The Washington herald., 1914-12-26
PLAYERS Want
too MUCH Coin
So-caIled Stars Want 1t All.
Goose Laying the Golden
Eggs Is in Danger.
OTHER SPORT COMMENT
Tommy Long Sends His Signed Con-
tract to Grihth-Dope on
League Managers.
By WILLIAM FEET.

Long Tom Hughes. former Washing
ton pitcher. tells q story about John
Anderson. famous as the man who stole
second with the bases full.
Anderson. who wouldn't spend a
nickel to see an earthquake. was once
en- train with the National from st.
Louis to Boston. The club secretary
gave John So day for meals. The trip
consumed the better part of two days
and one night.
Not feeling hungry. Anderson bought
a basket of grapes and two bananas.
This fruit provided him with dinner.
breakfast. and supper. He was thereby
able to save exactly $50 on the trip.
You may ask what all this has to do
with the present high price OF ball
players. Listen:
Writers who travelled with John An
derson and his type of player spend
laugh when reading of the latest de-
mands presented by Dave Fultz. presi-
dent OF the Baseball Players Frater-
nifty, which demands incidentally. were
turned down by organized baseball.
Here is demand, or request, No. 5:
"a club releasing q player, either
OutriEhf or optiOnaIly, shnIl furnish
him with his travelling expenses to
the point at which he is to join
the purchasing club.
"The words travelling expenses
shall, for the purposes of this
agreement, mean railroad fare,
Pullman fare and price of meals
when either or both OF the last
items are necessary"
with ball players today asking for
$4,000 salaries, article No. appears
farciaL
The players have reached high-water
mark in the matter of salaries. The game
is at present in a precarious state. Well
informed fans are not in sympathy with
the exorbitant demands of many Of the
so-called stars, and can see ahead, the
killing of the goose that lays the golden
eggs.
The Players Fraternity choose an Ill
opportune time to demand moro liberty
and privileges from organized baseball.
It has been said and with truth that
player can see more 5000 crowds at
ball park than the men employed by the
clubs to take tickets and settle up.
The average ball player does not realize
the enormous expense his club Is under.
He sees only vast throng Of people once
in a while, and mutters to himself, The
club owners are getting II ALL"
Unless conditions change greatly the
next year, very few clubs will pay divi-
dends when the 1915 season ends. q.
Manager Grifith yesterday announced
that he had received the signed contract
of Tommy Long, the outhelder from the
Atlanta club. Long was one Of the play
ers the Washington club pulled back by
virtue of a working agreement with the
Crackers. He may or may not be or
dered to report in Charlottesville next
March.
Says Ed wray. of the St Louis Post
Dispatch: They do say that they stacked
the cards on Clarence Rowland, the new
of the Sox. when they gave him
that first name. The handle intended for
him has to be pronounced with a cud Of
navy plug in the mouth.
However. it is a queer thing that, al
though baseball is a sport in which ag-
gressiveness, even pugnacity. is supposed
to play a strong part in success, but one
first name, belonging to fifteen managers
sure of Jobs next season, Is OF the sort
that makes the enemy growl and bristls
up. And that, II 1t please you, belongs
to one of the least pugnacious men on
the Iist-Patrick Moran. Of Philadelphia
In fact, the list of managerial pre-
names more nearly resembles a section
of a select clubs roster. As, for exam
pie:
AMERICAN. NATIONAL.