The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-01-20
Ball Players. To Get
Big Reductions Now
That Peace Has Come

New York, Jan. I2O-Bal1 players,
prepare to get yoursi The club own
ers have had to swallow q. bitter, pill
for two years, and now it is the1rkturn
to administer what they had to take
and a little more. War in that time
was, and now predictions are that
they are planning to make the high
sa1aried athletes come down to where
they want them
Immediately after the Federal
League came on the scene the monthly
stipend the players jumped. some of
them sky high. Club owners held
their heads and lost many a nights
sleep, but were game senough to take
it-and goI along as best they could
Now they Will ascertain whether the
men who caused them SO much worry
via have the Courage to stand for
what was handed them as soon as the
war broke.
It can be predicted right now that
there will be a lot of wrangIfng as
pire. Some of this wrangling will take
place before the season of 1916 rolls
around, for there are many players.
and stars, too, whose contracts end
this year. These men are in for a
{ humping. The trend Of the magnates
is to make the men suffer who forced
them to swallow hard and often.
iris Speaker of the Boston Red Sox
is one of the most prominent ball
players in the game. and the Anerf-
can League who will feel the effects of
the peace agreement He virtually
held up President Lannin for an enor-
NOUS contract last year. He was
sought by the Federal League and
used that as wedge to get a big
stipend from the Red Sox owner. {,
Considerable negotiating was done
before Speaker came to terms, and
a
the document were $4,000. Now it
is a certainty Lannfn viii not renew
+ that agreement, for he said before the
worlds series last season that his sal
airy list must come down, as he paid
most of his profits to his players. He
said the worlds series was a life
saver for him.
Frank Baker. who quit the Athletics
and then refused to accept an offer
from the Federal League, is in for a
strfmmi1g.'H according to inside in
formation. Baker, it is said, made
ed down the offer of Harry Sinclair tic
sign for $4,000 for the season OF
1915. Sfnclair&did not want him tc
play, but desired to hold him for
1915. when he could go back TO third
without q fight in the courts. Now II
is thought he will be forced to retire
from the game permanently.
Baker, when" he deserted the ranks
of the Athletics. was getting a salary
of $4,000, and it is thought now, il
he pleads to be taken back that this
viii be reduced possibly $1,000.
Walter johnson. the star American
League twir1er. is due to have his fun
rnbbed the wrong way when his con
tract with the Washington team ex-
pires. He was signed with the Fed
eraI League and had accepted $4,000
of the League money. Then he was
persuaded to return to the Washing
ton team. He sent back the check
to the Federal League people an6
later signed with the Senators at {
salary of $4,000. Now that the wal
IS over, he will not be paid any suct
exorbitant sum if he desires to re-
main. within the ranks OF organized
baseball.
There are a great many of the
players who jumped to the Fedora
League, who will have to stand for {
leut in their salaries. Those with Ions
contracts are in the ''soft seat unit
they expire and then the money of
fered- them will not be anything like
a was when the war was on. Salaries
will go back to where they were be
ASSre and probably lower, Tt is tn,
lseneme of the rnagnates to retrfev'
what they lost