Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-18
RCURKE WILL PAY
FARE FOR PLAYERS
Omaha Magnate Will Send
Transportation Cost from
Home to Omaha.
is BIG ISSUE OF STRIKE

II all minor league magnates fol-
lowed the policy Of Pa Rourke, owner
of the Omaha Base Ball club, Davy
Fultz' threatened strike would last
about as long as Antwerp when the
kaiser started his parade through Bel
GUM.
The paramount issue, which
brought on all the war talk, concerns
payment of transportation of the ath-
lete from his winter home to the city
where he has signed to play ball dur
ing the warm season. The National
Association of Minor Leagues at its
fall meeting at New Orleans decided
to trim expenses by refusing to pay
these transportation costs. 1t was
this decision which prompted Fultz
TO sever all diplomatic relations with
the minors and call general strike,
including one OF sympathetic nature
by the big show entertainers. The
players have couple Of other griev-
ances, but they were merely advanced
for good measure, the transportation
issue being the pre-eminent squawk.
WDtI1 L d NOui NC StHuo out iiis SoH-
tracts this week he will make his usual
agreement to pay each athletes trans
portation from his home town to
Omaha. Rourke has always paid these
transportation charges, believes the
player is entitled to them and says
he will always do so, no matter what
the decision OF his fellow magnates in
misery. ."..
Is Considerable Sum.
This item OF transportation cuts
considerable ice in the operating ex-
pense of ball club. Omaha, of course,
is centrally located and a couple Of
thousand miles is the longest jour
ney one Of Pas hirelings can make
But it costs quite chunk of money
for Pa Rourke to bring Harry
Krause, for instance, to Omaha from
San Francisco. 1t will cost Pa at least
$1,000, perhaps $500, transportation
costs this spring and Pa is fortunate
in that Marty O'Toole, Cecil Thomp-
son, Cy Forsythe, Harold Irelan and
a couple Of others are living in Omaha
this year. Pas generosity is just like
eutting off $l,500 Of his own prof
its-providing, of course, there are
any prohts--because he doesn't have
to pay these costs unless he wants to.
II have always paid transportation
for the boys" said Rourke. II al
ways received mine when / was a
player and I really believe the player
is entitled to it. |, for one, intend to
pay it."
Slap For Friend Wife.
The Omaha magnate, however,
will stop his generosity with the
player. Heretofore many athletes
travelling in double harness have
sought transportation for themselves
and their wives and their requests
were always granted. But Rourkc
has decided friend wife is not part
OF the ball club and will not cough
up expense money for her in the
future.
How the other Western league
owners regard this transportation is.
sue is not known. Some Of them
probably will follow Rourke's ex.
ample and pay these expenses as in
the past, while one or two or per.
haps more OF the others will take ad-
vantage OF the new association ruling
and save this snug sum of change.
Rourke will send his contracts oui
this week. He is just thirty days be-
hind his usual program. Club owners
are given until March ! to dispatch
their contracts, but Rourke has al
ways sent his out about the middle
of. January. Conditions have beer
such this year, however, that the
Omaha mognl delayed sending ou
the precious parchments an entirs
month.
No Trouble Expected.
No difficulties with the athletes an
anticipated by Rourke. Only coupl,
of the veterans will have to submit
to cuts over last years stipend ant
if they refuse to accept their term.
Pa will not worry greatly, as theil
shoes will not be hard to fill Witt
the exception of Currie, Brottem ane
Pratt, all of the new men arc coming
to Omaha from leagues OF lowel
classification, have not been eligibl,
to membership m the Players fra
ternity and the salaries they viii re
ceive in the Western league will O
course, be larger than they received
on their former jobs.
Currie, Brottcm and Pratt have al
been sounded out and arc expected
to sign. Rourke wrote Currie lette,
and the pitchers only objection m
volved transportation. Rourke repiiet
by stating he always paid transporta
ton and would, Of course. do so fo
Currie. Brottem and Pratt also sig
nifed satisfaction over their transfe
to Omaha.
So fans do not expect Rourke h
have any financial squabbles with hi
athletes. A couple OF the vets ma,
roar and threaten, but it is expecte,
they will eventually fall into line and
# they don't, nobody will be greatt
concerned over it as there will prob
ably be lot OF talent loose abou
April |.
Frank Baker Becomes