Evening star., 1938-10-24
MAJOR STARS APT
TO EASE DEMANDS
Leaderiess Since Joe Gets
Smart After Trimming
He Took This Year.
BY PAUL NICHOLSON,
associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW YORK, Oct. 24-Joe Di Mag
gio's avowed resolution to become a
good boy and deserter of the holdout
ranks comes as shocking news. What
Giuseppe's resolve amounts to is the
unconditional surrender of a rising
star who was slated to pick up where
Babe Ruth left of as a leader in the
movement to get more money for ball
players.
Di Maggie learned his lesson last
spring when he held out for $4,000.
or $4,000 more than his New York
Yankee bosses thought he should get
As third-year man. Every ballplayer
and fan in the land should have lauded
mis- bold demand because the mag
nates-most of them-make plenty of
dough and could spread more of it
to the players.
Instead, Joe found himself an object
Of scorn, pictured as a swell-headed
migrate. His play suffered as did his
prestige and pay envelope. For half
the season he was booed But for his
ability to pull himself together. he and
Vic lld VIC ldllCO lll IllCI
quest for three straight pennants.
Chance for $4,000 Good.
So now Joe's going along on his
own. First In his scheme of things is
Joe Di Maggie Chances are he'll never
reach Babes high mark of 80 grand a
season, something Owner Col. Jake
Ruppert insists never again will be
duplicated.
Yet, with natural good luck Joe
should eclipse Lou Gehrg's high SAL
ary line and some day get upward OF
0,000 for years play. Right now,
Di Maggie is worth half million dol
lars to the Yankees-and getting more
valuable. Ask any American League
manager who is the keyman on the
world champions and he'll say Di
Maggie.
1t isn't know whether Di Maggie
eet back his holdout cut of $500 90
days at s162 peri but it's to he
did before he left New York. Last
fall, Joe sort of slipped out of town
This year. reliable bird tells us, he
had good talk with Business Man.
ager Ed Barrow and they agreed to
agree for something over 100000.
Few Yanks to Balk.
incidentally. therell be few holdouts
emong the Yankees in 1899. The
gru6 Barrow never had trouble sign
ing players until Col. Rupert decided
10 hold those ballyhooed signing par
ties at his Third avenue brewery.
Col. Rupert got his fingers burned
last spring dealing with Di Maggie.
True. he licked Giuseppe in the end,
but he was very much upset by story
In a local newspaper that Di Maggie
mad been signed for months, that the
kalary harangue was just ballyhoo to
sell more beer.
From all over the major league base
ball front come reports Of peaceful
surrender, indicating new low for
poldouts next spring One of the
super holdout specials. Paul Derringer
of the Cincinnati Reds, signed up the
day before the 1888 season ended.
Dizzy Dean can't squawk no matter
what the liberal Chicago Cubs offer
him. Gehrig slowing up though still
great ballplayer, is in no position
70 hold out
Di Mag Shows He's Smart.
Di Maggio's desertion somehow re-
calls the effort OF an ex-Representative
to unionize the ballplayers. For weeks,
This department was bombarded with
news releases and arguments. Finally
stirred into action to see how the big
union man was coming, I called his
office.
Sorry said the opeartor, but that
number has been disconnected"
That's what Di Maggie has done
disconnected himself as leader of the
holdout brigade He's smart.