Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-26
KAUFF MAKES BAD GAMBLE
II He Fails to Make Good His Spring
Boasts, Benny Will Be Target
Of Every Fan.
GETS SIX THOUSAND SALARY
ny PRANK q. MENKE.


NEW YORK. March 2S.-Benny Kaufrs
position in base ball at this time Is one
that excltos no envy. he must make good
with a whoop in Giant uniform or he'll
be the most scoffed-at player in the his
tory OF the pastime.
Kauff has boasted 30 often and so flu
entity about his prowess that even q good
showing in 1915 viii not save him from
paintings" He has led tho folks TO be-
lieve that he's the greatest player that
ever hoofed onto diamond-and he must
deliver.
II Kauff hits far beyond 300. runs bases
| a la Cobb and fields with the best In
the game he will be forgiven for his
egotlnu. But should he fail: should he
nit under 800 and be stopped in most OF
his pilfering attempts should he make
| errors now and then. he'll become the
target for the cat-calls and hoots and
hisses OF the bleachers and the grand
stands.
Kauff. by hts self-sunE praise. has gam
bled with unpopularlty-a desperate
Gemhle.
ISauhf Gets $4,000 only.
The idea that Kauff is one Of the
highest priced men In the game Is err
roneous There are at least thirty other
players IN tho majors who are drawing
more money than the shrinking Violet"
Kauff was the real star OF the defunot
Federal circuit. yet his contract called
for only $4,000 a year. There were at
least fifteen players In the league that
wero drawing salaries far In excess OF
Saufrs.
And 5000 per year IL what tho Gisnts
arc going TO pay shrinking Violet dur
ing 1916 and 1917 No matter IL he hits
for million, no won't get any more than
$1,000. His contract Is OF an ironiclad
nature.
, Bonus TotaIed $500.
Kauff's full demands as TO bonuses
were not granted. He asked 5000 from
the Giant owners and an additional t50Oo
from Harry Sinclair. who sold him TO
the New York club for SS5.Ooo He didn't
get sou from Sinclair and only $500
from the Giant owners, according to tho
man who engineered the ''holdup."
OF the $500 bonus that the Giants
passed over Kauff only got a tritlo more
! than s., 800 The rest was divided among
lawyers and others who had assisted
Kauff In his demands OF ''bonus or no
play"
Adding Kaufrs bonus to his salary, it
! means that his total income from ball
! playing in 1915 and 1917 will be SiS.5oo or
! S,lb0 per season.
. Other mtg Salaries.
; Ty Cobb's salary Is reported TO be In
the neighborhood OF $4,000. The aged
4 Honus Wagner win get 10000 this sea
: SON. Lajole's contract calls for some
thing like 5000. Joe Tinker gets siGoOo
Johnny Evers $4,000 and Ed Konetohy
with the Pittfeds last year viii set
$500 from the 1915 and 1917 Braves,
shrinking Violet wants everyone e
know he's far better gardener thar
iris Speaker ever hoped TO be, yet
7 Speaker will get a salary far beyond
that OF KRufFA The star OF the Red sos
has been offered sem. and the chances
e are that he will accept. despite the fac
4 that he's baking at the cut from SIC. 50
Of last year and the season before.
I. Eddie Collins Il reported TO be draw
4. ing $1,000 Joe Jackson gets $500. Roge
l. PeekinpauEh. the Yankee shortstop. jus
z an ordinary player. has a contract call
n ing for tI.oO0 Lee Magee. who CAV
Al Kauff such thrilling battle for all
around honors in the lOl5 Federal circuit
r. Is drawing ts.2oo.
y WhatnI benny DO If
walter Johnson, tho senatorial spec
"A king" Is getting between tl2.ooO and SIS,
600. The exact amount is shrouded 1
-. mystery, Mathewson's contract calls 10
$1,000. while that OF Grover Alexande
:. contains figure around $4,000. Jak
Daubert the first base star Of th
Dodgers. Is worth $500 TO Charles Et
bets-Rnd Jake Is getting H.
Charlie Herzog's salary as player an
n manager totals $1,000 Heinie zimmel
man also u high-priced person. Ther
W are others whose salaries are create
sr than that 10 be paid Kauff.
ID Wonder what shrinking Violet" wi
.. do should he really hit up 20 his Federl
~ league form throughout 1915 and dii
10 cover. al about the same time. that theI
u are huge gobs OF base ballers who Al
* dipping much deeper than him into n
oxcheaner Of the magnatess