Evening star., 1940-01-15
Lveness Of Ball Among Golf Begins Promising Year

HubbeII's Honesty Rough
On Other BoIIpIoyers;
BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent Of The Star.
NEW YORK, Jan. Is (N.AN.A.).-
There's feeling among major
league ballplayers that Carl Hub
bell cold Crooked Arm" the boys
call him) is a bad influence.
This is the kind Of fellow Hub
bell is. His employer hands him a
blank contract, and says, "Fill it
In with your own figure, Hub" Mr..
Hubbell contemplates the document
for a moment.
well" he says sternly, It cer-
tainly deserve a cut in salary. I
deserve a big cut. My, my, what a
bum I was last year. I was terrible
I will cut myself $1,000, and I hope
1t will be lesson to me-"
Having said all the things that
the 2rimmest employer might want
to say, Mr.. Hubbell then grabs a
fountain pen and ruthlessly signs
the papers. This is very fine atti-
tude, especially from the point of
view of the hungry capitalist who
owns ball club. but it doesn't sit
so we'll with Hubbell's fellow labor
ers. They wish he would stop it.
BIonk Contract Not Right
For Dizzy Dean
The news of Hubbell's action
spreads like Wildfire to the ears OF
p K. Wrigley, owner of the Chicago
Cubs.
Every estimable," comments MI
Wrigley. Il will send a blank con-
tract to Dizzy Dean. Maybe he will
cut himself $4,000. After all, he
was twice as bad as Hubbell last
year"
Mr.. Wrigley broods few minutes
ION second thought" he says
~maybe I'd better not do that. 1t
would just be putting temptation in
Dizzy's way. The poor fellow is
so remorseful and conscience
stricken that he probably would cut
himself $4,000 or $4,000 if he had
a chance. So I will cut him $4,000
myself, ana send him the contract tc
sign"
When Mr.. Dean refuses even to
soil his fingers with such a manu-
script, Mr.. Wrigley is both sho. .-eo
and hurt.
But Hubbell cut himself five
grand he tells Dean. There is ar
honest man for you"
"D-n Hubbell!" exclaims Mr.
Dean. Hes giving the game q
black eye"
And that's the way most of the
boys feel
New Set Of Standards
Is Given Owners
He gives the owners a new SET
of standards. Up till recently, ST 00C
or 81, 800 was pretty fair-sized cut
Hub. with his five grand, is COM
mitting financial hari-kari anc
what's more, he is putting ideas in
peoples heads.
Great Godfrey!' says the
magnate. "Why didn't I think Of
that myself? Five thousand dollar.
is nice, useful size cut, suitable
for framing. And come to think o1
1t, $4,000 is even better"
Another victim of Hubbell's folly
Is Ernest Schnozzola lombard, the
large Cincinnati catcher, who was
last seen lying on his stomach neal
home plate while dozens Of tiny
feet battered across the dish. Il
now develops that Ernie climbed
to his feet not long after the las
Yankee scored in the World Series
He went home to open his mail, ano
found that Hubbell's folly had cas-
Its shadow over his own cosy nest
Lombardi's new contract called
Tor cut of $4,000
There amt that much money il
the world" said Ernie. "At least
there amt that much minus money
wonder who gave the ball cluI
the idea that it was legal to maxi
. cut like that?"
Players Didn't Bother
About Ruth's Pay
Well, of course, the answer i
Hubbell again. It's true that Bah
Ruth took a couple of $4,000 cut
In his day, but nobody paid mucl
attention-nobody but the Babe
After all, when man gets up in tn
neighborhood of 100000 per year, h
becomes matter of purely aca
demic interest to his colleagues
IF Ruth and Rupert want t
play around with telephone mum
bers," the average player used t
reason, that's their business,
think I'll try the 30-cent breakfas
this morning. Only one egg, but
saves dime"
Besides, you never saw Ruth cut
ting his own salary. If the Bah
had got his hands on blank con
tract, he would still be writing
nice fat ciphers in a row, precede
by an outstanding 7 or 8. Ther
was nothing bashful about Bi
s. George
Baseball will be a brighter an
happier pastime if, in the futur
picked delegation can get hold {
Hubbell the day the season enc
t. and tie his hands to his sides unit
the day the next season begins.