South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-09-10
CLAIM BASEBALL
HAS LOST ROMANCE
Hear Now Only of High Price
Paid for Stars of the
Big Leagues.
BY BILLY EVANS

Is baseball losing much of its col
or?
II you are willing 20 take the
word OF many veteran mana gers
and players, it is.
The veterans mean that romance
has filtered out Of the game and that
il has become a hard, cold business
proposition.
Recent deals by the two New York
clubs have caused much comment
Some of the fans feel that the mag
nate with the biggest bank roll can
command the best team in these
modern days
Such feeling makes the fans
think that color, or romance. or SEN
timent, is fast drifting out. and the
sports becoming a highly CONNER
cialized institution
| understand the American League
is thinking seriously of putting
through a rule that Will make it i'm
POSSIBLE to trade or buy star players
during the actual playing season.
Does Seem Drastic.
on the surface that may appear
too drastic a measure, yet I am sure
the fans would welcome it. Incl
dentally il would react to the credit
OF the game and kill off some of the
feeling that now exists relative 10
commercialism in the sport.
Now, when some major league club
buys a star player the fact is widely
heralded. but the dollar mark plays
the most prominent part in the pub
Lefty given to the minor league star.
Last fall New York paid the san
Francisco club $4,000 for Player
O'COnnell 1t was the biggest price
ever paid for a minor league star. a
fact much dwelt upon. In reality it
was about the only news given 10
fandom concerning O'Conneu.
Recently the Chicago White SOx
management paid 100000 for Third
Baseman Kamm- The fact that
Kamm cost more than O'Connell was
the news that was spread over the
country.
No dope Of any account was broad
cast about the habits, hobbies or the
unusual ability Of the players con-
cerned. They were simply high
priced beauties.
In striking contrast 10 the cases
OF O'Connell and Kamm is that of
Cobb. When he broke into the ma
jors it was not through the dollar
mark sign, but because he did things
differently.
When cobb came 70 the American
League. columns were printed about
his crazy antics on the bases and a.
the bat AS a matter OF fact. Cobb
attracted attention from the Detroit
club in a most unusual manner.
Go a Good Laugh.
Here is a story that Is credited 20
the late Herman Schaefer and owner
Navin OF the Detroit club. 1t was
back IN 1905 when the Tigers
trained at Augusta. Ga. Navin was
with the club
Say I got a big laugh for you
here" said Schaefer 10 Navin
What's the laugh about?" asked
I Navin. ard Schaefer explained:
They have crazy kid on this
Augusta club that will give you
enough laughs to last out the season.
He tried TO stretch every single into
| a double and every double into a
triple lie starts for second when
the pitcher is holding the ball. He
bun.s with two strikes on him. In
fact, he does everything differently
from every other ball player"
Navin watched the crazy kid that
afternoon At the close OF the sea
son he bought him for $3.50. ThSi
was Tyrus Raymond Cobb.
Cobb's case is remarkable. but no
exception. Alexander cost the same
amount OF money; also Hal Chase;
Walter johnson was picked up for
practically nothing.
There 3 Sill color in baseball. but
The dollar mark as publicity
medium has It backed of the boards
for the time being.