The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-11

AVERAGE PRICE A
MOGUL ASKS FOR
PLAYER is $500
All Is Not Harmony in the
National as Result of
Groh Deal
by GEORGE CHADWICK
Special Correspondent of The Age-He raid
Copyright. 1921, by The Age-HeraId)

/
aching voids in the major leagues
which can only be relieved from the
pangs of pain by ball players and
more ball players. In view of that
fact, it is probable discussions and ne
sotiations which were begun at the
meetings of the minor leagues in Buff
falo this week, viii be resumed here
F., next week at the individual and joint
meetings of the American and Ma
tional league clubs. The cry that went
UP from Buffalo for players ana
more players Is still ringing through
the empyrean or whatever atmosphere
1t is that surrounds baseball.
Average Price
1t is well to note that the average
price asked for ball players at Buff
falo was about $500. One scout who
attended that meeting said he had
| been offered an Extremely promising
youngster" for $4,000. Il did not take
him. he added. Il became so suspi-
cious of the low price that l investi-
gated and found the player was going
on 80 years old and had been tried
twice before and also that player
we used to have played ball in the
same league and outplayed the pros
pect I'm David Harumed, l said,
and ran before that trader had a
chance to catch me doing"
Possibly the present day fan does
not realize what it means to have
players offered for $4,000 each, for
his memory may not go back to the
time when $500 for a players re-
lease looked to club owners like 10
per cent of the seasons profits and
$50 or 500 secured the transfer OF
many good player.
Not SO Cheap
II desirable players are worth on
the average $500, which Is a con-
seryative figure, and there are 70
ball players needed to help out major
league teams. it becomes evident that
the insignificant sum OF $337, 500
might be needed to make everybody
happy before another season begins.
That sum will not ali be spent for
two reasons. There are not enough
good players to go around and there
is not enough cash available for such
an outlay. The figures cited merely
60 to show the Importance attached
to a good player by the man who
thinks he has one and by the man
who wants one. 1t is not the game
| 1t was when dad wrote scathing let
tiers to the newspapers because the
admission price had been jumped from
rs to SO cents.
A Radical Departure
That is a radical departure IN base
ball. There have been delayed steals
and delayed throws and delayed pay
days in baseball, but there has never
been such a thing as a delayed re-
| no have
been engaged by major league clubs
and released on optional agreements
as they are called, lat a future deliv-
| cry price of SIS, 900 is something new.
| Baseball men of To-Day expressed a
| good deal of doubt as to the wisdom
of this new element of speculation In
| the national game. Tine mead of one
of the largest leagues in the United
States said he wondered il this was
/ not carrying sport beyond the limit
of good ethics.
| There are some things to be con-
sidered from the standpoint OF t"e
players, the public and the game in
general Are we really establishing a
sound sport when we advance beyond
the present and invade the future by
making cash investments in human
flesh which is scattered all over the
United States? That is commercializ-
ing sport with a vengeance"
Big Deal
The sale of two ball players by the
! Portland club of the Pacific CoaS'
league for immediate transfer to De-
troit for a sum reported to be Saw
900. is on a line with baseball trans
fers as they have been made In the
past That was a whooping price as
things have gone In the past anc
combined with the New York-S san
Francisco deal. will continue to con-
vince the Coast league magnates that
] it is better not to draft than to draft
All is not harmony in the National
league as a result of the transfer OF
| Heinie Groh to the New York club
There is less tendency to criticise New
York than to blame Cincinnati. Feed
| ing leading players to the champion
shin team of the National league IL
rot conducive to Keen competition, nc
matter how much Cincinnati may
think it will benefit by the trade, &C
cording to other owners.
Teams which thought they had
chance to win from New York SEE
that chance fading as they draw as
sjstance from a club of their own or
ganization.
NJ H. Sexton, president of the minor
league organization, admitted toda.
he was surprised at the turn thins'
had taken in baseball along financia
lines. II wonder how long II VII
last" he said. only a little while as'
club owners were almost without re
sources for the furtherance of TN
sport. 1t is question whether TIM
is substantial Improvement o.
whether we are living in boom times
! such as come to a town where OIL MAJ
recently been struck in the neares