Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-28
JACKSON GIVEN !
AWAY TO BALK /
FEDS" TINKER
Chifed Manager Declare,
Cleveland Club Is Il
Financial Straits
MANY JUMPS PREDICTEn
Failure to Pay Salaries Civ.
as Cause of Pending Dis.
ruption of Club
MANY JUMPS PREDIcTE0.

That the American League is IN
way financially has been the nrs..,.-.
opinion of baseball men througho,,. 4.
country. and 1t has been known for no..
time that the Cleveland Club could be,,s'
hope to finish the season without ala 49,.
the other owners. But IL accusatior. ~
Joe Tinker, manager of the Chicaeo ~
erals, are true. the league is in ~.
worse shape than is generally belevea
Tinker declares that Joe jackson -.
of the greatest outfelders in the v.,..
was given to the Chicago team ana y,
sold for an enormous sum, as reno,,.,
At the time the sale was made T,rs,.
was negotiating for Jackson's signatu,.
to a long-term Federal League contrso.
and he says that the deal was tnaa, !,
save the slugging outhelder from a.
Federal League.
A Philadelphian who returned ,.s
night from the Grand American Tran.
shooting Handicap in Chicago and who's.
veracity can scarcely be doubted A.
clares that he met Weeghman. Tinks,
and Jackson in Chicago, and the insIa.
story of the entire case, which has been
more or less of a mystery to the bas..
ball fans. was clearly explained
BEHIND WITH SALARIES.
It was generally understood that Jack.
son had an "ironclad" contract which
could not be broken and the fans through.
. out the country were amused at Thinkers
efforts to sign him; but the Chifed man
ager declares that the Cleveland Club
broke the contract by failing to pay ia
players for seven weeks and that jackson
was therefore free agent at the tims
he was transferred to Chicago
Unless Ban Johnson's hurried trim 10
Cleveland has Strengthened out the flnan-
cial difficulties of the Cleveland Club. All
of its players are still unpaid and are
therefore free agents in the eyes OF the
law.
1t has been known for some time that
Owner Charles Somers, of Cleveland was
in financial difficulties, but it was thought
that the other American League ownen
would come to the aid of Somers who
virtually supported the entire American
League in 1901, as Ward has been doing
for the Federals.
Manager Tinker's version of the Jack.
son case explains many things that here
tofore have puzzled the baseball fans
who could not understand why the In
dians, who were in need of good men.
should almost give away one of the great
est players in the game. According to
Tinker, Somers begged Comiskey to take
Jackson for nothing If he would help the
Cleveland Club in its straits.
JACKSON ALMOST PERsUADED.
81 received a wire from a player Of the
Cleveland team telling me that he was
open to do business with the Federal
League, because he and almost every
other member of the Cleveland team were
free agents, because the Club had vio-
lated it's contract" said Tinker las soon
as l received the wire 1 boarded train
for Cleveland to sign Jackson.
'T met jackson and he virtually 40.
cepted my terms, and was to have left
Cleveland with me the night that he was
transferred to the White Sox. foolishly
took a chance and watched the Cleveland
game from the bleachers, and somebody
spotted me and told Somers had made
all arrangements to meet jackson al
the railroad station in a small town out
side Cleveland, although Jackson's wife
objected to leaving Cleveland.
81 was at the railroad station and
waited two hours for Jackson to appear,
but when he failed l began to get sus-
'picious and went back to Cleveland,
where / heard the whole story OF the
transfer OF Jackson to Chicago.
This Is how 1t came about: Somers
called up Comiskey on the long-distance
telephone and told him that we were GER
tain to have Jackson by nightfall unless
some one helped him out. After a long
argument Somers told Comiskey he could
have jackson If he would pay him what
was coming to him and give him new
contract calling for an increase in sal
airy.
"Comiskey naturally jumped at the
chance and told Somers he would sena
him a couple of players. Somers then
got to jackson just in time and talked
him into going to Chicago on promises o.
a new contract and chance to play u
a worlds series IL the Sox should brace
when he Joined the team. Somers paintea
fine picture for Joe. Jackson was soon
won over.
CoMEsKEY GETS ON JOB.
81 offered jackson a salary that would
amount TO far more than he will gel a.
Chicago, even II he should play in worlas
series for the next three years. SeverA
other Cleveland players are anxious -
come with us, and / think few OF the1
will be taken within the next 10 days.
Although Somers made the American
League possible. there is not sings
magnate who will go to his aid. and ar
fairs in Johnson's league are In by IA
worse shape than any one imagines' ~
have received letters from many Amer.
can Leaguers who know that they canne'
get new contracts calling for large asF
aries because the clubs have not "
money, and you can bet We will haN'
many OF them when their contracts e.
piro this fall"
Owner Weeghman told the Phllaasr
phian just about the same version Of y.
Jackson case, while the outfielder himse2
is said to have made a break" whlep
corroborates the story.
Yesterday President Johnson yisl'e.
Cleveland with James McGill. owner O
the Denver Club, OF the Western Leasus
and the Indianapolis Club. Of the Amer
can Association, and the rumor was eL
culated that the Cleveland franchise ne'
To be sold. Johnson denies this repot.L.
however. II the club is not sold y =
likely that McGill will advance money y
somers to enable the club to pay its play
Amaa N.m4.m n - A..