The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-16
WHY I JOINED THE
 FEDERAL kENBERG

in the October Baseball Magazine:
 The reasons which led me to join the Federal League are very sirnp1e- I had worked for years more or less handicapped by III health. and an oc- easfona1 axtra heavy blow of bad for-l tune. At the age of thirty three I found myself with a wife and two | bdI1 career drawing to 9 close, and | the first chance I had ever had to make an unusually good salary. Ird sizing up the Eituation, said to my-I self After several seasons of only fair luck [ have pitched two years Gone 1 Of which was virtually wasted in the i 1nihors3s of what might be considered unusually good ball It was at any ratey the best ball had ever pitched Any reputation could hope to gain was already won. On that reputation I rested any demands might com sistently make for better salary. And at my time of life a bas span play CT knows that his days are numbered, and whatever of this worlds goods he will retire with from the good old na- and uncertain interim which stretches between thirty-three and hnis-
 My relations with organized basebaIf have been,5I suppose, about on a par- with those of most other humble en- p1oyes of King Baseball have had
 
 flatter szaxse1f, were not wholly off my oTlns. zhIilki1ig, anu dDi1btIesa have not always been reasonabIe or right in my dealings with the magnates- So far as I am concerned. would, by preference, have finished my days with the American League in which srnost Of my active career was spent z It was my league and there are ties of reco1-| 1ectIen which bind the athlete to the particular organization In which his Sfu feats chaIked against bis record.
 But my going was not matter of sentiment at all felt that whatever preference I might have for organized basebailL owed a more Immediate debt to myself and my family And so tI chose, without any display Of ire works the best offer that was made me- which happened to be from the Federal League.
 During the years when was with the American League won more than half my games. That is a good gait to travel for the average pitcher. one which entities him to considera- ton. There was never any complaint. so far as I know, about the quality Of my pitching when was in good form. The complaint was, rather about the quantity.t | have always endeavored to keep myself in good trim. and in some ways have succeeded. My arm has usually been in fine shape. because T took all the precautions in my power to have my muscles supple and soft, and to escape the dread ed muscle bound condition that is so great a bane to the pitchers arm But my general health, will say. bothered me, and the fact that I was usually under weight for my heigllt-I am six feet four and a half inches-always pre- vented me from taking pa1t in my full schedule of games So, as. year drffted after year found myself handicapped in one way and another from doing the work was well able to do if could have been in prime condition. Finally. in the season before Harry Davis took control at Cleveland was taken sick with bronchitis It made a biz dent in my pitching record, and perhaps acfulated Davis in the course he pursued toward me, Doubtless he had no personal feeling. but have never thought he treated me right as he sent me to Toledo. a minor league city. in the spring. without any try out in the real seasons work I felt this all more keenly,- as that year proved to De the best had ever known. I was able to work at better speed and more consistently than I ever worked before and won a large proportion of my games. But this. the first really exceptionally good year had had, was virtually wasted as I was serving in the minors of course, at 6 reduction in salary, and may say that my salary at Cleveland was not an exorbitant one. However, I will not blame Davis. He. no doubt, acted according to his best Judgment. And he shortly experienced enough trouble himself with the Cleveland Club trouble which eulm minated in bis resfgnation before the season was fin 1sheda
 Atsany rate. the best I could do was to get back into the big league at the same salary I; had previously enjoyed, befere was sent to Toledo.
 talked over the matter of salary with Mr Somers sometime in the month of December last as near as I can remember He sent me contract which was certainty not satisfactory. in view Of what I had done. So I dropped into the office to chat a bit with him on the snb5ect- We had an