New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-14

JOE TINKER.
such = factor In the two previous races
again asserted itself and we once more
were the machine that We mad Deeh
during l906-'O7
The fact that we came through ana
won the championship and the WORLDS
series made Chance, as happy as q
youngster who had just succeeded IN
Spinching" some apples from a forbid
den orchard. He never thought about
his contract until he met q prominent
American League player who later pc
came a manager In the course OF a
conversation Chance mentioned his
salary and the player expressed great
surprise. He told Chance that he
(Chsnce) was getting less for manag-
ing q championship team that Joe Can
tilfon was getting for managing q tan
end organization in the American
League.
Chance Ready to Quit.
Chance refused to believe this until
he was shown the proof and then ne
went through the roof. He left ior
his home In California In hun. he
was determined not to report the roi-
lowing year. He had made up his
mind to drop out of baseball, and
might have done so If II had not been
for Harvey Woodruff, Chicago sport
ing editor, who made the trip to Cail-
fornia to persuade Chance to talk 10
Murphy over the wire.
As result an agreement WAS
reached between Chance and Murphy
rviu contract
the same period-four years-at an in
creased salary, but can truthfully
saw that the same friendly relations
which had existed between Chance and
Murphy were never resumed. At the
time Il was reported that Murphy re-
marked that he "would get even with
Chance" and he did. l will explain
this later on.
During the winter the same condition
arose between Murphy and Johnny
King, who, while he had contract
with the Chicago club, demanded that
he be given more money. Murphy re-
fused, and. as is we'll known, Killing re-
fused to report to the Chicago club
during the season Of 1909.
Both Chance and Murphy were very
bitter toward King for his failure to
report. No doubt Chance would have
been willing to give King what he
wanted. for he knew that by Kings
refusing to report he was weakening
the Cub machine. Chance was then
set upon winning four straight pen
nants.
This difference was supposed to have
been patched up when King rejo lined
the club in the spring of 1910 and we
again won the championship, but there
was still that feeling of snimosity tow
ard King. am sure.
believe that II was TO humiliate
King as much as possible that he was
traded to the Boston Nationals TO-.
gether with Kaiser. an outfielder, and
Weaver and Griffin. pitchers, for
peaches" Graham. the catcher; Cliff
Curtis, the right-handed pitcher, and
Collins and Goode. the outfielders, in
manager Of the Boston club. and for
years II had been an habitual tall
ender.
In the spring Of 1909 I had failed to
report, but I had received written per-
mission to remain at q camp near my
home In Troy. At that time my health
was none TOO good, and was given
this permission that I might recuper-
ate.
Vacation Cut Short.
My vacation was cut short, however,
for Chance sent me an urgent appeal to
join the club Immediately. did so,
and, by tho way, I still possess that
appeal from Chance. King, of course,
was not with the club, and il was after
reported that ! realized how bitter
the feeling toward King was. Murphy
was very vindictive, and Chance,
through his close association with
Murphy, appeared to have become the
same way They were "agin any one
for all time who happened to tread on
their corns."
All OF these things had the effect of
breaking up the unity Of purpose that
had hitherto helped the Cubs so much
in their actual playing. The players
became antagonistic toward the admin
istration simply because the admins
trstion vas antsgonistic toward them.
Players seem TO be more sensitive than
ordinary employees. II they can work
tremendously with their employers they
can play just that much better on the
ball field. Business unpleasantness in
terfercs with their work. II seems
that players must be surrounded by
congeniality in order to do their best
work.
To bring out further what I mean
by this II is necessary for me TO skip
back 0 bit, to 1908. II was while we
were in Philadelphia, In the autumn
Of that year, when we took the two
games from the Phillies while the
Giants were losing q couple, or rather