Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-08-26
Watching Success Of
Ten Cent Admission
To Federal Ball Games
By George R. Holmes.

tumted Press starr correspondent
New York, Aug. 2G.--Organized base
ball has it's eyes glued to the knothole.
The knothole is about the size Of a
dime ard in the Federals 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.
b. 3 clockers have been working dill
gently in the various Federal yards.
Why should 0. B. be 80 nightly inter.
estedf II hasn't been very many moons
ago that Ban johnson was tuning up
his basso for the Feds funeral dirge.
The reason is apparent--O. b. has
come to the realization that something
is the matter with baseball, and there
are enough good business beads in 0.
81 ranks to want to find out what
IT IL. SO it's going to see il Mr.. Gil.
more has properly diagnosed the case.
Dr. Gilmore 8 diagnosis being the dear
old public is tired Of paying big prices
TO see games.
That, however, raises question in
the minds Of n lot OF baseball men as to
what the Johnson-Tenner combine will
do If it ultimately finds that the Feds
are right. With high salaries, high run
ming expenses, high cost Of equipment
and various other high departments the
business end of baseball, can O. B. OK.
bibit its wares to the fans at a dime
thrOw2 A careful canvas Of opinions
outside the ranks of either Of the war
ring factions reveals few who think II
can. That is, unless something is cut
either the players sunries or the mag
mates divyy There are a lot Of base.
ball clubs losing money this year with |
the twobit minimum
Close TO one thousand fans would |
have TO crowd into the Detroit park |
every day-at ten cents hend---to pay
Tyrus Cobb 3 salary for that day, be.
cause 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
4 dozen other players arc getting good
salaries.
On the same basis, 100000 fans would !
have TO pass through the turnstiles at
the Polo Grounds in season to pay the |
yearly salary Of John MeGr0w. Mr.. I
McGraw is popularly supposed to be
drawing down 100000 for his lnbors
with the Giants. And Christy Mathew
son, Larry Doyle, Fred Merkle and /
Hans Lohert are not working for their
health,
The Feds have practically the same
payroll, taking all the players into con
alteration, Cy Falkenberg IL pulling
1880 yearly, Bcnn1e Kauff is getting
about the same Joe Tinker gets LOT |
more than either OF them, aud so do
Hal Chase, Leo Magee and score Of |
other big men in the third league out
fit.
The Feds haven y made any money
this year. Jim Gilmore says they don I |
expect to--thot the Federal league
hackers dom care to az they are in .
baseball for sport. Mr. Gilmore, un.
douhtodly Is trying 10 kid himself.
II has been supposed by o, q. adhcr. |
ents that the Feds l0.ccnt ante Is the
dying gurglc OF the third circuit--that
It is the last ireuaicd sputtcr TO &c,
out with their skins whole. This gets
II laugh from the other side Of the
fence.
The real reason isn't apparent to
those on the outside