Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-06
FRENzIED FINANCE AGAIN
Base Ball Magnates Too Careless
with Coin in Anticipation of
Boom in the Game.
BIG PRICES FOR ATHELETEs

NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-If some OF the
base ball magnates and fight promoters
don't curb themselves they will run into
bankruptcy proceedings. The magnates
having squelched the Federal league.
seem to have an idea that the national
game is due for such great boom IL
Is safe to spend record breaking sums
for overrated players. The fight pro-
moters. I'm their wild desire to work the
sporting public to the limit are throwing
business judgment to the winds They
are offering guarantees and purses which
are sure to result in heavy losses.
During the late rumpus with the Fed
eral league the magnates on both sides
of the fence were forced to pay exorbi-
tant salaries to many OF their players.
Bali clubs, which once were considered
gold mines. finished with such large
deficits that their owners either sold out
or will be ready to quit II the coming
season proves disastrous for them. Yet.
In spite OF the top-mavy salary lists and
the financial obligations which have been
incurred. the mRgnates are doing nothing
to reduce the exaggerated values of play
ers and franchises.
Since the warning leagues made peace
In December, three major league clubs
have changed ownership. The Cubs. sold
by James A. Hart for $4,000 to Charles
p. Taft and c. W. Murphy a dozen years
ago. have been turned over to Charles
Weeghman and his friends for $780, 900.
The Boston Braves. purchased by James
r. Gaffney four years ago for SiSS. 900
recently were sold to Percy Haughton
and others for s460. 200. Phil Bali and part
ners also paid $4,000 for the ST. Louis
Browns. a club that was organized by
Robert Lee Hedges nearly fifteen years
ago with 5000 bank roll.
Here is some Jump.
| Although the late Andrew Freedman
bought 81 per cent OF the GiantE stock
in 1895 for $500, II. N Hampstead re
Gently offered TO sell g. per cent OF the
stock TO the Gaffney-Davis-sincls com.
bination for $4,000. Colonel Rupert
and Captain Huston, who secured tbs
Yankees year ago for $4,000. named
\ 10000 es the price OF their holdings wher
Sinclair asked for the figures last month
Sinclair secured an option on the st
Louis Cardinals the other day. but he 1,
not expected TO close the deal. inssmucf
as the Brittons now demand nearly
O.0oo for the franchise. without the bal
park.
on top OF this comes the news that c
| W. Somers probably will remain in con,
/ troll OF the Cleveland club because nobod,
will fork over EJ6O.0O. The American
] league. therefore. must finance somerl
with $4,000 20 tide his club over unit
1917. or course. the Clevelsnds are moi
worth $4,000. when II is figured that th'
Cubs have been sold for 10000. In fact
conservative base ball men insist that th'
sums paid for the Cubs. Braves and
Browns we're Tidieulously high and thai
the new owners win soon realize that
frenzied finance peryades the natlona
pastime.
II joan McGraw had been asked to pa,
10000 for Kauff. Rariden and Fred An
derson under conditions that existed II
1912 he would have ridiculed the PROPOSE
tion. Yet the Giants that year mad'
$4,000. But with the Giants finishing II