East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-08-25
TEN CENT BASEBALL
MAY SOON Be SEEN
BY LOVERS OF GAME
OF PAYING BIG PRICES
TO WATCH IlEAGUERS.
BY GEoRGE R. HOLMES.

| BY GEORGE II. hOLMES.
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, Aug 25.-organized
baseball has its eye glued to the knot
hole. The knothole Is about the size
OF dime and in the Federals fence.
o. B. Is nightly interested in know
ing how many ten-cent baseball fans
there are in these United States.
Ever since Jim Gilmore kicked his
entire collection of hats into the ring
o. BIS checkers have been working
diligently in the various Federal
yards. Why should o. B. be so
nightly interested? 1t hasn't been
very many months ago since Ban
Johnson was tuning up his basso for
the Feds funeral dirge.
The reason is apparent-O. B. has
come to the realization that some
thing is the matter with baseball and
there are enough good business
heads in o. BIS ranks to want to find
out what it is So its going to see II
Or. Gilmore has properly diagnosed
the case. Dr. Gilmore's diagnosis be-
paying big prices to see games.
That, however, raises a question in
the minds of lot of baseball men as
to what the Johnson-Tener combine
will do if it ultimately finds that the
Feds are right. With big salaries
high running expenses, high cost of
equipment and various other high de-
partments the business end of base
ball, can o. B. exhibit its wares to
the fans at dime a throw? A care
full canvass of opinions outside the
ranks of either of the warning fac
tions reveals few who think it can.
That is, unless something is out
either the players salaries or the
magnates' divvy There are a lot of
baseball clubs losing money this year
/ with the twobits minimum.
Close to one thousand fans would
have to crowd into the Detroit park
every day-at 10 cents a head--to
! pay Tyrus Cobb's salary for that day.
because Tyrus gets paid at the rate
of nearly one hundred dollars per
diem. And Sam Crawford, Robby
Veach, Jean Dubue, George Dauss
Ownie Bush and a dozen other play
ers are getting good salaries.
On the same basis, 100000 fans
would have to pass through the turn
stiles at the Polo Grounds m a sea-
son to pay the yearly salary of John
McGraw. Mr.. McGraw is popularity
supposed to be drawing down $50 900
| for his labors with the Giants. And
Christy Mathewson, Larry Doyle,
/ Fred Merkle and Hans Lobert are not
I working for their health.
The Feds have practically the same
payroll taking all the players into
consideration. Cy Falkenberg is
pulling $75OO yearly Bennie Kauff
is getting about the same, Joe Tink-
er gets a lot more than either Of
them, and so do Hal Chase, Leo Ma
gee and a score of other big men in
the third league outfit.
The Feds haven't made any money
this year Jim Gilmore says they
don't expect to-that the Federal
League hackers don't care to as they
are in baseball for sport. Mr.. Gil
more, undoubtedly, is trying to kid
I himself
It has been suggested by 0. B. ad-
herents that the Feds 10-cent ante is
the dying gurgle Of the third circuit
that it is the last frenzied sputter to
get out with their skins whole. This
gets a laugh from the other side OF
the fence.
The real reason Isn't apparent to
those on the outside