Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-25
WORLD SERIES DATE
FROM 1904 OFFICIAL
LEAGUE AGREEMENT
Players Made Money Deal and
Winners Reneged; Early
Receipts Not Large.
BY GEORGE CHADWICK
Special spondent of Tho Tribune

Copyright 1921 by the Tribune.
New York, Sept. 24.-When the ad-
visory commission, which is the modern
name of the national commission. sane
toned another world series in Chicago
the past week, they put their approval
| on the Seventeenth playing Of the event.
Enormously, the designation world
series" has been applied to competi-
tons which took place prior to 1905.
It is true that the term world series,
was free to general use, but there was
nothing officially official about such
series.
The team representing Galenaville
could have asserted that it was world
which headed the major leagues. There
were contests between teams which
had won championships in the major
leagues. but there was nothing to the
contests that had the sanction of the
organizations which they represented.
Series Put Under Rules
When John T. Brush drew up the
world series rules in 1904, he put a
live wire into them by making the
games subject to agreements which
were quite as strong as those which
bind together the major leagues. Hence
world series had standing n the
community. because it was placed IN
der laws and regulations and with a
forfeit Of $4,000 posted in the strong
box.
The first world series was in 1905
and was between the Giants and the
Athletics 1t will be always. famous in
world series annals, because it was the
first and because not run was scored
BY the Athletics against Mathewson
and nearly every game in the series
was whitewash. The Athletics won
once against MeGinnity.
The club owners, who had to spon-
sor that world series, were not quite
sure whether it would be go or
not. Even to the last day before the
game was played, John T. Brush in
sisted he would be just as willing e
the Giants were not to play in It.
Brush Feared Money TaInt
IT don't like this reward money to
the players" he said. Not that have
any objection to players having the
money, but it is a stake. and when
we begin to play for stakes instead Of
for trophies, we must be prepared to
face the same situations as arise in
racing. Where money is at stake, all
games become the prey of the common
and perpetual gambler. We have been
playing for a championship of the
national game with no money involved.
the players being reimbursed for the
purpose of trying to win the champion
ship, now we are going into scheme
which means that the players are COM
peting for individual cash. 1t is no
longer club affair. 1t will lead to
trouble, I fear, and / am entering
upon this new course with trepidation.'
In the very first series it developed
that certain players in competing
clubs had agreed to pool their shares,
irrespective of which team won. In
other words, they intended to divide
$3.50. That took the competitive end
out Of the games at once. so far as they
we're concerned, because these players
had little personal interest one way
or the other. They would get the same
amount Of money win or lose.
First Series Had Scandal.
The very first scandal to grow from
that was when some of the players who
had agreed to this division reneged
when the series was over, and declined
to live up to their agreement. OF
course these were New York players,
because the New Yorks won.
The total amount received from the
first series was $8S,435. That also was
the smallest amount ever received.
The next smallest was in 1903, when
was realized. Chicago and
Detroit played and New York people
said it served Chicago right for steal
ing the championship from the Giants,
because it was always held in New
York. that the pennant Of that year
belonged to the New York team.