Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-06-22
AND
BALL PLAYERS
TAKE CHANCES
Liability of Accidents Ever
Present Menace to Both
Contracting Parties
BIZ cHRIsTY MAIHEWsoN.

cry time he slides for a base ne Is
taking the same chance. If he comes
up with broken leg, he may never
recover his speed, or il with a frac-
tured arm his throwing value nay
never return.
When a club owner signs a star
player at the salaries paid the tCp
notehers now he is running the risk
that this star may be injured In spring
practice or the opening game, and he
will have to pay the salary all sum-
ner. Therefore, both the players AMI
the club owners are gambling on luck
right along. ss.>slss 3-~t>. T.:
The Cleveland club last year was
one of the classiest the American
league had developed in the west for
some seasons. and it took team OF
the smashing ability Of the Athietics
to beat IT cnt Of the pennant. Chap
man. the brilliant shOTtstop, was large
Nv instrumental in the success Of the
club, and So when the baseball war
broke out this winter, he loked for
more money. He went 70 interview
Charles Somers about his contract
with his mind made up IS to how big
a raise he expected to get. When he
came out Of the office all smiles some
of his fellow players asked:
We'll. how did you make out?"
Got $500 more than L had intended
to hit him for." replied, Chapman. He
asked me II would be satisfied, to /,
play for $14D0 raise before had
a chance to tell him what L wanted"
, In the spring practice, Chapman
broke his leg and has, not PLAYED A |
game for Cleveland this. year. He is
drawing his salary at the advanced
terms in. his contract and he may nat |
be in shape to do any work for q
months or two yet Even then. there |
is no assurance that the fracture of I
the leg has not slowed up Chapman I
so much that much of his value TO
the club will have gone when he gets
back into the "spangles." +
This permanent Injury to. player
has happened in two cases can re-
call. When Woiter Of the. Yankees
broke his leg he was rated as star
but he was never speedy
after his long layof Chance sent him
back to the minors following a long
sffort to let him come back. 1t was
n 1911 that Gainof, the young first
basenian Of the Detroit club, Who'll
ooked like one OF The best turned up
or years, stopped a fast ball delivered
" Coombs with his arm. The blow
broke his arm, and when the bone
lad knit, 1t was Uncovered Gainor
lad lost his abilitf 70 throw. There
ore, he was carJ u on the Detreit
Tub only as a pinch, hitter until he
vas recently sent % Boston. +
owners Take BIG Risks.
With the players salaries going up,
he club owners are taking even big
FER risks, for injuries are becoming
more expensive at the higher salary
ates. recently took part in dis
ussicn OF the fine showing made by
he Tigers this year.
How do. you account for the big
purt?" asked one Of the party. rs it
Iue to the ability of the recruits in
he lineup?" II
q figure 1t is because the men on
he team are satisfied with what they
re being paid" was the reply. "As
Z
o the Detroit club with his request
nd he received what he wanted" II
This is largely true of many teams
his year The men are happy because
hose OF proved value to club got
THAT they wanted in the way Of sal
ry. Therefore the club owners today
re taking bigger chances On injuries
han ever before in the history of
he game. |:
little Signal Stealing.
Few attempts have been made to
teal battery signs this season he 4
ause Of the danger in it. l under q
tand that the Athletics have cut out +
tempting to steal the catcher's signs
rom the. coaching lines altogether,
nd l. always did believe that they did l
ess of this than they were given cred
for, though T. realized that they liked
q have their opponents think they
we're getting signals in order to worry
hem. But Mack decided this year !
hat it was too dangerous under the Il
resent prevailing high prices for h&ll {
layers. Collins has told me that he l
ever took a signal from a coacher, K
nyWay, because Of the risk that he u
night be set for a curve and meet 4
asst one owing to a slip in the infor- &
nation supplied. In that case he I
would have trouble getting away from
t If the pitcher working had much
peed.s> I
Several seasons ago, when l carried I
more speed than ! have now. put
Jake Beekley, the old Cincinnati
irst baseman. in the hospital for sew
raj days because he tried to get our
'igns and was crossed up. Jake" was
'eaned by fast ball when he was set
or curve and did not have time to
ret away. He was unconscious for a
lay. Jake" Quit trying to take signs
rom the catchers after that AMI II
AVE heard that Beckley tried to do
Is much damage to the man who gave
linn the wrong steer when he got Ont
" the hospital as the fast ball did
o his health. Il
Johnson Seares Batters.
In, the American league all plavers
ire afraid of being "beaned" by Wal.
on Trxhr |