Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-20
ogetown sRepy With

started that he. was dickering with the
Federals. Yesterday however. President
Hampstead of the Giants went sRirmish-
ing in the office vault and found sFletch-
er's contract, which, to his SURPRISE
showed that the brilliant shortstop had
signed for the season Of 1914 at the same
time that he affixed his signature to last
years contract. 1t is now believed that
since Fletcher has signed he purposely did
not allow himself to b heard from,
Just why the Federal League should re-
fuse to give out the names Of players it
has signed and yet rush into print with
offers to players who are known to be
under contract to major league clubs
makes it appear that most of these an
nouncements are for publicity purposes.
If the players claimed by the Federals
have signed, no harm can come from let
ting the public know it. But there have
been SO many erroneous announcements
regarding the signing of players that the
public has reason to feel that 1t has been
deceived.
The offers made Walter johnson and
Ty Cobb, for instance, were hardly Sc
rious. Both of the players have been un-
der contract to their respective clubs for
months, and If they had wanted to
jump clubs they could have been legally
prevented from doing So
The astonishing feature of the Federals'
offer to Ty Cobb was his reply. in which
he said that the seventy flve-thousand-
dollar proposition from the outlaws would
not allow him to better himself. It may
be presumed from this that Cobb is get
ting about $4,000 from the Detroit club.
While Griffith believes that he has cor
rallied a likely looking squad of young
pitchers, he does not figure on deriving
immediate benefit from those youngsters
WHO lack experience. There Is, OF course.
hope for those who have spent a season
or SO In a minor league, but the recruits
picked off of the lots, it is figured. Will
need development before they can be ex-
pected to make good in this company.
But the only way that ball club can get
players these days is to develop them,
and Griffith figures that his present stan
Of youngsters will be much more valua-
BILE a year from now than at the present
time.
Hughey. Jennings, who was a player in
the days of the American League inva-
sion, makes clever comparison OF con-
ditiohs then and now, anent the Federal
Leagues chances He says:
Il do not believe that the public is
antagonistic to either the National or
American league today, as it was to the
old league when the American was es-
tablished. In those days the owners
were more or less autocratic in their
methods toward the public as we'll as
to the press.
las l was player at that time, / can
speak authoritauuely of the shabby
treatment we received. Twelve hundred
dollars season was the usual salary for
a beginner. and s., 400 was the maximum
wage for the star.
I'VE did not travel in special cars as
we do today; not only no special cars,
but no Pullman seats from Philadelphia
to New York when the trip was made
in the daytime. The day coach for ours
If the trip was made at night the man
agement was Indifferent whether We got
upper or lower berths. We were housed
at moderate-priced hotels. $3.50 OF IS per
day, American plan, and any player who
wanted room with a bath would have
to pay for this luxury himself.
THE Federals cannot get players from
the National or American League wiz
out increasing the present rate of safAr
ries, and, as | said before. putting up q
cash forfeit or bonds as a guarantee that
three years salary will be forthcoming
If the Federal blows
when it is taken into account that
players today receive salaries as young
sters that stars fifteen years ago COM
manded, and that 5000 is the average
on most of the big teams, | am wonder
ing If the compensation of ball players
has not about reached the limit, unless
the owners raise the price of admission
and il they do that-'Good-night
nurse.