Evening journal., 1915-08-25
ORGANIZED BALL HAS
EYE ON Dime SCHEME
Feds Plan for Double Jit-
ney" Admission Worry
ing Big Combine
GILMORE SAYS PLAY
is FOR SPORT ONLY
BY GEORGE R. HOLMES,

United Press STAFF Correspondent.
NEW YORK, Aug. 25.-Organized
baseball has its eye glued to the
knothole. The knothole is about the
size of a dime and in the Federal's
fence. o. B. is nightly interested in
knowing 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? II hasn't been
very many moons ago since Ban
johnson was tuning up his basso for
the Feds funeral dirge.
The reason is apparent-O. r. 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 it's going TO
see II DR.. Gilmore has properly dag
nosed the case. DR.. Gilmore's dag
nosis being that the dear old public
is tired of paying big prices to see
games.
That, however, raises a question in
the minds of a lot of baseball men
as to what the Johnson-Tener COM
bine viii do If it ultimately finds
that the Feds are right. With high
salaries, high running expenses, high
cost of equipment and various other
high departments the business-end of
baseball, can o. B. exhibit its wares
to the fans at a dime a throw? A
careful canvas Of opinions outside
the ranks of either of the warning
factions reveals few who think il
can. That is, unless something is
cut-either the players salaries or
the magnates' divvy There are a
lot of baseball clubs losing money
this year with the twof fbits mimic
mum.
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, Bobby
Veach, Jean Dubuc, George Dauss
Ownie Bush and 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 in a sea-
son to pay the yearly salary Of John
McGraw. Mr.. McGraw is popularity
supposed to be drawing down $780, ,00o
for his labors with the Giants. And
Christy Mathewson. Larry Doyle
Fred Merkle and Hans Lobert are
not working for their health.
The Feds have practically the same
pay roll, taking all the players into
consideration. Cy Falkenberg is pull
ing $500 yearly, Bennie Kauff is
getting about the same, Joe Tinker
gets lot more than either OF them
and so do Hal Chase, Leo Magee and
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
himself.
] II has been suggested by o. B. ad-
I herents that the Feds '10-cent ante
is the dying gurgle of the third cir
cuit-that IL is the last frenzied sput-
| ter to get out with their skins whole
This gets a Taught from the other
side Of the fence.
The real reason isn't apparent to
those on the outside.