The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-21
GILMORE HAS QUIT
Former Fed President Out of
Baseball for Good.
Sunny Jim Tells Inside History
of Dead League.
BY FRANK G. MENKE-


New York, Aug. 21.-'Sunny Jim"
Gilmore is out of baseball for all
time. thank you"-but he still loves
the game.
The man who was baseball's most
conspicuous figure during the stirring
days of 1914 and 1915, now leads a
placid life as a partner in the firm of
Coyle & Gilmore, wholesalers in fine
writing paper.
"A routine life never made d big
appeal to me, but I must confess that
like this business a bit better than
trying to make the folks believe they
needed a third major league" COM
mented the one-time prexy of the
Feds. 81 like battling and 1 like ac-
ton, but, whew! that dose of it I
got during my two years in baseball
certainly cured me slightly of my de-
sire for both
Il never thought it was possible for
man to hop around as much as I
did during 1914"
How far was it ?" we asked.
'Fifty-five thousand miles-not in
Guiding distance covered afoot and on
street cars or in autos from January
1 to December 81, 1914" was the
rather startling answer.
Feds Loss $5OO.OOO."
How much actually was lost in the
Federal league venture? was our
next question.
The net loss did not go much be-
yond 100000" came Gilmore's sur
prising reply. Those who have been
making wild estimates of our losses
forget two or three important things
in our favor. In the first place, we
didn't pay a dollar for any of our
players. When the league broke up
those players were sold at sums rang
ing from $2,0G0 up to $4,000. Uhich
income helped to wipe out part Of the
first deficit.
Furthermore, the national commits
sion made settlements in one way or
another in favor of sour club owners.
That helped further to lessen the net
loss. For instance: Pittsburg suffered
a gross loss of about $150.000 or so.
But IL was awarded a settlement of
about $4,000 and got something like
S35. 900 from the sale CT its player,
equipment, etc.
THE Brooklyn, club of course. was
-he heaviest gross loser. That was
due to the fact that the Wards tied up
about $3.50, 900 or a bit more in their
plant. But the national commission
awarded them 100000 settlement
wasn't anything very tremendous.
Weeghman Ultimate Winner.
THE Chicago club lost money, yet,
profited- Charlie Weeghman and his
crowd probably tied up 100000 in
the Federal league. this including
park, stands, etc. When peace came
they purchased the Cubs for S45O,0o0.
That made their total baseball invest
ment $950,000. Before the Feds be-
gan operating the Cub owners wanted
about $1,250,000 for their property
Our war made them content to take
$4,000. Therefore, the present Cub
owners, for an investment of $950,000
have secured a club once valued at
$1,25O.000 and, in addition, they have
new plant which wasn't figured in
the original price asked for the Cubs
in the days before the Feds came.
Phil Ball lost some money operat-
Fed magnate Phil ultimately realized
What he lost as Fed he probably will
be able to make up in two or three
years as a Brownie owner. The Balti-
more club actually made $4,000 during
the 1914 season. It lost $4,000 dur
ing 1915. That made a net loss of
$41 900. Baltimore had probably $75,-
900 tied up in stands. etc., but it got
back part of that So Baltimore's dead
loss probably wasn't much more than
200. according to my reckoning.
Buffalo and Kansas City lost dur
ing both years, yet neither had much
involved in the way of stands, equip
ment, etc. Their overhead expense
wasn't great. When peace came they
didn't lose much by the scrapping of
their ball parks. Harry Sinclair made
money as a Federal Lacquer. through
the sale of players after peace came"