The Washington herald., 1914-07-26
IS
Maps DOWNFALL
Owner Somers' Attempt to
Save ST. 900 Cause of Poor
Showing Of Cleveland.
DISGUSTED AND JUMPED
'Lanky Hurler" Declines Small In
crease of Salary and Goes with
Outlaw Club.
DISGUSTED AND JUMPED

New York July 25.-This Is a story OF
how the 1914 pennant chances of the
Cleveland American League team were
practically wrecked by cupidity that re-
suited in saving about 1900.
II is a story, too, of how Charles W.
somers. the Cleveland magnate, stands
to suffer loss of 10000 this season in
stead Of making a profit Of from S1Oo, ,Ool
to 800, 900. all because he wanted to dole
out a small reward to a pitcher whose
brilliant work during the 1913 season kept
the Maps in the fight all the way and
enabled the club to clear something like
S150. 600.
''Cy" Falkenberg was the hurler who
kept the Maps in the 1913 pennant fight.
He won the first ten games pitched and
finished the season with an average near
the top. Such work, In FaIkenberg'S
mind, and in that Of every fair-minded
fan. was deserving Of a sizeable boost in
pay.
Did Falkenberg get f.? Nay. nay. Som
ers. instead OF giving Falkenberg boost
of about Sl.5Oo a year, offered him an in
crease that amounted to about H.5S a
day. according TO FaIkenberg. and which
statement Somers does not deny.
Falkenberg. disgusted. jumped to the
Feds. They made him an offer far in
excess of that Of Somers. They recog-
nized his worth and were willing to pay
the full price. FaIkenbergs heart had
been In his work in Cleveland. He would
have preferred to esnain there, and un-
doubtedly wou'E have remained on the
Maps roster II Somers had offered about
1900 more. But Somers didn't He over
looked the fact that the Federal League
was a haven for the underpaid stars
With Falkenberg on the firing line for
Cleveland this year and pitching In any
where near his 1918 form. the Maps now
would be IN q pennant fight instead of
hopelessly in the rut- The deplorable
weakness OF its pitching stah has kept
the Clevelanders in the cellar practically
from the outset OF the season.
Outside OF Gregg they haven't q de-
pendable pitcher. and the demoralized
condition OF the pitching stan has dis
heartened the entire team 1t has taken
the fight and spirit out OF them They
have come to feel that no matter how
brilliantly they field, no matter how
terrific their hitting. the moundman can
not hold the opposition in check.
Il FaIkenberg had been with the Maps
he would have been good for At least ten
victories that have resulted In defeats
for the Maps. Manager Birmingham,
with FalkenberE on his stan, would not
have called on his kid twirlers 30 often.
He wouldn't have to experiment 50 much.
The result would have been that at least
ten Of the games that have been lost
would have been won by FaIkenberg.
Furthermore. II the Maps had won
those ten games instead Of losing them.
Il would have enthused instead Of dis
heartened them. They would have play
ed better baseball and fought harder.
and, no doubt. would have won at least
six Of the other games that. they have
thrown away by Indifferent work.
Think Of what-a difference this would
have made to the Nepsl July 5 Is re-
Eardsd a. the halfway mark In the base