Evening journal., 1922-03-06
S75,OOOL0WEST
FOR BABE ruth
$500 Extra Also for Each
Home Run Sutton Swats
This Year
HIGHEST PAID
MAN IN GAME
By HENRY l.. FARRELL

NEW YORK. March 9. Babe
Ruth. like character out OF Ho-
ratio Alger book has walked from
boys home to a place where he Is
the highest paid athlete in the
world
with a contract said to call for a
Nat salary between $4,000 and
500 900 a year with an additional
$500 FOR each home run. Ruth has
put himself In the position OF MAX
ing more than any player in the
game for three years and more than
good many Of the major league
club owners
John McGraw the higest salaried
man in the game up TO the time
Ru,h signed his new contract. gets
SOS. 900 a year and a percentage of
the profits Commissioner lands
draws $50, 600 for directing baseball
and Ban Johnson, president OF the
American League ss5 600 year
Iris Speaker and Ty Cobb. both
playing managers. are understood to
get between $4,000 and sac. 900
season. The great Chrlsty Matthew
son never drew more than $1,000
a year
Ruth was getting $4,000 year
when he started his home-run stunts
with the Boston Red Sox Just be-
fore he was sold to the Yanks for
s15O.000 he signed a three-year
contract for $4,000 a year. When
he came to the Yanks he was given
some bonuses which allowed kim TO
make about $4,000 last season.
Ever since he became prominent
he has been mixed up In big money
ventures but he has not always
cashed in on them. For instance, he
svas given a check for $4,000 for
his movie stunts. but ne held the
check so long that II was no good
when he went to cash 1.-THE COM
pany had gone TO the wall other
ventures have been successful, how
ever He is said to have drawn
$4,000 a week in vaudeville during
the winter season.
The Yanks did not disclose what
the figures were on the contract
that the swat king allowed to be
decided on toss OF coin but they
intimated that It was between s75.-
600 and 100000 The bonus for
home runs will be TIE gravy for the
swat sultan Last year II would
have meant s250O. This year II
may mean most anything.
incidentally. Ruth will get the
first pinch out OF the shoe now that
Commissioner lands tied on him
for transforming against the rules.
The six weeks sentence Will keen
which he raped out twelve homers
last season.
The Rabies Life Drama.
The story OF Babe Ruth is more
amazing than any ever a small boy
dreamed. He first appeared on any
diamond as catcher IN the Brothers
team of ST. Mary's Industrial School
at Baltimore, and he started to hit
them over the fence. In 1913 he
played on the Mount ST. Joseph's
College team at Baltimore and he
used to knock them out OF the lot.
Jack Dunn. who owns the Baitl-
more club in the international
League, was told about him by the
Brothers and he next appeared on
the Baltimore club as a left handed
pitcher but pitcher who could hit.
Later he went to the Providence
team in the same league. Finally he
was acquired by Boston in the Amer
Jean League. He began to lift them
over the right field fence in the
American League.
Finally he was purchased by the
New FORK Yankees for close 10 $50.
600, the highest price ever paid for a
baseball player. At that time good
baseball authorities decided that
Col. Rupert and Huston had be-
come affected by the heat. Predic-
tions was made that Ruth would
break down.
But Ruth did not break down. He
continued to pound the pill against
the distant horizon. The receipts OF
he Yankees started to swell. Not
only that, but the aggregate receipts
Of the American League grew bigger.
II is estimated that last year alone
Ruth helped to swell the leagues
gate receipts by something ike half
million. Not only that. but he was
an influence toward boosting the re-
ceipts OF the National League. The
recent prosperity Of all organized
baseball is due to a revitalizing OF
the sport due TO the impact OF the
great swatter's bat
The best that Ruth drew as a
member OF the Boston Red Sox was
$1,000 The year Harry Frazee sold
him TO the Yankees he had signed
up for three years for that much a
year. As soon as he was signed by
The Yankees Ruth demanded more
money, and got IL. Last season he wa,
getting very close 10 $4,000 in sal
airy and special bonuses.
HOT SPRINGS. Ark, March g.
Babe Ruth will wear a Yankee uni
form for the next three years, at
salary described by Colonel Hustoi
as worthy OF a railroad president
What that salary will be the Colone
refuses 10 say. but besides a fat pa
envelope Ruth will receive $500 10
every home run that he makes. A
the end Of the three-year period tn
contract provides an option for a re
newal for two years more.
Ruth and Huston came TO term
and paper shortly before midnigh
settling all arguments by pitching
coin into the air. II Babe won IN
toss he was TO get his original de
mands II he lost he was TO IA
back on Colonel Ruppert's com
NRLA NAA HnH1