Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-11-08
BASE BALL PROFITS LESS
Cost of Operating Business-Sport is
Fifty Per Cent Greater.
PLAYERS HAVING HARVEST
Between Federal League and the
Players Fraternity They Have
Come into Their own for
Making Money.

NEW YORK. Nov. THE cost OF
operating a base ball club in big league
is about 50 per cent greater now than a
year ago"
This significant observation. coming
from the best posted man in the national
game. tells plainly the condition that con-
fronts a club owner in the National or
American league.
Il proves that the days Of big dividends
have passed. for several years. at least.
1t illustrates again that the clubs in the
big show that have failed to keep up in
the pennant race have operated at a loss
and face a deficit next year The club
owners are justified in crying about the
high cost of base ball. The ball players
well don't take a player seriously If he
tries to plead poverty and tell you tale
about the high cost of living. The hired
man in base ball just now is like al
Rockefeller compared to the magnate.
The so per cent increase in operating
expenses goes to the player every penny
OF II. These are harvest times for the
hired men, The advent of the Federal
league worked both ways in their favor.
It strengthened the Players fraternity
until now the so-called union of ball
players is as strongly intrenched as any
of the big labor bodies that have suc-
cessfully battled against the greatest
money powers in the world.
Federal League is Buffer.
y The Federal league is the buffer that
the player uses to get salaries which two
years ago were considered impossible. But
in base ball war the only weapon is
the player and it requires money TO hold
star players. It's the stars that bring the
patronage, the real foundation OF success.
1t will take at least three years to
restore the game to a profitable basis.
even after the Federal league is beaten
or some sort Of peace plan is settled
upon.
Since the rival league went to the bat
against Organized Base Ball. PLAYERS
who have been receiving $500, have in
some cases demanded and been granted
an increase Of $500 A star pitcher who
formerly was paid about 1850, considered
a big salary, threatened to desert unless
paid 5000. And sooner than see the
player joins the Feds, the club owner
had to stand the raise. And in every
case where player had held up a club
owner he signed an iron-bound contract
for two years at least. A great many of
these contracts call for four or five
years.
stars Get Busy,
When several courts throughout the
country decided early in the season that
the old form Of contract was not binding
a number OF stars got busy at once. First
they would deal with the Feds and
then come back and demand a showdown.
Most OF them got what they asked for.
The Federal league is the greatest suf-
ferer, 1t failed to get the patronage IL
expected. In Pittsburgh, where they had
every assurance that things would run
smoothly, they handled less than $50. 600
In receipts at home. Kansas City was a
complete loss. And the few cities that
did get a little patronage at home didn't
handle enough. on the road to pay rail-
road and hotel expenses. The high salaries
ate into the very foundation of the Fed
eral league. The money men Of the rival
league admit this and that is why thew
are trying to bring about a settlement.
But II will be many years before tho
heavy investors get back even a part of
their money, IL at all.