Norwich bulletin., 1914-08-01
WORLD SERIES BAIT
 FOR FED HACKERS. Vast Fortunes Have Been Spent in
 Baseball.

And yet baseball men say that the worlds championship series, of which the pennant is emblematic, caused the disturbance in Americas most popular game which resulted from the start of the Federal League as opposed to or- ganized baseball, represented by the American and National Leagues and scores of smaller organizations.
 The immense crowds and resultant dollars which came with the playing of the baseball classic in the fall was the bait, it was said. that induced wealthy men to toss millions of dollars into the game. And, to fight the new league and maintain their position in the sport, organized baseball has spent thousands more.
 For several years the worlds series has meant a fortune to the magnates and players. At one game last fall, when the Athletics, American League champions, met the New York Giants, National League pennant winners, $f5, ,76350 was paid by the 3S,896 fans who witnessed the battle. The entire series resulted in receipts of $349, ,580.50. The nlagnateS shared SIS, S,S63.72, al- most exclusive of expenses, the Phila- delphia club getting $59, 9,313.86 and the New York cub a like amount. The players also got big purse-in addi- ton to their seasons salary-$3243.94 94 to each of the Athletics and $2252.73 to each of the Giants. In 1912, when he Boston Red Sox and Giants played a series which lasted longer, the profits for sall the men concerned were eY sn greater.
 1t easily may be seen that the men who fathered the Federal League idea had strong arguments to induce busi- ness men, ignorant of baseball condi- tions to invest their money in the sport.
 To the baker, the restaurateur, the brewer and the man engaged in what might be termed very-day. business, such profits, on the amount invested, appeared enormous They had the money, and once shown the poSSibili- ties of baseball, were willing to "gani- b1e." Indeed, they probably considered it a better investment than the pur- chase of stock in a mine that might be "salted" or yield less than expected in precious minerals.
 Of course. they did not stop to con- slider that only one team in each league could be awarded a pennant; that only | one could get the Worlds Champion ship flag.
 ] To return to the flag, the innocent cause of it all. it has been said that it represented the expenditure of millions granting that the worlds series gain i was the bait that got the money for the l big baseball venture. it easily may be | shown that millions is not a large 1 word-in fact, that great amount of
 
 1 Judging from the published reports 1 of salaries paid the players in the SIX | leagues-that is. the American, Nd- 1 tional and Federal-the club that has a payroll less than $75.G00 a season is 1 fortunate.
 Virtually every team has a player who receives s1O,000 or more; at least 1 two men, Cobb, of Detroit, and Speak sr of Boston, get s15.000. it is said. Each club carries about -25 athletes whose 1<.- c AT Occasionally a youngster may receive ] less than $2.000. but it has been shown that a $75.000 salary roll is not exag- | gerated.
 The fixed charges of club-the rent or interest on the mortgage, railroad and hotel bills. expenses of scouts and l numerous high priced employees, the | spring training, and other expenditures amount to $100.000 more for the least | expensive club. Probably some of them
 spend much more than that. 1 So that each magnate in the Feder- $175.000 for fixed charges right away. i The clubs built-new concrete stadiums,
 costing from S300,000 to $50O, ,000 and
 more and they surely had to pay out i some more before they got them com l pleted.
 There are eight clubs in the baoy
 baseball league. Get pencil and | paper and do some figuring. You will discover, before going very far, that
 millions is not a big word in connec-
 ton with the baseball war. Then, add | to that. the increased expenses of the organized baseball magnates, the higher salaries. the cost of court ac- l tion-no further evidence need be given to show how the money has spouted into the great game.
 Therefore, that celebration at Shibe
 Park last week meant more than the
 jolification over the winning of the base ball classic. The burgee. which l probably cost less than $1OO represent l. I ed the cause of a war that has been bitterly fought because it has been 1 waged with dollars.
 Will Try to Swim the English Channel Boston July 21.-Henry F. Sullivan | of Lowell, an amateur long distance
 swimmer who last year made an un- ' successful attempt to swim the English l channel, sailed for England today te make another attempt. Last year Sul- livan was in the water ten hours bat ting against a head wind and cross l seas aud was forced to give up a few miles from the French shore He has
 been in constant training for severa. tmonths.