Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-06
THE SEASON IS YOUNG YET

No one could ever accuse the Mackmen,
back at their best, of any frenzled enthu-
slasm or racy dash. They were in the
main body of serious minded. clean
living young fellows, who behaved them
selves. let umplres alone, started no
trouble of any sort, played baseball-and
let 1t go at that.
But while bereft of all enthusiasm there
was II certain earnestness in their play,
which, plus their power and smash, made
them almost unbeatable.
But in those days-from 1910 to l9l5-
the Mackmen were playing for two sti-
pends-their salaries and the annual world
series check
The Mackman getting $4,000 could figure
on at least $500 for the years work.
They all figured this way for five years
Last September we asked Jack Coombs
how long the Athletics expected to keep
on winning penannts AT least two more
seasons" he replied. Most of the stars
Collins. Baker, McInnis, Barry. Eddie
Murphy. Schang-are still well under SO
They haven't started to slip. Who Is
there to stop them?"
THEN THE SHOCK ARRIVED.
Frank Baker signed three-year con-
tract at something like $500 year. hgur-
ing on that extra $25OO or $4,000 world
series bonus. Many others signed up in
the same belief Then came the shock
and the end of all world series dreams
Collins was sold, while Bender, Plank
and Coombs were practically cut adrift
That is exactly why Frank Baker isn't
playing ball. He figures that he will be
working for $1,000 less money than he has
worked for before-$3000 less than he ex-
pected his contract to call for.
And to our mind that is exactly why
the Mackmen are now down so far in
the race. Those who had signed UP, and
most of them had. figure their salaries
have been cut by $500 or $1,000.
They knew at the seasons start with
Collins, Baker, Bender and Plank miss
ing, the world series collection was over
They might finish second or third or
fourth-but there is no individual $4,000
for those who play on club that winds
up IN second place.
THE VANISHED PEP
So vanished ambition in the Mackian
camp, This is not TO charge that Macks
players are deliberately quitting or loaf
ing. But 1t is not a widespread human
attribute for the average citizen TO figure
that his pay check has been cut almost
half in two-and then for him to go out
and hustle just as bithely as he did
before.
1t is seldom done in any line-baseball
not excepted.
The MaclSmen are not what they used
to be. But a club that has such people as
Schang, McInnis, Barry, Eddie Murphy,
Strunk, Oldrng, LaJoie, etc., hardly be-
longs in last place. The main answer Is
In the loss of that extra money they have
been collecting or expecting to collect for
the last five years. They collected four
years out OF the fve-but for 1915 the door
to the mint was slammed in their dis
couraged faces. When Eddie Collins left
the Mackmen lost their inspiration-that
golden apple was no longer hung for them
| In the gardens of October
II. l.. Csc far as We have known the
Yankees have never outdrawn the Giants
in New York on any complete season.
THE DIFFERENCE
''If oldtime ball clubs. and even clubs
OF recent date. could get along on from
Is to Is men, why can't McGrsw?" quer-
les l.. F. ].
| There is this difference: In other years
| IL club started to slip the manager
could enforce the ten-day release clause,
weed out the fading players and start
/ building up. There was none then signed
TO two and three-year nonrelease con-
tracts. There was no Federal League TO
enforce any such system.
For 1915, before the 2l-player limit was
passed, MeGraw had II veterans signed
| to nOnrelease contracts. When these be-
gan to slip he couldn't let them gO-he