The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-10
HOME RUN BAKER DENIES
 TRYING TO HOLD MACK UP

CT has twenty-five or more. And 1t Is hard Job to keep them all satis- fed.
 $ TT knew this. so when he came to
 me and asked me to have my con tract rewritten told him to do what ever nc wsanted to do with it. made no attempt to hold him up in any way. I dislike to mention this fact. would prefer that Mack should do it mention it at all merely to show that in my dealings with sflim was never trying to hold him up or take him at g disadvan- tage.
 After the season closed told Mack that ddd not intend to play this sea son The worlds series was "a great sdisappointment- don't think, how ever. that anyone in recent years had ever seen the Athletics play a worse game than they did during the ssxiea while, although I can't speak with so much certainty on that point, I doubt s1f the Braves ever played a better sgame than they put up in the four big contests. We had been In g. slump For two months and every man played below form But that, of cours9s is q part of baseball. After the season was over, however, and Plank and Bender went. it put a big cIfEnp in our pennant prospects Ed die Collins going hurt the club in speed and perhaps in batting, though Lajoie is liable to have 8 great year StfH Lajoie fssa veteran or many sea- sons and Collins is fn his prime, AS place, though no doubt La5o4e will fill it as nearly as anyone could All tozd however, the conditions which existed year ago are much chang ed. Then the Athlet1cs were as sslra pepnant winner as a club Is ever sure in baseban. and the worlds series
 money was within the reach of every one of the players on that club. Now, while. of course, the Athletics may
 win the pennant, they have fallen from practically a sure thing 60 a Ilremote chance. Personally, I be- neve the Red Sox have the best show for the lag
 T wrote Mack a letter this spring Itching him that I would not play this year It was merely in line width
 what I had told him before on sew era1 occasions and what had told I him wkeni I signed. Perhaps it may not be the best way of doing bS1Si- ness, but it is my way at any rate. ] have no right under contract to ash
 hizan for any more money. Further more, have no intention of asking ! him or anybody else for more money 1 Mack wrote me a letter some time agC I and asked me if the money Quest1or was what was botheriIg me, and if il
 was what I wanted to be satisfied. 1 didn't even answer the letter. If ht wants me to play he knows where l am If he doesn't it suits rrle-A am very weH contented on the farm T have a, good farm, over 200 acres
 well stocked and well cultivated.
 can earn a good liVdng here in Trappe
 the town where was born.l iikS
 to play baseball. like nothing better I but I don't like to travel on the cir
 cult in the summer. wo11dn' s mind a years rest in the least d am twenty mine today and have I few years left
 T am not crfticdsing Collins fol getting the $15, 900 he is repprted t.
 be getting. am not crzticisi1g La I jole for getting the s9s00e he is re Il ported to be getting. wish base ball could afford to pay every playe that much money. I wish them al the luck in the world But I hav 5 to look oiltsfor my own interests also and if am not satisned have fright to drop out and earn a livin -s in some other way. That's clea [ enough, n guess. Thersfs no nays lstery about that