The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-24
TRADING Of
PECKINPA
AN INJUSTICE
Brown Declares II is Just Ipoa
Instance of CommercialluIne
the Game.
By NORMAN E. RRnKr

+ Inc recent trading OF Roger
Peckinpaugh, Yankee shortstop ana
captain, to the Boston Red Soy !,
the most coldblooded deal ever NJ,
over in baseball. It is the clinehi,.
argument in proving that bg
league baseball is hard and fasi
on the rocks of commercialism ana
is doomed unless the magua,s,
realize the approaching caiamiy
! Baseball assembled to the bigb.
est plane it ever enjoyed throne
the loyalty of its players-ehe men
of the old school. The Federsi
league war shattered that loyaltv
and almost wrecked the gama
This same war put baseball in M
big money" class. That hurt tbs
pastime even more. And now. 4,
the future of the sport is endaB.
gersd by the commercial end and
the utter disregard for the basis an
which the game was built, aloDs
comes this astounding deal PECK.
inpaugh, one of the greatest short
stops on the diamond, one Of the
brainiest players in the sports his
tory, a wonderful fielder and A
great batter, and a man with a Der
sonality above reproach under a1y
conditions, wakes up in the morn
ing to find that he has been tradel
from q PeSnanL-winning team to a
tail-end, shattered wreck of a club.
Why Give Your BeSt2
Virtue is its own reward? Az
parently not in baseball. At least
as far as Title Huston and Jake
Rupert are concerned. They have
told the fans emphaticany that
baseball means only one thing to
them-a way Of making money
hand over fist. They care nothing
for the real fans-the loyalty Of
their players-the sentiment OF the
thing-or the men who have helped
them make millions.
If there is a man in the game
today who should be above the trad
ing stage it is Peckinpaugh.
Traded to the Yankees by the Ia
dams in 1914 for Strang and Leli-
welt, principally because he couldn't
hit he developed himself into a fOr-'
hitter and over night earn
ed the rep Of being a wonder short
stop. He acted as captain OF the
Yanks a few weeks after be Joined
their lineup-and delivered. He
the team in its drive for
the flag last yaar-the first flag the
fanks ever had won His playing
on attack ard defense was above
Through months Of
between petty warning
factions on the Club-in which
Miller Higgins was maligned and
he men Higgins believed in we're
almost isolated from the others in
he Clubhouse-Peck maintained .
bearing. A good
years work done, he went home to
Cleveland with his worlds series
money slowed away and the pros
poets of figuring in another worlds
seria partly by virtue OF his own
great playing. And then came the
blow.
The deals 4 fine one for the
Yankee owners. Everett Scott Will
play short as well as Peck, al
.hough he won't hit as well OF add
brilliant leadership to his playing
Sam Jones and Joe Bush will give
Iuggins two good pitchers.
Harry Needed the Dough.
The Red Sox are pleased. They
1roba bly, got a barrel of money IN
he deal. And that is all Harry
Trazee. theatrical man, wants. He
las to have dough to meet his shin
)lasters
The Sunday fans" in New YORK
nay like the deal, because better
pitching will strengthen the clHD
md give them more victories 10
ave about.
But as far a PeCkinpaugh is con
termed it is the dirtiest piece OF
business ever put over in the big
how. The game is one more big
tep nearer beng swallowed VI II
he commercial spirit Of its lead
rs. Sentiment thing which
made fans swear by their fayorIteS
nd those favorites give their all
or their teams and followers, IS
taggering under another body
low.
If from this deal other players
ecide that loyalty. hard work ana
lean living and playing get them
othing and play accordingly. tn'
lagnates will have no reason ID
omplain. They are simply creating
he condition themselves. We nae
D think what the end will be.