Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-06-05
MONEY PROBLEM
IN WESTERN LEAGUE
Tip 0'Neill Says Players Must Ac-
cept Cut in Salaries or Teams
Will Suspend.
DENVER PLAYERS RESISTING


of the Western league must submit
TO another general reduction of
salaries or operations will be sus-
pended for the rest of the season II
the permission OF the National AS
sociation of Minor leagues can be
gained, according to statement by
Norris l.. (Tip) o'Neill, president
of the league last night.
oNeill has put the question up to the
players, he said.
Cut in Salaries Inevitable.
! Conditions have arisen this spring
which make It inevitable that players in
our league suffer cuts in their salaries"
he said.
81 have written each manager or cap
tain In the circuit asking him TO explain
matters to the players, and II there vs. a
general disposition on the part of the
men to take a cut-one that will enable
| us to continue Oh IN even working basis
without further 4 .&vy financial loss to
the club owners. the league will continue
to play out it's schedule of games.
| 'Jf there are any players who refuse
to abide by this necessary procedure, ]
will have them turned over to clubs OF
lower classification.
Owing TO cold and rainy weather, the
league now has In the neighborhood Of
forty postponed games. ana the race
didn't start until April %. Sioux City, st.
Joseph and Lincoln have met lot of
bad luck as the result of this continued
I inclement weather and number of Inn
portant Sunday contests were prevented.
We have only one alternative and that
is to cut the salaries to such point that
the clubs can be operated on the gate
receipts
II must have answers from each man
ager or captain in the league not later
than next Tuesday. IL the players rebel,
the Western league will suspend until
1885,
Bears Decline Percentage.
DENVER, Colo. June 4-(Special Tele-
grbni)-The Western league is on the
J verge OF disbandment because OF poor
attendance. according to all reports from
4 base ball sources here last night. Tip
ONeill. president of tho league, has
asked all players in the league to finish
the. season on a percentage basis, ac-
cording to Manager Jack coffey of the
Denver team. and intimated unless the
players accept the proposition their sal
aries viii be arbitrarily cut by the mag
mates Coffey gays the Bears declined
the percentage offer.
A record number of postponed games 1,
believed to be mainly responsible for the
situation. The league magnates arr
scheduled TO meet at Omaha June IT Il
devise plans for economlzing. but tn,
situation will probably require an earlier
meeting.
1t is further stated that the genera
latitude Of the players is unfavorable t.
1.-THE plan outlined. 1t is an almost as
sGred fact that the magnates will re-
fuse to continue the league under tn,
present system.
Action without Warning.
THE Denver base ball club is in re
eeipt OF a letter from President o'NeiI
asking us to consider a percentage prop
csition instead OF a salary basis m tn
future" said Manager coffey tonight
Il have talked the matter over with m,
players and none OF them are favorabl
10 accepting the proposition. What tn
percentage is I cannot say at this time
THE news came like lightning ont O
clear sky although had known sine
the first week of the season that tn
Western league was in for tough sleddin
this year. but had no idea the situation
is as critical as II is, until yesterday
Then received letter from James c
McGill, owner of our club. In which h
save some idea Of what was impending
Asked to give a reason or the reason
aside from the bad weather for the fall
ing off in base ball attendance. Manage
Coftey said;
THE feud between the Federal leagu,
invaders and the Organized base bal
forces is directly responsible for IN,
) change IN sentiment toward base ball
! In my opinion There has been entirel!
too much eommercialism in the sport
Players have been exploited too mucl
and the public has become Disguised witt
us. The feeling has spread TO such al
; extent that It will take three or fou
i years for the game 20 become rehabili
: tated"