Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-03-08
Baseball

New York, March 7.-Practically al these men we have read about re- gently as bidding to but the Chlca- go Cubs from Charles P. Taft of Gin cinnati are going into what is to them blind proposition. It is known that one of the bidders admitted he was taking simply gamblers chance not knowing really what he was buy ing O. what the history of the Cubs was as a business enterprise.
 The figures on the Cubs profits Of last season are not available. but it can be stated with absolute authority that the average earning of the Cubs in the previous years was SS5,0O0. Most close students of the financial end of baseball rate the Cubs total value at a million dollars, which would make the annual net clearings of the years mentioned eight and a half per cent. This may seem like a tremendous return on an investment, but when the various risks of base ball are taken into consideration, it is just about the proper interest on the money.
 The information as to these figures comes from Harry Ackerland of Pittsburgh, minority stockAolder in the club, who purchased Frank Chances ten shares of stock when the latter was taken from the manag- ership of the team year ago this winter. Chance sold to Ackerland for $40,0o0, or at the basis of only $4,- : coo share-there are 100 shares al- together-,although the average value of one share now is assessed at $10,- O00. Chance told Ackerland of his eX pertinent in money way with the club. Altogether, in the eight years he led the club, he collected a total of $6S,000 as dividends from his stock, aside from the salary he receiv- ed from the club.
 Chances total earnings on ten per cent being $6S,0O0, the total earnings of the club were $6S0,000. This is an average of $S5,O00 year. But it must be remembered that the bulk of this was collected in the latter half of the period that the game had be- come bigger money proposition and is still growing in general way all over the country. Still another inn portant fact is that, when the Cubs played in the worlds series of 1906, 1907 and 1908, they had only small grandstand that would not hold with will accommodate. The 1906 series in ten thousand of wha. the new one was bigger. money proposition than either of the two that followed lmme- diately, but this was because of two paramount reasons-this series went to tie and then to an extra game, and the White Sox were the oppon- ents, so that a tremendous amount
 
 tion The two clubs split up $62,- 493.10 then. In 1907 and 1908 the re- ceipts also were kept low by the fac. that Detroit was the opposing club and the Tigers had very small park which though damned to the guards, would noa admit of any record break ing attendance figures. In 1907 the two clubs split $36,622.26 in 1908 $39,363.03. Compare these figures with the amount divided in 1910, when the Cubs played the Athletics. It was $77,51O.07. But Of course these numbers do not compare with those of the Ciants-Red Sox series of 1912, when the record was set att S2S3.S31.S2. to be divided by the clubs, exclusive of players and na- tional commission shares. But the Cubs now have an even larger park, and the next time they get in al worlds series, it will be possible for them to more than double their for mer series returns.
 Several other facts must be takenl into consideration in cmputing how much better the Cubs are likely to bel as an investment in future. It must be remembered that Charles W. Mur- phy, the last owner of the club, was immensely unpopular in Chicago. so much so that the fans at times even circulated boycott petitions against his club. Yet they did collect large portions of coin of the realm at that. What, then, will be the result if popular administration should get in,