Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-12
Nation S Best Talent,
GiIded by Publicity,
Fills Grid Chest
Players Get Big Return
From Sport Unburdened
By Great Overhead
BY JUDSON BAILEY,

BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, Nov. 11-Stars are
professional footballs stock in trade.
From the November day in 1925
that Red Grange turned pro and
began Turing customers who never
before had seen gridiron game, as
well as those who had, the business
policy of the club owners was as
plain as the chalk lines on the
field.
Each year they bought up the
brightest talent available from
among the graduating college heroes
and with these ready-made head
liners to attract the patrons past
the turnstiles, provided a supple
mentary force of less-heralded
players to help win the games.
This singular system has worked
wonderfully well.
Virtually all of last years ALL
Americas now are disporting Them
selves on the gridirons for real
money. Their names alone-Davey
O'Brien, Marshall Goldberg, Parker
Hall, Johnny Pingel, Wally Young
and the rest-were good enough to
get them good salaries. Next year
they'll get paid strictly for what
they show and new crop will get
the name" money.
No Great Overhead in Sport.
O'Brien reputedly is betting be-
tween SIS 900 and SIC, 900 and Gold
berg about $4,000 for breaking into
the National League. This is fancy
folding money for four months work
and rockies entering the well-paid
precincts of major league baseball
never approach such salary scale.
To understand the unique pin
nacle the players hold in pro foot
ball, therefore, it is necessary to
consider the sports setup.
Unlike baseball, the football man.
agements have no fiscal investment.
There are no costly ball parks to
maintain, no. bonds to retire. no
high salaried stats of executives,
coaches and scouts and no chains OF
subordinate minor league teams for
the development of players.
The prospective members of the
pro football clubs come direct from
the colleges all nicely packaged like
Christmas gifts. The greatest play
ers in the country, schooled by the
finest coaches and given a gilt bath
of national publicity, come to the
clubs absolutely free. And selec-
tive draft system gives each club
the right to negotiate with certain
individuals so that there can be no
bidding among themselves.
Contracts Are Flexible.
The fact that the fixed overhead
Is small also permits a lot of fex-
Utility for the clubs In contract mat
tiers.
To obtain a recalcitrant recruit
like OBrien, who had the business
acumen while still in Texas Christian
University to show little interest in
turning pro. club can guarantee
that he will make a specified amount
from salary and from sidelines such
as Endorsements, writing, personal
appearances and the like.
This Is what the Philadelphia
Eagles did and it is generally under
stood OBrien's guarantee was full
filled before the Eagles ever played
game.
Or club can make a fiat salary
offer like the $4,000 that the Pitts
burgh Pirates paid Whizzer White
last season and hope to get all or
most Of 1t back in one big day at the
gate.
Or club can offer a percentage or
nat fee for each game. Except for
the leagues brightest stars, the latter
is customary.
An average player usually gets
around 500 game, good for about
$500 for a season of II league
games, plus extras from exhibition
contests and other sidelines. A good
halfback frequently will get four
times this.
Average Career Five Seasons.
The value of the per game" meth
Cd from the management viewpoint
is that 1t enables quick altering of
the squad to gauge expenses to re-
cetpts. Each club is permitted 30
players, but some of the less pros
porous ones get along with consider
ably fewer after midseason.
The players who are capable and
sturdy usually stick around for sew
eral years and most of them make
more In three or four months on
the gridiron than they could in an
entire year at some other occupa-
ton. However, they generally sup
plement this income with some off,
season enterprise.
The average career of a player who
makes good is about four or five sea-
sons. In the National League they
claim 1t takes three years for even
the best of the collegians to reach
his peak in the pro phase. Some of
them stay at the top few years
after hitting it.
Mel Helm of the New York Giants
Is in his seventh season and still
the best center in the league. Ken
Strong of the same club is in his
tenth campaign, but now is used
only as a place-kick specialist.
Football is not an old mans game
and usually the player himself has
carved other inches for himself by
the time his usefulness as a player
wanes.
Many Pros Become Coaches.
OF the National Leagues 10 great
est players of all time, as selected
by President Carl Storck, Turk Ed
wards and Sammy Baugh of the
Washington Redskins, Clarke Hinkle
Of Green Bay and Helm still are play
ing.
Jim Thorpe, the Incompatible
indian. last was reported as Holly
wood extra. Bronko Nagurski now is
defending full time one of the world
heavyweight wrestling champion
ships he acquired between seasons
as gridder.
Grange still is listed as an assistant
coach by the Chicago Bears, but de-