The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-31
PLAYERS
WILL FALL IN LINE
John McGraW Says Strike Will
Be Dead Issue When
April I Arrives.
By JOE villa.

NEW YORK. Jan. 31.-"If the big
league managers should make a tour
among their players just now and
agree to salary demands there would
be a signing of contracts all along
the line" said John ]. McGraw, lead
er of the Giants, today.
The so-called strike in my opin-
ion, doesn't amount to much. 1t Is
just a question of dollars and cents.
The players have no real grievances
against their employers in the big
leagues. Naturally they want as
much money as possible and 1t looks
as II they had formed some kind OF
an agreement to hold out as long as
there is a chance to get II.
But just as soon as the players
realize that the club owners will not
meet their salary demands, they will
fall into line.
Can Name Ten Men.
al can name ten National League
players who have signed contracts
within the last ten days. but they
have asked their employers to keep
them under cover. When the proper
time comes the publication of the
names Of men who have signed in
spite OF the strike order will be a
disagreeable shock to the leaders of
this movement. When several dozen
names are announced together nobody
in particular can be charged with
disloyalty to the union.
Players have q comparatively short
time to earn money for their services
on the field. From what l know of
the profession, cannot make myself
believe that sensible players will 80
without pay simply because they can
not force their employers to aceede
to their demands.
Salaries Are High.
Salaries are extremely high, even
after some of them have been reduced.
When I played ball with the Balti-
more oroioles back in 1894, Ned Han =
Ion, our manager. never paid more
than 81. 500 to a member of the team.
think that Wilbert Robinson. the
catcher and iaptain of the Orioles,
resolved $4,000. but he stood alone
My salary was 81 800. while Jen-
nings. Kelley, Reitz, Brodie, Keller.
and the others got about the same
The salary list was not more than
$4,000. and Hanlon carried about fif-
teen men,
what wouId They Thinkf
what would the players of today
think IL they received such pay? The
big league clubs have salary lists four
times greater than that of the Orioles
Of more than twenty years ago, yet
L shall always maintain that Han
Ions team was one Of the strongest
taht ever won a National League
championship. OF course, the base
ball business has grown wonderfully
since the old days, but the expenses
of the club owners have been tremen-
dously increased, too.
Three Or -Four Out.
Three or four OF the Giants have
not yet signed, but they will not re-
main idle. They want more money.
and they frankly admit 1t, but they
have not expressed sympathy for the
strike movement
"The New York club Is not in a
hurry to sign these players, for the
reason that we know they viii not in
jure their prospects. It is possible
that a few players will refuse to sign
with other clubs until after the sea
son begins. but if the number exceeds
more than TWO on each team Will pc
very much surprised.
ION April 1, in my opinion, the
strike will be a dead issue"
May Bring Changes.
The attitude of the Players Union
may result in some big changes in
organized baseball It will not /be
surprising IL the major leagues sever
all relations with the minors Con-
tracts will be respected, but the Ma
tional Commission will refuse to con-
slider appeals from the small circuits.
Meanwhile, it is limited that the
National Association of Minor
Leagues may be dissolved. with the
result that each MINOR circuit will
paddle its own canoe. II the national
board of arbitration is abolished the
minor league players will have no
way to obtain redress. They will
have to deal directly with their en-
ployers.
Before the minors were banded to-
zether under the rules of the Ma
tionaI Association their players suf-
Tered many hardships. The national
board was formed for the purpose of
hearing the grievances OF minor
league players who, under the pro-
visions Of the agreement with the
major leagues, were able to appeal
10 the national commission: In this
way the minor leaguers received a
square deal, but they do not seem
10 appreciate the fact.
II the majors cut away entirely
'ro mthe minors and the latter de-
tide to abandon the cooperative plan
which has been in vogue for many
years, the players union alone will
De to blame. The magnates are ex-
Dected to make an important an
1ouncement along these lines in the
near future.