The sun., 1919-03-30
COMISKEY FAVORS
LONGER SCHEDULES
Says Ball Clubs Do Not Save
Money by Reducing Num-
Der Of Games.
ALSO LONGER CONTRACTS

CHICAGO, Ill, March 2s.-Although
originally opposed to shortening the 1919
major league schedule and an advocate
Of \ return to the longer chart next year.
President Comiskey of the White Sox re-
fused to Join the recent movement by the
minority element to obtain a revision OF
the schedules for the coming season.
II argued last fall against cutting tho
season to 40 games" he said" because
I could see no chance to save anything
by II, but the other fellows won out.
Once adopted. II In tough proposition to
change the schedule. Not because Il
can't be done on paper. but as soon as
things were shaped up in January every
body started making plans for training
trips and exhibition games along those
lines.
"Some clubs already have booked ex-
hibItion games on open dates during the
| season. To have changed the schedule
in March would have caused a lot OF
trouble and confusion, but II was my
position that the season should never
have been shortened.
what Goods q yacntfonf
They told us long season advo-
Gates we could save three weeks on our
players contracts. but they don't know
the players as well as do. The only
! poss Bile saving on a 140 game schedule
IL a few days hotel bills on the road and
! the cost of ticket sellers. gatekeepers and
| ushers for fourteen games. Transporta-
tion expense Is not reduced at all. be-
cause We have the same three trips 10
make to each city. and the players SIM
| ply will not accept three weeks cut in
! their salaries.
zone of my players objected to signing
! q contract for the same salary as last
year ella ming he was entitled to a raise
! I pointed out to him that he was getting
! the same money for three weeks less
! work, but that made no noise with him.
He wanted more money just the same,
and asked me what good the three weeks
extra vacation would do him.
! Ball players figure their salaries by
the year and not by the week or
month. know, because I have been
one OF them or have dealt with them
for more than thirty years and the only
| thing they look at in a contract Is the
place where the total salary IN written.
| Consequently any attempt to reduce
| the same coin II the season was re-
duced to two months. Only n club
which has n lot OF young players Just
! coming up and anxious to make good
can save anything on q short season
To Cover Training Trips.
Il am in favor of frightening the
players contract instead of shortening
II. Many years ago the National League
tried out n twelve months contract for
! its players, but did not continue il.
There are difficulties in the way of
such an arrangement. but I believe
the contracts should be long enough
to cover the training trips. That would
frrr ta not ~ No Tf,tt,n haHn
az have said. the PLAYER reckons his
pay by the year and II does not matter
| to him whether he gets 1t in seven
months or only four
That would stop all the protests
we hear from a certain class of play
ers against training trips because sal
aries do not start until the season opens
The wiser men, OF course, realize the
necessity Of these trips and the fact they
get their money just the same in the end
but not all players arc wise men. TIL,
seven months contract would put an enc
to reporting late for the training triI
because It would mean loss OF salary
II also would stop all grumbling n
spring exhibition games because tn,
players would be under salary from tn,
time the trip began.
Money for the Recruits Prompt.
I'VE would not hear OF players hold
ing out until near the start o.
the championship season, because tina
would mean the loss of salary during
the training trip"
But" we interposed. wouldn't tina
increase the pay roll lot because al
the rockies on trial would be under sal
airy on the training trips?"
That" replied the master OF tn,
White Sox would be one of the bes
features OF the thing. II would reall,
cut down the cost of training trips. w,
would all have TO be more conservativ,
In picking out recruits and then tryin,
them out. Instead of having n flock o
players on the spring trip. necessitatin,
playing two squads In exhibition game.
= 10 come anywhere near breaking even
We would all have to weed out our re
cruits In advance of the training trip
and carry only the most likely mel
SOUTH