Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-02-11
Judgments

nj N'hhtJ ohA mail PloliI-
~ nently identified with the
American Federation OF La
Dor, with contradictory stories of how
the base ball players may become
affiliated with the labor federation.
The labor man is reported to have
said the athletes must join the White
Rats, popular name for the vaude-
vile actors union, in order to get into
the federation. Fultz says the ath-
letes will retain their indemnity as a
separate organization. And argu-
ments are now flying thick and fast
Whereupon we enter the argument
from another angle. Our guess is the
players won't get in at all, with or
without the White Rats. One only
needs to glance over the list of play
ers who have signed up to see the
logic of this side of the argument.
The Chicago White Sox have signed
twenty-five men, including all the
stars; the St. Louis Browns have
signed twenty; Detroit has over a
dozen under contract, including T.
Cobb; Cleveland has dozen, includ-
ing T. Speaker; Washington has a
dozen, including w. Johnson; Con-
ME Mack is only having trouble with
two or three men; the Cubs have
signed fifteen players, and so it goes
down the line. And where magnates
are wrestling with hoidouts the hold
outs say nary a word about the play
crs' fraternity in almost every case
and are. merely squawking for more
money. Very few minor league mag
mates have sent out contracts. When
they do the minors will be signing up
just as usual, especially the young fell
lows who are just getting start, and
almost every minor club in the conn
try has lined up several of these
young fellows. And when the time
comes we have bunch there won't
be enough players loyal to the fra
ternity for Fultz to continue his eff
forts to obtain affiliation with the la
Dor federation.
Mr.. Darcy has been on Uncle Sans
soil for over two months now. And
during those two months he's been
running Jess Willard great race for
the inactivity record. And still again
we foresee where Les and Jess are
going to keep up their little foot race
for some little time. For the New
York boxing law, which permits of
ten-round bouts, is staggering about
on pretty wobbly legs. The recent
death Of a boxer following his first
bout and complaints made against the
chairman of the boxing commission
have made the governor and the leg
islature disguised with the law and
prospects that it will be repealed are
excellent. This would make it tough
on Willard and Darcy, who are play
ing the watchful waiting game, delay
ing activities until some trusting pro-
moter hangs up a purse Of many thou
sands of dollars. New York City is
the only town where such a large
purse could be hung UP, other cities
Of the United States refusing to fall
as hard as Gotham. And if the game
is given the K. O. by the Legislature
and governor Jess and Les have a
long wait before them before they
will be able to collect anything like
the huge sums they seek
About the best definition OF an anna
teur that has yet been advanced is
that IAN amateur is one who isn't
found out" Another concrete exam
pie of the proof of this come from the
StI Louis Cardinals. The Cards pur-
chased young hurler from the Han
nibal club. His name was Turkey
Thomas. St Louis officials were per-
picked one day when a contract was
received from one William D. Bo-
man. They had no such player on
their list. Inquiry divulged the infor-
nation that Boman was Thomas and
that he had assumed the latter name
at Hannibal so he could continue to
retain his amateur standing at the
University of Alabama As he gradu-
ates this spring he concluded he might
as we'll use his real name. Verify, the
true amateur is the true deceiver.
Much abuse is being showcred upon
the head of Grover Cleveland Alex
ander because he is demanding $751;
900. Perhaps it's justified, but per.
haps it isn't. Grover remained loyal
during the Fed war, when he could
have made lot of money by jump
ing. His reward for the loyalty wasn't
anything to brag about. And if Cobb
is worth $4,000 a year to Detroit
Alex should be worth that to the
Phillies. We don't say Alex is worth
$4,000 a year or that we would pay
him that sum If we owned the Phils,
but comparative to some of the sal
aries paid some of the ball players
and taking into account his loyalty
during the Fed fracas when others
were disloyal, he's worth it if any
body is.
Frank Navin, owner OF the Detroit
club. apparently has his dander up,
Navin has flat-footedly refused to
raise a salary as a result of the strike
order on the grounds that he will moi
stand to be dubbed into advancing
the stipends Of his athletes. He says
Veach and Witt, who are holding out
can strike if they want to and ven
lures the prediction that base ball will
survive despite their loss. In fact
Navin is so peevish he even says he
believes base ball could get along
without Ty Cobb. 1t looks like more
trouble for Davy.