The Washington times., 1917-01-27
SPEAKER WILL NOT
/. STRIKE THIS YEAR
Wires Belief in Fraternity, But
Won't Jeopafdize That
Wartime Salary.
By JOE villa.

NEW 1Ohh, Jan. [fs-Our1nB
meeting of striking baseball players
here Thursday night the Following
telegram from the famous Mr.. Iris
Speaker, who filed II In Boston, was
read:
81 am sorry I cannot be with you
tonight. Have TO have treatment for
my nose I am with the boys. ! feel
sure we will win"
union. He also IL under contract to
play center field for the Cleveland
American League team this year at
salary. Of $4,000. He already has no
titled President Dunn. OF the Clevs-
land club, that he will report to Man
aged Fohl at the spring training
camp on March 1, prepared TO play
baseball as well as he knows how.
=, VIII De In Uniform.
4 am with the boys. I feel sure we
will win," wires the big batsman. But
he will be In q Cleveland uniform
when the American League psnnant
race begins on April IL. ready tn col
lect the big money which he will re-
ceive whether he sustains injuries on
the ball field or not.
Speaker doubtless is in sympathy
with the union, but he viii not refuse
to play the part OF a strikebreaker.
There's an excellent reason, too.
II he should go on strike with the
other misguided members of the
union, he would break his ironcIad con-
tract with the Cleveland club In
that event he would lose the chance
to draw $4,000 from President Dunn
for the next two campaigns,
Didn't Attend Meeting.
Last week the strikers who reside
in>or near Boston held a meeting for
the purpose of counting noses.
Speaker was in the Hub at the time,
but for some unknown reason he
failed to appear at the confab. His
absence occ4sioned some iII-feeling,
1t Is said, but he squared himself in
Thursday nights Telegram.
Speaker might have worded his
message in this way:
Don't give In boys, go without
your salaries as long as possible,
L
my money just the same"
Speakers sympathy for the union
Is trifie surprising. He received
In salary and world series spoiIs,
while a member of the Red Sox IN
1914 and 1915, nearly $4,000. He
drew $4,000 more from the Cleve-
land Club last year and will take
down twice that sum before his
present contract expires. Yet Speak
er says that he Is in favor of a move
ment that, IL successful, would wreck
baseball.
Knows the Unfalrness.
There isn't a doubt that Speaker
realizes the unfairness of the play
ers' attitude toward their major
league employers But the fact that
he will obtain every dollar that IL
coming to him from the Cleveland
Club this year and next possibly. Is
one of the reasons why he Is eager
to present a feeling OF hostility
among the other members of the
union VINO must bear the brunt OF
the struggle with the magnates at
lthe risk of losing their positions.
It's comparatively easy 20 send q
telegram of sympathy 10 a bunch OF
baseball strikers when there's q
$4,000 salary to be collected for six
months of play on the diamond.
Three Were Ruined.
Henry W. Lucas, Chris Won der
Abe and John B. Day were financial
ly ruined by ball players who had
been literally treated by them.
Lucas. a st. Louis man, helped 90
organize the union association. which
made the first attempt. to wreck or
ganiZed baseball in 1884. He backed
half a dozen clubs in the iTl-fated
circuit, paying eXorbitant salaries and
Lucas finally became the owner Of
the st. Louis National League club
in which he lost the balance OF his
fortune. He was forced into bank
ruptcy and several years latter ne
committed suicide.
Won Four Titles.
Won Der Abe owned the st. Louis
Browns when. under Comiskey's
management, they won four Ameri-
can Association pennants. in 1885.
1886, 1887 and 1888. When the
Brotherhood was organized Won der
Abe lost practically his entire team.
He struggled along for some time
as the owner of the National
League club In the Mound-City. but
finally surrendered the fanchise-
When he died he was practically pen-
niless and Comiskey buried him.
Day owned the Worlds Champion
Giants in 1889. All but three of his
players deserted him to go with the
Brotherhood the following year.
They admitted that Day had treated
them handsomely. Day soon lost
control OF the Giants and dropped oUs
of THE game. At the National League
meeting last month the magnatss
voted to pay $1,000 q year to Day.
who was Ill and without funds.
Lucas, Won der Ahe and Day were
big hearted, liberal employers. but
their players had no mercy for them.
NO BOUT FOR DARCY.