El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-15
H9ME9JN BAKER ISN'T PLAYING;
GIVES HIS REASON FOR Lif1FF
Baker Says He Notified Connie Mack Before Signing
Contract for Three Years, that He Intended to Quit
at the End of One Year; Denies that Money
Consideration Figur ed in His Decision.

-HE retirement OF ''Home-run''
Baker was the big event Of recent
\ diamond history. In the May issue
of the Baseball Magazine the great
ElLEger tells in his own words the
reasons which led him to forsake a
pennant winning club for the farm.
Baker says;
7 hope Mack can get ten men as
good as am, or better. to fill the place.
I wish him all the luck in the world.
Mack has always treated me fairly,
but I owe him no debt have treat
ed him as fairly as he has treated me
1T was reported in the press that
Mack made the statement that ne
had to come down 10 Irappe every
year to sign me, and that the last time
he told me IL was TOO much trouble to
go TO that effort every season, and he
would like TO avoid il by signing me
for three years. I don't believe Mack
made this statement The only time he
ever came TO Trappe in his life was
when he came TO sign me for three
years. And he came then because he
was afraid the Federal league might
be after me and he wanted to fore
stall their efforts. There is no mystery
about that. I guess, to anyone
Preferred One Year Contract
7 had always signed contract Tor
one year at a time This seemed the
fafrest way TO me. Then, If had a
better season than I expected, I would
be in a position to ask for more money,
while If I did not. I would never be
adverse TO accepting cut That
statement will not be believed. but
II is true. I would not willingly make
more money than I thought 1 was
worth II / was a dub player and by
good fortune or luck had been aDle 70
sign up for $4,000 year j Woulqn Z
have the face to take my salary If
knew IL was all out of reason ana more
than I was worth
This time Mack, however, wanted
me TO sign for three years He told
me his reasons tried TO argue win
him and told him that he needn't De
afraid Of nv leaving him in the lurch
and jumping to the Federal league.
had no intention Of going TO the Feder-
al league. and in any case would
ALWAYS be willing TO work for him for
less money than I would work any
where else. That was what told him
then and 7 still say IT, I would work
for the Athletics cheaper than /
would work for anyone else
He Finally Signed
7 told him didn't want TO sign Tor
more than a year That I couldn
foresee what the conditions would be
al that time As long as conditions
were the same as when 7 signed II
might be possible to arrange things
But these conditions might change
And If they did, as was not uniikely,
they would change the nature OF the
contract
ssEFaclz pressed me. howeved. TO sign.
7 am easy going. I guess At any rate,
I iidn't refuse him 7 signed the con-
tract But 7 told him when I did so
that t would quit the game at the end
Of the year I had that right If
was dissatisfied 7 had no right 70 90
back On my contract and demand
new agreement If the conditions were
unsatisfactory But I did have the
right TO Quit if wanted to. especially
as I reserved that at any time and told
Mack it was my intention TO do so
Later in the summer there was a
good deal Of trouble over the ten-day
clause. The Federal league was max
ing capital out Of this clause and the
owners were signing the players all
over again TO other contracts with the
clause omitted. Mack was doing the
same thing He had trouble with Col
Inns and McInnes and some Of the rest
in getting them to agree to the change
And he had to pay them more money
for tEeir consent to the new arrange
ment. I knew the trouble he was hav-
ing with some Of his players, and felt
-ather sorry for him 1t is an exasper-
ating thing TO be a manager The play
er has only one man TO deal with, but
the manager has IS or more. And it is
a hard job to keep them all satisfied
Told Him to Go Ahead.
Il knew this, so when he came to me
and asked me to have my contract re-
written 1 told him TO do whatever he
wanted TO do with il. I dislike TO men
ton this fact. would prefer that Mack
should do ii. I mention il at all mere
" to show that in my dealings with
him I was never trying to hold him
up or take him at a disadvantage.
After the season closed told Mack
that I did not intend to play this sea
disappointment I don't think how
ever that anyone in recent years has