Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-03-03
H0LD0UT ANTICS OF
PLAYERS EXCITE IRE,
Scribe Says That Their Greed May Bc
Lest BIow, Public Has Its
Thumbs Down.

pmnloyors un against the wall on the
Halary proposition at the start OF
season In which baseball faces tho
most disturbing sort OF conditions II
has met In all It's history--at une
when some conservative maEnates
even have considered tho possibility
Of having 10 close their gates, IL IN
n situation that makes q sane man
see red.
The time has arrived when tho
players are no longer entitled TO the
publlc's sympathy. They have ne
come unreasonable and are charged
with gross Indifference to the welfare
Of the national paHtlme. They can
not see that their employers must
curtall expenses II they expect TO live
through the coming season. The
players greed has injured baseball
In former years, but this latest com
blned stickup conspiracy II tho limit
Here we are IN doubt whether the
public will patronixe baseball with
the old llberallty and enthusiasm.
The war tax, which has caused rise
In the admission tariff may affect
the attendance figures. Thousands OF
young fans have gone into the army
and cannot visit the ball parks. 9th
er thouAands are waiting for news
from France, hoping that no harm
will come 20 their dear ones. Home
of the hig league teams have been
partly wrecked by the loss OF drafted
stars, while others are fearful that
they viii be deprived OF valuable men
before midsummer arrivea
The maEnatea OF the majors. how
ever, are gamely going ahead with
another season, They are trylng
hard to avoid financial Losses. The
srelksa ara ~urLinH nvQftlfnN To
maintain popular interest In tho
great sport Yet in spite of impend-
ing conditions these players refrain
from signing contracts until their
salary demands are sranted.
Trying TO Wreck Own Game.
Instead Of attempting TO preserve
the game that has yielded much easy
money. these players are reuklessiy
trying 20 tear the old structure down.
They care nothing for their employ.
ers or the fans who make baseball
salaries possible. They are wiling
to burden the magnates with impos-
shile tpayroils, even at the risk or
killing the GOOSE that lays the goldsn
egg. Since 1914 the players have
besn taking all the cream, Not more
than SIX major league clubs have
made money In the last four years
and baseball Ia In greater danger now
than ever before.
when you read that First Baseman
Konetchy OF tho Braves for In
stance repudiates an offer Of t4,soo
for the season. feeling OF nausea
creeps over you, Then you are told
that Hornsby wants $4,000, that
Hsrrog won't play unless he gets
$4,000 and that Alexander refuses
TO toin the Cubs until he has drawn
n $4,000 bonus In addition 10 hin
$4,000 salary, Tom. Dick and
last year, say they'll not play FOR the
figures named In their new con-
tracts And 40 n goes all the way
: down tho line. with the public hear-
THY disGusted and ready TO turn
away 70 some other form OF outdoor
sport.
The demands of the strikers once
Yrore prove that the average player
Nas no sentiment or civic pride. lie
b hungry for coin, and 10 he doesn't
gst Il he snllSs, surely this IL ? fine
state Of affairs with the war threat
enins business OF nil kinds and the
ms-nates spprehensivs OF what
may happen between April and oe-
tober.
"luying" cobb for yankees.
KILLER HusEins has been In the
west for more than week and the
boy reporters have been writing all
sorts OF villa stories about his plans
.asnaihie parsons who knew base
ball were stunned last week when
they read In several metropolitan pa
pers that Hug had gone TO Detroit
20 buy Tyrus Raymond Cobb. Any
one with half brain would know
that the Detroit club couldn't sell
Cobb at any price. But the yarn
received wide publicity and Cobb's
mug adorned the sporting pages un-
al Colonel Rupert and Frank Ma
win both declared that the whole
thing was a cold -biooded fake,
Then Cobb Was side-trscked for
bobby veach. In his excltement
one Of the drsamers wrote that Hux
was after Tommy Leach Of the
Tigers" which, OF course. occasioned
much mcrriment.
when the veach yarn had been
exploded, Hug was pictured As try
Ing 20 wrest Joe Jackson from the
owner Of the White sox; Another
raw fake which simply amazed
level headed baseball readersi M
AZ a matter OF fact, Huggirfs IL
looking for couple OF new out
fislders that can hit the ball harder
than the Yankecs' gardeners now
on the clubs roster. Hug would
like 20 obtain Tilly walker from
the Red sox or perhaps Memo Lei
bold from the white Sox. but the
little manager never has opened his
mouth 10 any one regarding Cobb.
Veach or jackson. He hasn't lost
his senses yet. In splits OF the crazy
stuff that he has been compelled 20
read In some OF the New York
sheets.
McGraw Back This Week.
John McGraw ls expected TO ar
rive home from Cuba this week II
seems that Robertson, Burns, sallee,
Psrritt. schupp. Fletcher and a
couple more OF the Giants have
spurned President Hempstead's Of
fers. As understand II none Of
them has been cut down. In view
OF the fact that barring accidents
the Giskts ought 20 get into another
worlds series In october, these re
caicItrant young men should be sat
isfied 20 let we'll enough alone.
Mc0raw always IL fair In his
treatment of the Giants. ffp has th'
authority 20 name their salaries and
usually he hits the nail on the head
=. A~tteras that his h1idOuta art