Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-06

LeaguerS ngure lhai waiter
johnson, the Washington twirl-
or. Is The most valuable man in or
eanized baseball. The same fellows
figure that Joe jackson ranks mex,
and that Ty cobb, whom many be
Heve to be the greatest of his day is
third. Heine Zimmerman, the CUB
slugcer. and several fellows on the
Philadelphia Athletics are tied for
fourth
1'he best way TO find out what a fell
low really thinks of something ne
wants is - find out what he will 9Ar
fof T. rs d certainty that he wi!
paw he top price for the thing n
values And it's upon this basis that
the worth Of Johnson, jackson and
Cobh is fiaed
Along about the time that the Fed
erals really began To be taken seri-
ous.y. which was soon after Joe TN
ker. MordeCai Brown ana otto knape
left the organized ranks, telegram
was sent to johnson. 1t wasn't known
BY Tinker and President Weegnman,
Of the Federals that ne was under
contract. AT any rate, they said iheN
admit know The Washington tWiri-
or answered chat he was under legal
obligations to play with Washington
but that he thanked them for the cp-
portuuity just the same.
nXI7HAT would YOU have given HIM
w year," Tinker was asked.
II think Mr.. Weeghman would have
tod him to insert his own figures IN
the contract" answered Tinker.
Yes, but in dollars and cents what
would YOU have given him. il was
persisted
Wei. think Mr.. Weeghm ~
would have given him between $25, 900
and 100000 year. answered Joe.
Soon after came report that while
Cobb had been in consultation WIN
Frank Navin and and had practlcaiIN
agreed upon terms that he had no.
signed Detroit contract You re-
member the telegram that President
Weeghman sent him. II called Tor
$4,000 a year and was to run for nv"
years.
Of Cobb.
THE next fabulous sum offered was
10 Joe jackson. just a snort ilihe
ago came n message from GreenNllie,
: e.. the home Of the Nap slugEer.
II was To the effect that Jackson had
been offered S65, 600 for three Yeas.
That's almost SO Q0a year. Which
shows " hat the Federals thought %
Jackson.
Nov. when the Federals we're in
session in Chicago on that memorable
day when the league was advertised
10 blow" and when President Weegh-
man demanded "A show down, one q
the managers met Heine zimmerman.
what are the Cubs paying you
aueried the MANAGER
y don't see hat l. is any OF yo II
business. was Heinc's retort
We'll we Will give YOU $1,000 q
year and let YOU sit Oh the bench II
the courts hold that we can't PLAY
YOU, was the comeback
Nov. don't get the wrong impress
~ sion Don't for moment sup
pose that we are trying to tell You
that jackson is a moro valuable man
than Cobb or that Johnson is worth
more than either.
Ball players and the fans entertain
no such opinion The majority Of the
PLAYERS have an idea that Cobb STANDS
alone among ielders, battera base
runners, and that he is worth two
Jacksons. They win tell YOU that II
Is a toss-up when ii comes to rank
ing Cobb and Johnson. BY watching
the crowd YOU VIII get the lUlPT'SSlu'
that II IS also q toss-up between the
Two So far as their drawing power IS
concerned.
There's USUALLY a fair crowd az
every league game in which Cobb par
,icipates II is also true that there
49, a big crowd at every game IN which
Johnson is advertised to pitch. Its
almost impossible 20 estimate 'ho
valuo TO the PLAYING strength OF
team Of man like Cobb He wins
many contest during the wear But
then. Il is also mighty difficult to tis-
ure what a fellow like Johnson Is
worth. and especially what he would
he worth 10 a team fighting for
ppppapf