The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-15
kAUFF TELLS
 INSIDE STORY
 OF HIS CAREER


 (F'rom the May Baseball Magazine'')
 Tn the May Baseball Magazine Ben nie Kauff gives his own story of his ho1d-out with the New York Giants.
 When the Federal went out of existence,'' Kauff says1 stthe Giants again made a strong effort to get me- I went to the office with John, ,McGraw and talked things over with MT. Hem stead. agreed to sign a contract with the Giants at the terms they offered, which were satisfactory to me. And again I fulfilled my part Of the con- tract in fixing my signature to g con- tract for which they had agreed to pay me $5,000-
 s.I told them that wanted to have a chance to see MT. Sinclair, to see if I could not get a part of the purchase money. This was not an uncommon arrangement among ball. players. Frank Baker wanted ten thousand dol lars of the purchase price from Connie Mack before he would sign with the Yankees. Sinclair received for me, so understand, $35,000. The amount may have been overestimated, but it was a fortune, at any rate. It seemed to me no more than fair that should get a part Of this huge purchase price. had my mind set on $5,0O0 as a req sonabIe figure.
 .'No doubt I will be criticized as a rnoney-grabber, but, believe me, a ball player has only few chances to grab lany money. No one criticized John Evers when he got $25.ooO as a bonus for going with the Braves. Why should have been criticized for my demands, considering the great amount of money that Sinclair was getting for me? He is a man many times a millionaire. He had more | I711a fv1 ar <,fR I1A~ ,,A doubt, than I will ever have.
 l TT knew enough to know that with the passing of the Federal League the days of the big money were largely over and that I probably would never get another chance to get such a bonus.
 tThe New York owners agreed not to have any dealing with MT. Sinclair for two or three days until I could have a chance to see him and try to get my share of the purchase money from him. But I hadn't been out of the office fifteen minutes when the af- fair was all settled with Sinclair Naturally couldn't get any money out of him then.
 'sI am sorry there has been any trouble. I think the newspaper men in New York are inclined to burlesque "a fellow a little more than is neces- sary. I have always tried to treat everybody fair, and while there is probably no i'll feeling on their part ! toward me, appreciate the fact that l they have made me appeal like 3 swell-headed gink who was altogether too big for his shoes. Now, perha ps I did talk too much at times and per l haps I do give "a wrong impression But to my way of thinking I am no swe11-headed. I don't aim to be. am confident, very confident, and wouldn't give much for a ball player who wasn't, am confident and az Il grassixe on the diamond because i consider that I ought to be in order to be good player. And that let. me out,"
 KauH SayE Cobb is Best.
 f'Faese claims that would beat ou Try Cobls arc bunk, have been quoted as saying so good many times. Bu I am willing to admit that Ty Cobb i, the greatest player on the diamond b1 8. long shot Even if I was as goot as he is he would beat me out, for ht has had more experience than I have so these fake claims are ridiculous
 have said and I still say that won admit to myself that any ball playea