in or
ganized baseball. The same fellows
figure that Joe Jackson ranks next,
and that Ty Cobb, whom many be
lieve TO be the greatest of his day, IS
third Heine Zimmerman, the Cub
slugger, and several fellows on the
Philadelphia Athletics are tied for
fourth.
The hest wav to find out what a fell
low really thinks of something he
wants is to find out what he Will pay
Tor it, It's a certainty that he VIII
pay the top price for the lining he
values And it's upon this basis that
the worth Of Johnson, Jackson and
Cobb is fixed
Along about the time that the Fed
erals really began to be taken seri-
ously which was soon after Joe Tin
ker, Mordecai. Brown and Otto Knabe
left the organized ranks. a telegram
was sent to Johnson. II wasn't known
by Tinker and President Weeghman,
OF the Federals that he was under
contract. At any rate, they said they
didn't know. The Washington twirl-
er answered that he was under legal
0DlEdtlOnS 10 play Win w a Siiiils W -
but that lie thanked them for the OPP
portunity just the same.
0NNHAT would you have given him
w year," Tinker was asked.
Il think Mr.. Weeghman would have
told him to insert his own figures in
the contract" answered Tinker
YES, but In dollars and cents what
would you have given him." 1t was
persisted.
Wei. think Mr.. weeghm IN
would have given him between $4,000
and $50 200 a year. answered Joe.
Soon after came report that while
Cobb had been in consultation win
Frank Navin and and had practically
agreed upon terms that he had not
signed a Detroit contract. You re
member the telegram that President
Weeghman sent him? II called FOR
SIS. 900 a year and was to run for five
years
That's what the Federals thought
OF Cobb
THE next fabulous sum offered was
/ to Joe jackson. Just a short time
ago came a message from Greenville,
s. c., the home OF the Nap slugger.
II was to the effect that Jackson had
been offered $4,000 for three Yeas.
That's almost 1900 a year. Which
shows what the Federals thought OF
Jackson.
Now, when the Federals were IN
session in Chicago on that memorable
dgy when the league was advertised
to blow and when President Weesh-
man demanded show down, one OF
the managers met Heine zimmerman.
what are the Cubs paying you"
queried the manager
II don't see that II Is any of 70 IT
business" was He!ne's retort.
well. we viii give you $1,000 a
year and let you sit on the bench IL
the courts hold that we can't play
you,".was the come back.
Now, don't get the wrong impress
~ sion. Don't for a moment sup
pose that we are trying to tell you
that jackson is a more valuable man
than Cobb, or that johnson is worth
more than either.
Ball PLAYERS and the fans entertain
no such opinion. The majority OF the
PLAYERS have an idea that Cobb stands
alone among felders, batters base
runners, and that he is worth two
Jacksons They will tell you that IT
Is toss-up when 1t comes to rank
ing Cobb and Johnson. BY watching
the crowd YOU viii get the impression
that ii Is also a toss-up between the
two so far al their drawing power is
concerned.
There's usually a fair crowd at
every league game in which Cobb par
ticipates II Is also true that there
is big crowd at every game In which
johnson Is advertised to pitch It's
almost impossible 10 estimate the
value to the playing strength Of
team Of a man like Cobb. He wins
many a contest during the year. But,
then, Il Is also mighty difficult to hS
ure what fellow like Johnson Is
worth. and especially what he would
be worth to a team fighting for a
pennant