The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-14
Club Firm
on 2-Year
Contract
Time for Halt, Rupert
Declares as He Re-
views Babes Life.
BY DANIEL
written for the United Press
(Copvright. 1890. by United Press

NEW YORK, Jan. 14-DiscusSing
the Babe Ruth salary dispute today,
Colonel RUPERT, owner of the New
York Yankees, made these interest
ing statements:
"On the basis of possible financial
returns in baseball, the salary limit
for a player was reached with Ruth's
old contract, which called for $4,000
a year. In offering him $4,000, ]
have gone beyond the limit.
Stories about the tremendous
profits of the New York club are
pigments of the imagination. In
ten years Ruth has made more out
of the Yankees than I have.
Bad Business, He Says
In refusing a three-year con-
tract 10 Ruth, I seek to protect the
player himself, as well as my in
vestment and the rights of all the
other Yankees. I find that three
year agreements are unhealthy and
bad business. No other Yankee from
now on will be signed for more than
one season"
Pointing to Ruth'S contract,
which was drawn up for two terms
at SIS, 1000 a season, Colonel Rup-
pert said:
This is the last word. Ruth is
fortunate the ownership Of the Yam
KEGS is not spread among a lot OF
stockholders. If it we're they never
would stand for offering him $780,
900 for two years. The book value
of Ruth could not possibly justi-
fly it.
IT am not insensible to what he
has done for the club and the game,
though I do feel he gives himself
too much credit for the pennant
victories of the Yankees"
Rupert said he had discussed the
matter of a new contract for Ruth
with the late Miller Higgins last
July. and Hug had advised signing
the Babe for only one year at q
time.
'He said the Ruth problem could
be handled best and the Babe kept
On his toes by single season con-
tracts.
Helped by Publicity
when Ruth informed me the
other day that he would get a
three-year contract at $4,000 a
season or quit, 1 reminded him
that publicity had been a big fac
tor in making possible his $4,000
salary.
81 said, Quit the diamond and
where will you be? In a few days
YOU will slide out of print. Nobody
gets more newspaper attention than
the President of the United States.
How many columns a week do you
read about Calvin Coolidge, now
that he has retired to private life?'
And I am convinced the public
is intrigued by nine good players
fighting hard to win more than it
is by eight fair players and an
outstanding star. When the
Yankees got that big lead in 1928.
attendance fell off and not even
home-run hitting by Ruth could
pull the figures up.
Loan Went With PurchaSe
Ruth has taken exactly $4,000
in salary out of the Yankee treas
ury, and picked up small fortune
in world series prizes and other
things. When we bought Ruth in
1920, he cost $125,OO0. But that
wasn't all. Harry Frazee told me
the $125,000 he wanted for Ruth
would not help him-that he could
not sell the Babe unless loaned
him 1915, GOO more.
80 went the limit and laid out
100000 to get the player. That
! 1915, 900 still is owing to me.
1--WE paid Ruth when he W. Jut
for weeks under suspension by
Lands. That wasn't our fault. We
have gone along with hinl--and
he's got to go along with US"
LONDOS THROWS STOCCA